Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
In Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Ace of Spades, the prestigious and elite Niveus Private Academy becomes the backdrop for a high-stakes thriller centered on two students: Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo. The narrative, structured through alternating perspectives, explores the intersection of race, class, and systemic oppression as the characters are targeted by an anonymous bully known only as “Aces.” Part I: The Ivory Tower – The Rise of Aces The story begins on the first day of senior year. Devon Richards, a talented musician and scholarship student from a rougher part of town, prefers to remain invisible, focusing solely on his Juilliard audition piece. In contrast, Chiamaka Adebayo is the school’s “Queen Bee,” a high-achiever who has spent three years meticulously crafting a persona of perfection and power to secure her future at Yale. Their lives collide during the first-day assembly when Headmaster Ward, a tall, ominous man who recently replaced Headmaster Collins, announces the senior leadership positions. To his shock, Devon is named a Senior Prefect, while Chiamaka is appointed Senior Head Prefect for the third year in a row. During the assembly, a technical glitch momentarily displays an Ace of Spades playing card on the giant screen, an event that …