I knew that Faridah wasn't going to disappoint but ACE OF SPADES really blew me away. It was both scary and important. I truly think, above even the mystery, Faridah's commentary on societal issues was the highlight. There were so many powerful quotes that I wished I had thought to get some sticky notes so I could tab them all. There was racism and the way it affected Devon and Chiamaka, both similarly and differently. There was living life as a Black queer teenager and what that meant for Devon, who has pretty much always known, and Chiamaka, who was starting to discover more about herself and her sexuality. Faridah also touches on police brutality, the BLM movement, and bullying. I truly believe that this is a necessary read, whether you enjoy thrillers or not. I don't believe that anyone should expect a book by a Black author to "teach them" about racism or anything like that. I don't think that's what Faridah set out to do either, but I do think it's important to consider what she's saying with this book.
As much as I liked Chiamaka and Devon, I did have to dock a star for the mystery. If you know what the book is comped to, the twist comes as no surprise. I kept waiting for more but more did not come. There was also little to no actual tag-team investigation beyond 2-3 chapters. In fact, Chiamaka and Devon don't even start working together until about a third or so into the book. I think because there was such a heavy emphasis, in both reviews and from the marketing, on the suspense / thrill, my expectations were too high. Although I was on the edge of my seat at some points, it had less to do with any of the twists and more to do with how eerie some parts got.
Overall though, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to Faridah's next!
As much as I liked Chiamaka and Devon, I did have to dock a star for the mystery. If you know what the book is comped to, the twist comes as no surprise. I kept waiting for more but more did not come. There was also little to no actual tag-team investigation beyond 2-3 chapters. In fact, Chiamaka and Devon don't even start working together until about a third or so into the book. I think because there was such a heavy emphasis, in both reviews and from the marketing, on the suspense / thrill, my expectations were too high. Although I was on the edge of my seat at some points, it had less to do with any of the twists and more to do with how eerie some parts got.
Overall though, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to Faridah's next!