"I stop myself from apologizing-because what would I even be sorry for? Existing too loud?"
~ Faridah Abike-Iyimide
Read all great Faridah Abike-Iyimide quotes below ...
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Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé stands as a literary force, carving her path through the young adult fiction landscape with narratives that resonate deeply with readers worldwide. Born and raised in the vibrant borough of Croydon, South London, her journey from the bustling streets of her childhood to the heights of literary acclaim is a testament to both her talent and tenacity.
With a BA in English Literature from the University of Aberdeen and currently pursuing an MA in Shakespeare Studies from Kings College London, Àbíké-Íyímídé's academic background is as diverse as the characters that populate her stories. Her debut novel, "Ace of Spades," catapulted her into the literary spotlight, earning her recognition as an instant New York Times bestseller and recipient of the prestigious NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens.
"Ace of Spades" is not merely a story; it's a revelation—a gripping thriller that delves deep into themes of homophobia, institutional racism, and the multifaceted nature of identity. Set in a private high school in New York, the novel follows the lives of Devon and Chiamaka, two Black queer teenagers whose worlds are upended by the actions of an anonymous texter known as Aces. Through their journey, Àbíké-Íyímídé masterfully navigates the complexities of race, class, and sexual orientation, challenging societal norms and amplifying voices too often marginalized in mainstream narratives.
Inspired by her own experiences and fueled by a desire for justice and representation, Àbíké-Íyímídé infuses her work with authenticity and urgency. As a Black, queer, Muslim woman, she understands the power of storytelling to effect change, to uplift communities, and to spark dialogue. Through "Ace of Spades," she not only entertains but also educates, shining a light on the insidious presence of institutional racism in academia and the importance of questioning the status quo.
Beyond her role as a novelist, Àbíké-Íyímídé is a champion of aspiring writers of color. In 2019, she founded Avengers of Colour, a mentorship scheme aimed at supporting un-agented writers from diverse backgrounds on their path to publication. Her commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowerment within the literary community is a reflection of her belief in the transformative power of storytelling.
As she continues to garner accolades, including being a Morris Award 2022 finalist and the recipient of the Books Are My Bag 2021 Reader’s Award for Young Adult Fiction, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé remains steadfast in her dedication to amplifying underrepresented voices and challenging the status quo. Through her work, she invites readers to explore the complexities of identity, to confront injustice, and to embrace the beauty of diversity.
In a world hungry for stories that reflect the rich tapestry of human experience, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé stands as a beacon of hope—a storyteller whose words have the power to inspire, to provoke, and to ignite change. As she continues to write, her legacy will endure, shaping the literary landscape for generations to come.
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Best Quotes
“I stop myself from apologizing-because what would I even be sorry for? Existing too loud?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Growing up, I realized quite quickly that people hate being called racist more than they hate racism itself.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“They say love and hate are the same, just at different ends of the blade”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I hate how they have the power to kill my future, kill me. They treat my Black skin like a gun or a grenade or a knife that is dangerous and lethal, when really it’s them. The guys at the top powering everything.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: devon“I don’t straighten my hair because I hate it; I straighten it because everyone else hates it for me.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: chiamaka“The smell of bitch-ass liar is nauseating.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“But I know dreams are dangerous; they give me too much false hope.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: devon“I didn’t invent this twisted system that pits us against each other and makes us do crappy things for status—but I do know how to play it.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: machismo, power-games, racism, racism-in-america, social-issues, society-problem“Even though I know I shouldn’t care, it annoys me that when girls know what they want and how they’re going to get it, they’re seen as cocky. But guys who know what they want? They’re confident or strong.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“And I won’t roll over and let someone else take my crown. Not in a million years.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: chiamaka“I’m Chiamaka fucking Adebayo—I don’t need some prick telling me who I am and who I should be.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“By fire, by force”.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Note to self: Don’t delete numbers of the people you hate. They might come in handy someday.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I don’t trust white people like you do. I obviously don’t think they are all murderers, but I think they are all racist.” “All?” I say, eyebrows raised. “It sounds wild, I know, but racism is a spectrum and they all participate in it in some way. They don’t all have white hoods or call us mean things; I know that. But racism isn’t just about that—it’s not about being nice or mean. Or good versus bad. It’s bigger than that. We’re all in this bubble being affected by the past. The moment they decided they got to be white and have all the power and we got to be Black and be at the bottom, everything changed. If we can’t talk about it honestly, and I mean really talk about it, then what’s the point? I read some Malcom X last year, and I agree with him. Some might even treat you good, like an owner might treat a pet.” “That’s wild,” I say. “Yeah, it is. I think anyone can be nice, but it’s not about being nice. You can’t escape a history like that and not be affected. Us Blacks, we start hating ourselves, and them whites start thinking they’re all better than us. Even if they aren’t thinking it constantly, it’s in there somewhere.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“When you grow up like this, whether it’s in your nature or not, sometimes survival overpowers doing the right thing.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: devon“People love to reward conventionally attractive people.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: chiamaka“We’ve all had f—cking hard lives — doesn’t mean I’m gonna be an asshole about it.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I’m no longer Chi, but Chiamaka, daughter of a Nigerian mother who loves the hair on my head more than I ever could.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: chiamaka“I can ‘fix' the kinks in my hair, but not the kinks in this whole system that hates me and Devon and everyone that looks like us.