School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--British author Àbíké-Íyímídé is back at it with another thriller in the same vein as her Ace of Spades. This time, readers are immersed in the prestigious boarding school Alfred Nobel Academy where main character Sade Hussein has recently transferred. Despite claims that the school is unwelcoming to new students, Sade is relatively quickly accepted by a handful of students just as her roommate goes missing. Meanwhile, Jude presents himself as a potential bad boy love interest. Turns out there's more to the bad boy edge than readers originally anticipate as Sade and friends uncover a sinister secret text thread where unscrupulous boys tell all, including date rape brags. As the finale is revealed, the perspectives shift multiple times, and unreliable narration is revealed. Overall, the work is ambitious, running long with too many characters and plot complications. The author wants to spend time establishing the setting and cast, but only the most determined readers will push past to the real intrigue. The book does have a nicely diverse cast, including a Black, Muslim main character. The LGBTQIA+ representation is excellent with two exceptionally well represented sidekicks whose identity is not just a plot device--readers will wish Basil was their bestie. VERDICT A decent thriller to add for Àbíké-Íyímídé's growing fanbase.--Leah Krippner
Publisher's Weekly Review
Àbíké-Íyímídé (Ace of Spades) presents a powerful look at grief, rape culture, and moving on from loss in this exquisitely crafted paranormal mystery. Following her father's death from a heart attack, recently orphaned Sade Hussein begins attending Alfred Nobel Academy, an elite boarding school. Soon after her arrival, her roommate Elizabeth goes missing. Elizabeth's disappearance and school administrators' commitment to sweeping it under the rug haunt Sade; unfortunately, hauntings are something she is well acquainted with. Death has always plagued Sade: her father's, her mother's suicide, and the drowning of her best friend, whose ghost often appears to her ("Sade felt her, the shadow girl from her nightmares, crawl into bed with her, and hold her close"). Suspecting foul play, Sade and new friend Basil embark on a mission to find Elizabeth and, with help from the Unholy Trinity--a group of popular girls who may know more than they're letting on--the teens not only uncover clues about Elizabeth's vanishing, but a culture of patriarchal violence terrorizing female students at the academy. Àbíké-Íyímídé employs exceptionally perceptive character dynamics rendered via beautifully twisty prose to deliver a searing indictment of sexual violence and the lengths to which corrupt institutions will go to discredit and silence survivors. Sade is Black and the supporting cast is intersectionally diverse. Ages 14--up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn and Zoë Plant, Bent Agency. (Mar.)
Kirkus Review
A mystery upends a London girl's attempts to heal her grief-stricken life. Recently orphaned Sade Hussein, a wealthy Nigerian British Muslim 16-year-old, was home-schooled before she entered the Alfred Nobel Academy, an international boarding school. There she meets Elizabeth Wang, her roommate and "house sibling," a role describing those assigned to help new students acclimate. Sade soon becomes familiar with the school cliques, including the infamous--and beautiful--Unholy Trinity, comprising Persephone Stuart, Julliette de Silva, and queen bee April Owens (who used to room with Elizabeth). Sade's new friendship with her roommate is abruptly interrupted when Elizabeth goes missing, and the Unholy Trinity approach Sade, curious about what might have happened. Meanwhile, Sade is investigating with Basil dos Santos, Elizabeth's best friend, when a music box belonging to the missing girl mysteriously appears on Elizabeth's bed. When attractive playboy athlete Jude Ripley shows an unwanted interest in Sade, one of her new friendships is negatively affected. Along with dealing with a missing roommate and complicated social dynamics, Sade, who struggles with panic attacks and night terrors, is haunted by a ghost girl, who visits her in regular nightmares and begs her for help. The very large cast, the uneven pacing and characterization, and the presence of several complicated storylines slow down the flow of this ambitious story. The characters are broadly diverse in ethnicity and nationality. A boarding school mystery that tackles fresh topics but struggles to knit together multiple complex narratives. (content warning) (Mystery. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Àbíké-Íyímídé's sophomore novel captures the spirit of dark academia. Sade Hussein is unprepared upon arriving at the Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school--before her father's untimely death, she had been homeschooled and led a fairly sheltered life. Although the Alfred Nobel Academy flaunts prestige and excellence, it's clear that its walls are hiding secrets. When her roommate Elizabeth goes missing, Sade teams up with Elizabeth's best friend, Baz, to uncover what happened to her. Things escalate when a student is found dead, and it becomes a race against time to reveal the school's dark secrets and unravel her growing attraction to popular girl Persephone. This is an atmospheric read that savors each interaction and aspect of the boarding school. The novel takes its time getting to the heart of the mystery, but once it does, Àbíké-Íyímídé never takes her foot off the pedal. Readers who like to take their time with a book will appreciate the author's slow reveal.
