Q&A with Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

June 13th 2021

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé discusses her debut novel, Ace of Spades - a compelling, incendiary and unputdownable thriller billed as Get Out meets Gossip Girl with a shocking twist. 

Q: This is a very thought-provoking and timely novel. What inspired you to write this story?

A: I grew up in South London in an area known for its diversity. My high school was made up of mostly Black students, with a minority of white students. I had never experienced the feeling of being the only Black face in a white space until I moved to a small town in Scotland for university. I had a huge culture shock as I found myself in situations I had never been in before – such as going days without seeing another person of colour while also being stared at by everyone as I walked through campus – as well as new microaggressions. I felt so isolated, and started to watch Gossip Girl for the first time and instantly fell in love with the characters and the story. I really wished there was more diversity on the show and so I thought to myself, how cool would it be to write something like Gossip Girl, but with Black main characters? I’m also a huge fan of puzzles and stories that have deeper meanings, and before I knew it I had this whole wild idea for a story called Ace of Spades.

Q: Characters Chiamaka and Devon are both complex yet relatable characters. What was your favorite part about writing them?

A: I am obsessed with the psychology behind the ‘mean girl’ and with Chiamaka, I really loved being able to challenge the idea that mean girls are one dimensional. Chiamaka’s ruthlessness is the result of her experience growing up as a Black girl in a very anti-Black world. With Devon I find writing his dry humour a lot of fun, and my favorite scenes are the ones where two personalities collide.

Q: Aces is an anonymous figure shrouded in mystery who wreaks havoc throughout Niveus Academy. What do you want readers to walk away with about the effects of bullying?

A: I used to get bullied pretty badly when I was younger and even more than a decade later, it still affects the way I interact with others and how I perceive myself. I want people to know that bullying has long-lasting effects and can stay with someone for the rest of their life.

Ace of Spades is out now.