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I hate that these systems, all this institutional shit, can get to me. I hate how they have the power to kill my future, kill me. They treat my Black skin like a gun or a grenade or a knife that is dangerous and lethal, when really it’s them. The guys at the top powering everything”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“No matter what I do, no matter how much I iron down the hair that springs from my scalp, or work as hard as I can, I’m always going to be other to them. Not good enough for this place I’ve tried to call home all my life.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: chiamaka“Money can only get you so far; you need power and influence to go with it.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: facts, rich-people, richness, society-quotes, truths-of-life“Sometimes I feel like I'm so lost in my own world, I don't notice the things that seem obvious to everyone else.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“They say love and hate are the same, just at different ends of the blade.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“But something I've realized is that very few things in this world are good.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“They say life is full of surprises. That our dreams really can come true. Then again, so can our nightmares ...”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: epigraph“but I learned early on that it’s either kill or be killed”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I was sure that saying no to Belle’s The Notebook invite would dampen our new friendship, but she’s here, in front of me, making me all flustered and nervous. It’s almost as if I like her or something, in a more than friends way. But that’s absurd. Is it?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“The people at the top in high school get into the best colleges, get the best jobs, go on to run the country, and win Nobel Prizes. The rest end up with dead-end jobs, heart failure, and then have to start an affair with their assistant to create some excitement in their otherwise dull lives.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“have to stop myself from apologizing—because what would I even be sorry for? Existing too loud?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I’m tired of having faith things will work out, only for any hope I have to be violently crushed.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: devon“hate that these systems, all this institutional shit, can get to me. I hate how they have the power to kill my future, kill me. They treat my Black skin like a gun or a grenade or a knife that is dangerous and lethal, when really it’s them. The guys at the top powering everything. If it isn’t Niveus that does it, any one of them could get us.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Jamie thinks the world is his to control. That he can tell me, convince me, how to think and how to feel, like I’m some puppet. I used to believe it—get swept up in it. But it’s getting harder and harder not to see past his lies; that he’s anything other than selfish; that he cares.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Well even if you wanted to be sad about it...you're not a bad person. Just human”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: reminder“There are moments when something happens, and puzzle pieces that didn’t connect before now fit together”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I didn’t get voted Head Prefect for no reason,” I say. “You got voted because you kiss teachers’ asses—and I’m not irrational,” Devon mutters.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Whispers are like snakes; they slither into your ears and threaten to poison your sanity with their venom.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I think about how many Black spirits have been killed by white supremacy and lies. How many of us were experiments. Worthless bodies in some game.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I feel destined to drop out of high school, stay here, in this house in this room, listening to Ma pray to a god who covers his ears when she chants.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I’m here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do.—Aces”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Home, lately, has been the highlight of my day.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: relatable“Dreaming is dangerous. But I allow myself to this time. I think we deserve a happy ending.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: happy-ending, quotes“I'm not going to let what he said hurt me. I won't give him that power over me. I'm Chiamaka fucking Adebayo I don't need some prick telling me who I am and who I should be.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“It makes me wonder if my resemblance to my mother has anything to do with this—with Aces. Whether Devon and his Blackness and myself and mine are the reason this”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“If a girl, all alone in a big fishbowl, screams, and no one is there, can you hear her? Does she even make a sound?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Sometimes I feel like I'm so lost in my own world, I don't notice the things that seem so obvious to everyone else.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Belle Robinson, you have a problem. I’d ask your boyfriend and his bestie, Chiamaka, what they were doing this summer. Hint, it involves no clothes and a lot of heavy petting. Looks like Chi might have someone to take to the Snowflake Ball after”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Niveus Academy, it just keeps getting better … Rumor has it, our favorite music student is doing more than just “visiting” his drug dealer. Oh, Dev, didn’t anyone tell you ecstasy is a harmful drug?—Aces”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I came here to tell you this—this whole Lola’s situation, you and him and your traditions … You and him, full stop, are over.” She can’t do that. “You can’t do that.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“he didn’t mean he liked me. He meant he liked my body, my flesh, my bones—which he probably thought he could have, whether he saw us as platonic or not.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“he didn’t mean he liked me. He meant he liked my body, my flesh, my bones—which he probably thought he could have, whether he saw us as platonic or not. Silly me for misconstruing that.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I remember arriving, meeting Jamie, feeling on top of the world. I remember Jamie handing me a drink, wrapping his arms around me, asking me to meet him”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“in his bedroom. I remember thinking He likes me as he pulled away. Then time winds forward. I remember stumbling, his arms wrapping around me, holding me close, and me thinking He likes me, us kissing, He likes me, my eyes still wet, heart beating fast for no reason.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I can “fix” the kinks in my hair, but not the kinks in this whole system that hates me and Devon and everyone who looks like us.