Faridah
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are so many people to thank and not enough trees in the world to express my gratitude, but still, I will try my hardest—using as little bark as I can.
I want to first thank my mum for all that she has done for me. She always encouraged me to be creative, abandoning the classic Nigerian saying, “If you’re not a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, you are a disappointment.” And instead, she valued my happiness above all else. With my mum by my side, I never felt like a disappointment. Growing up, life was difficult at times, and she always made things better with a story. At bedtime she’d recite Nigerian folklore or make up a cool adventure, and so I learned to love storytelling from her.
Thank you to my sisters, Maliha and Tamera, for being so supportive and for listening to my ideas (with very little bribing).
A special thank you to everyone at The Bent Agency for making me feel so welcome.
Thank you to Molly Ker Hawn for supporting me and this book during a very difficult time.
A huge thank you to my wonderful agent, Zoë Plant, who took me in and has championed me and my books ever since—also thank you for answering all my random late-night emails.
A massive thank you to my editors Becky Walker, Foyinsi Adegbonmire, and Liz Szabla for not only believing in Ace of Spades, but also in me. I could never have imagined finding such perfect homes for my stories and with such incredible editors.
Thank you to everyone at Feiwel and Friends, to Jean Feiwel for welcoming me to Feiwel with open arms, to Molly Ellis, Elizabeth Clark, and Dawn Ryan, and to everyone at Macmillan for making my dream possible.
Thank you to Adekunle for illustrating such a beautiful cover—I literally gasped when I saw it. Thank you for bringing my characters to life in such an amazing way!
Thank you to my cousin Ade for lifting me out of the sunken place. Without her this book would not have been written, and I’d probably still be in a very bad place.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. You know who you are. If I start listing names I literally won’t stop, and as I said in my intro, not enough bark.
And lastly, thank you to the kettle I keep in my bedroom. I have named him Steve. I have boiled many a tea, and you have supported me through very tough times.
Thank you.
Thank you for reading this Feiwel & Friends book. The friends who made ACE OF SPADES possible are:
Jean Feiwel, Publisher
Liz Szabla, Associate Publisher
Rich Deas, Senior Creative Director
Elizabeth H. Clark, Senior Creative Director
Holly West, Senior Editor
Anna Roberto, Senior Editor
Kat Brzozowski, Senior Editor
Dawn Ryan, Executive Managing Editor
Celeste Cass, Assistant Production Manager
Erin Siu, Associate Editor
Emily Settle, Associate Editor
Foyinsi Adegbonmire, Associate Editor
Rachel Diebel, Assistant Editor
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a writer from South London who has dreamed of writing books about Black kids saving (or destroying) the world all her life. She is an avid tea drinker and a collector of strange mugs. She currently studies English, Chinese, and anthropology in the Scottish Highlands. faridahabikeiyimide.com, or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraphs
Class Schedules
Part One: The Ivory Tower
1. Devon
2. Chiamaka
3. Devon
4. Chiamaka
5. Devon
6. Chiamaka
7. Devon
8. Chiamaka
9. Devon
10. Chiamaka
11. Devon
12. Chiamaka
13. Devon
14. Chiamaka
15. Devon
Part Two: X Marks the Spot
16. Chiamaka
17. Devon
18. Chiamaka
19. Devon
20. Chiamaka
21. Devon
22. Chiamaka
23. Devon
24. Chiamaka
25. Devon
26. Chiamaka
27. Devon
Part Three: Ballot or Bullet
28. Chiamaka
29. Devon
30. Chiamaka
31. Devon
32. Chiamaka
33. Devon
34. Chiamaka
35. Devon
36. Chiamaka
37. Devon
38. Chiamaka
39. Devon
40. Chiamaka
41. Devon
42. Chiamaka
43. Devon
44. Chiamaka
45. Devon
46. Chiamaka
47. Devon
Epilogue: The Fire Next Time
Devon
Chiamaka
Author’s Note
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
Ace of Spades is a work of fiction, but it deals with many real issues including racism, homophobia, bullying, and suicidal ideation.
Copyright © 2021 by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
A Feiwel and Friends Book
An imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
fiercereads.com
All rights reserved.
Feiwel and Friends logo designed by Filomena Tuosto
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by email at [email protected].
First hardcover edition 2021
eBook edition 2021
eISBN 9781250800824
Ace of Spades Page 33
