Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 25/08/2022
Cover:
The simple design drew me in with its patterns and contrasting colours. From this design, it is easy to identify the genre of the book, but there are very few clues about the story it represents.
Writing:
Within a few pages, Amanda Foody had me eating out the palm of her hand as she did a phenomenal job establishing the tone and world of the story. Through her picturesque writing, the creative and complex world soon became my favourite part of this story. While the intricate details regarding the powers and family names were slightly confusing, even this could not lessen the appeal of the world Amanda creates.
Desire fame, and the city will make you a tragedy.
Storyline:
The main storyline revolves around a mystery with very few leads and clues. The tension and suspense generated from this, and the time constraints, worked well to keep me heavily invested in the story. There is also a lot of information about gang politics and the characters’ personal lives, which slows the pace of the storyline. These are balanced with numerous action-packed scenes that drive the story forward. Making the storyline even more complex are references to issues such as paedophilia, gambling, and drug use, but these are not deeply explored.
Main character:
The initial contrast between Enne’s character and Levi’s was nicely done and made for a few funny moments. As the story progresses, it is easy to see the similarities between both characters as they are simply trying to survive in the harsh City of Sin. Both are given rich personalities with internal conflicts that make them relatable and likeable. I particularly enjoyed Enne’s growth as she is initially very innocent and haughty but gradually gains self-confidence.
Sometimes we’re not who we want to be because we’re meant to be something else
Secondary characters:
Helping Enne and Levi are several secondary characters. These play specific roles in the story, so most have little complexity and are not memorable. In contrast, the villains are so well-written and detestable that they drive readers to root for the main characters.
Romance:
Talk about chemistry! The attraction between Enne and Levi was great, playing out in a delightfully slow burn as they became more comfortable and opened up with each other. While little happens between these two, I cannot wait to see how things progress in the next book!
Despite my hesitancy to read this book, ‘Ace of Spades’ was so entertaining that I raced through it! The writing, storyline and characters all worked well to keep me invested in the story. Thankfully the next book in this series is already out, so I will be picking that up soon! Those who enjoyed this may also like Written in Red by Anne Bishop.
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