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“And I’m so tired of you pretending things didn’t happen!” My face heats up. I hate the way he looks at me, so unbothered by”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“everything. “Things like the accident.” His eyes darken, eyebrows knitting together. “What accident?” he asks, his tone changing, deeper than before. That shuts me up. He leans in close, whispering, “You should think before you open your mouth, Chi. People might start to think”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Most people think the three of us are friends, since we’re almost always seen together. But we’re not friends. Our relationship is a transaction. I need a close, attractive circle. Small, because the smaller your group, the less people know about”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“you—and the more they want to know. And, in return, Ava and Ruby like how powerful the three of us are together.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“perfectly. Maybe the piece I’d failed to connect was the one where I thought that Jamie was any different from Ava or Ruby. That he ever really loved me or valued our friendship. Nothing he ever told me was true. I was stupid not to have realized that sooner, blinded by the idea that”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“someone could actually love a person like me. Maybe what I thought was Jamie’s love was never love at all. They say love and hate are the same, just at different ends of the blade. I hesitate, before drawing up the list of suspects in my mind and adding Jamie’s”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I realized quite quickly that people hate being called racist more than they hate racism itself.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Just in. Porn is easy to come by these days. You either search for it online or it falls right in your lap when you least expect it to.—Aces”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I don’t trust white people like you do. I obviously don’t think they are all murderers, but I think they are all racist.” “All?” I say, eyebrows raised. “It sounds wild, I know, but racism is a spectrum and they all participate in it in some way. They don’t all have white hoods or call us mean things; I know that. But racism isn’t just about that—it’s not about being nice or mean. Or good versus bad. It’s bigger than that. We’re all in this bubble being affected by the past. The moment they decided they got to be white and have all the power and we got to be Black and be at the bottom, everything changed. If we can’t talk about it honestly, and I mean really talk about it, then what’s the point? I read some Malcom X last year, and I agree with him. Some might even treat you good, like an owner might treat a pet.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Our school lies between two worlds: the side of town where the rich people live, and then our side, where people can’t afford food or health care.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I’m scared to dream too high, in case I end up falling flat on my face.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I dream about Ma not being so busy, having time to just listen, to talk, so I can tell her all the shit I’ve been hiding from her for years.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I dream about Pa coming home someday. We go out for pizza and he just tells me a bunch of life lessons. We catch up on missed time.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“In my dreams she listens, and still loves me afterward. But I know dreams are dangerous; they give me too much false hope. I know, I fucking know that even if my pa wasn’t in prison, he wouldn’t be here for me anyway.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“i don't usually allow myself to dream that much - disappointment is painful, and i like to the things that seem more possible than not.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Even though I know I shouldn’t care, it annoys me that when girls know”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“what they want and how they’re going to get it, they’re seen as cocky. But guys who know what they want? They’re confident or strong.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I just wanted to come over, because I know how hard it must be with the picture circulating and everything.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Legacy kids = Niveus students with superpowerful parents and generations of family members who’ve attended Niveus Academy.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I only concern myself with young, pretty brown boys, like myself.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Hello, Niveus High. It’s me. Who am I? That’s not important. All you need to know is …”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I know Scotty is a terrible person, so why am I so shocked? Why am I always shocked by people and their shitty behaviour?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: sad, sad-but-true“You’re my best friend, Chi. You know I don’t see you in that way.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Jamie’s face screws up, like the thought of us together is wrong. “You’re my best friend, Chi. You know I don’t see you in that way.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I don’t think you like me, Chi. I think you like the idea of me.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Naturally, I can’t trust a word that Scotty says. Not after he cheated on both me and his SATs.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I swear, Scotty, if you’re lying to me about deleting all of it, I’ll kill you.” “I’m not lying; wish I was, though. We were quite photogenic, weren’t we…?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“My ex is a psychopath. I always forget that part”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Stay the fuck away from me, okay?” I move back. “Keep me out of your games.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Naturally I can't trust a word that Scotty says. Not after he cheated on both me and his SATs.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“when I think about the other reasons we broke up. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping the tears that desperately want to fall don’t. Scotty seeing me cry would be another victory for him and a loss for me.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“I knew about Chiamaka, believe it or not. Scotty cheated on me with some other guys at parties he went to. His”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“The people at the top in high school get into the best colleges, get the best jobs, go on to run the country, and win Nobel prizes. The rest end up with dead end jobs, heart failure, and then have to start an affair with their assistant to create some excitement in their otherwise dull lives. And it's all because they weren't willing to put in the work to make it in high school.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades tags: chiamaka“Ava listened to me talk about Jamie while knowing all along he was dating Belle?”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“Did you know he was dating Belle?” I ask. Ruby’s smile fades a little. “Just found out.” I nod. Ruby’s always been a terrible liar.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades“But this year, I will get everything I want, and Belle will soon be a thing of the past. I just need a chance to show Jamie how wrong she is for him.”
― Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades