ace of spades faridah àbíké íyímídé summary

However, it doesn’t quite work.Įvery one of Devon’s secrets Aces exposes is something that actually happened to him. Presumably, the multiple romances weaved in and out of the plot are meant to provide some kind of buffer between the abject suffering Devon endures on a daily basis and Chiamaka’s slow realization that the facade she built is crumbling to pieces. Her narrative isn’t a powder keg, it’s a simmering fire growing hotter as Aces throws more and more kindling onto the blaze.

Àbíké-Íyímídé spends a lot of time unpacking issues of assimilation, homophobia, and poverty creating an insufferable environment with very little light pouring in. With exception to the romance in Ace of Spades linked to explorations of identity, self-acceptance, and a firm stance on self-worth, there is a disparity of joy in this book. Ace of Spades is a promising thriller but it’s bleak and tries to do too much However, the mysterious Aces is not only hellbent on disrupting their plans, they also want to ruin their lives. Readers are introduced to Niveus Academy on the first day of school as these well-to-do students enter their senior year.Ĭhiamaka Adebayo is a wealthy queen of mean, whose high-achieving, social-climbing ways are her ticket to Yale and into the life of being a somebody on a national scale not just in the rich, white halls of the academy.ĭevon Richards, in contrast, is a scholarship kid from an underserved community who’s just trying to get through high school, get accepted into Julliard, and provide his family with a better life.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is an ambitious YA thriller that blends the teen drama elements of Gossip Girl and the horrific social commentary of Get Out.

Ace of spades faridah àbíké íyímídé summary