Have you read ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé? It is pitched as Gossip Girl meets Get Out in the dark academia book of your dreams, featuring QPOC characters! I was so lucky to have the opportunity to interview Faridah in our most recent newsletter. We talked about systemic racism, Nigerian folklore, Paramore, and High School Musical. - Joce
Usborne, 2021
Hi Faridah, and a warm welcome to Reading Women! Can you please introduce yourself and Ace of Spades to our readers?
Hello! Thank you for having me! My name is Faridah and I am an author from London. When I’m not writing I can be found binge watching shows from the 00s and drinking copious amounts of tea. Ace of Spades is my debut novel and it is best pitched as Get Out meets Gossip Girl but queer, and follows Devon and Chiamaka in their senior year of high school when an anonymous texter begins spreading their deepest and darkest secrets around the whole school. The two must come together to fight this anonymous bully before things get deadly.
Ace of Spades is described in comps as Gossip Girl meets Get Out. What elements are similar to elements in each of these pieces of media? Are there any ways that you wanted to change or adapt them for Ace of Spades?
The elements from Gossip Girl that really inspired Ace of Spades are the glamorous high society setting and characters, the messy but mysterious anonymous figure, as well as characters like Blair Waldorf who inspired aspects of Chiamaka’s personality. With Get Out, I was inspired by the way Jordan Peele used horror to unpack specific experiences Black people go through and I wanted to do the same but with teen drama/thriller. When I was watching Gossip Girl, i always wished there was more diversity on the show and so I set out to write a Gossip Girl inspired story that centred Black queer kids as the protagonists.
I love the construct of each and every one of the characters in Ace of Spades, and would love for our readers to get to know them better. For each of these questions, please name the character who you think would suit the description and why!
1) Who would be the first character someone would text after a difficult breakup?
Terrell - because he’s a great listener!
2) Who would be the character most likely to make handmade holiday gifts for their friends and family?
Terrell again because he’s really into the holidays in ways Chiamaka and Devon just aren’t
3) Who would be the character you would be most likely to find chatting with friends at 2am about their deep philosophical thoughts?
Devon - because he has a lot of thoughts and deep feelings and would most likely be up at that time. Chiamaka would be getting her beauty sleep!
4) Who would be the character you would ask to assist you in planning a big celebratory party?
Chiamaka - because she has impeccable taste and will be really helpful in making sure everything is done properly
Feiwel & Friends, 2021
Themes of power, institutionalized racism, and mental health appear in your academic setting at Niveus Private Academy. In what ways did you want to highlight these themes, and are there any other themes you would like to talk about?
I read Malcolm X’s autobiography when I was 15/16 and it was life changing for me. Before that point I hadn’t really thought deeply about why I was experiencing certain things or why some people treated me badly. I wanted to write Ace of Spades in a way that would help young Black people understand the way systemic racism works but also make it accessible and not at all traumatic. In terms of the exploration of mental health, I really wanted to represent how mental illnesses manifest as a result of being disenfranchised but also show Black people that our mental health deserves to be acknowledged and validated. We are often left out of these conversations around mental health and so I wanted to re-centre black people in these discussions - especially Black teenagers.
I read in another interview that you grew up listening to Nigerian folktales. What influence did these stories have on your debut novel?
My mum used to recite Nigerian folklore to me all the time when I was younger, and something you should know about Nigerian folklore is that it is incredibly gothic. These dark natured stories definitely influence the sorts of vibes I go for when writing. Ace of Spades has the darkness as well as the humorous undertone you can find a lot of Nigerian folktales!
Have you found that the reception of your book has been different among early readers in different countries?
It’s actually been so positive across different countries, people seem to be connecting with the characters and the story and I am so happy it is resonating with a lot of readers.
What are some recommendations you have for readers who love Ace of Spades and would love to read more books in the same vein featuring Black and/or queer characters?
I highly recommend anything by Jason Reynolds and Akwaeke Emezi!
Finally, a few lightning round questions! (These are based on the Facts About Me page on your website)
Favorite Paramore album and why?
Brand New Eyes - it has all the angst and emotion I love in music
Which High School Musical movie is your favorite?
It would be blasphemy if I answered! (I have a soft spot for High School Musical 3)
What is your favorite Nigerian dish to eat or make?
Ayamase with white rice - it is amazing
Thank you so much for joining us at Reading Women… I LOVED Ace of Spades and I can’t wait to scream about it to everyone I know!
Thank you so much!!
About
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, 22, is a writer from South London who has dreamt of writing books about Black kids saving (or destroying) the world all her life. Her debut novel ACE OF SPADES is an unputdownable thriller that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism. Billed as ‘Get Out meets Gossip Girl with a shocking twist’, gal-dem has called it ‘one of 2021’s biggest books’.
Àbíké-Íyímídé describes the novel as “a love letter to queer Black teenagers who feel powerless and alone finally finding their voices. I hope readers see that Black people belong in stories like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, and that above everything else we deserve happy endings.”
The novel was acquired by Usborne Publishing in 2018 and then pre-empted by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group US for a seven figure deal in early 2020. ACE OF SPADES will publish simultaneously in the UK and US in June 2021.
Àbíké-Íyímídé established and runs a mentorship scheme for unagented writers of colour, helping them on their journey to get published. She has also written for NME, The Bookseller, Readers Digest and gal-dem, and currently studies English Literature at a university in the Scottish Highlands.
