“Sade Hussein, student,” she said, and followed up quickly with, “It’s my first day.”
We all remember our first day of high school – the stress, the nerves – but also the excitement. Meeting new friends, finding your way around campus – that’s the norm. Nothing wrong can possibly happen, right?
For previously-homeschooled orphan Sade, this is not the case. When her new roommate Elizabeth disappears less than 24 hours after her arrival, all eyes are on new girl Sade.
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is teenage dark academia viewed through the lens of Black protagonist Sade Hussein, who’s navigating her first time in high school while uncovering the secrets of Elizabeth’s mysterious disappearance.
Àbíké-Íyímídé is no stranger to mysterious scenarios for Black students with the success of her debut 2021 novel Ace of Spades. Three years later, 2024’s Where Sleeping Girls Lie displays Sade, alongside Elizabeth’s best friend – eccentric, pink-haired Baz – as a teenage Sherlock Holmes and John Watson on the search for their friend, working together to find every clue and weird coincidence that gets them closer to finding Elizabeth.
Where Sleeping Girls Lie holds its strength through its portrayal of female sexuality and rage through Sade, a teenage, Black female protagonist who must withhold her emotions and secrets to conform to her new environment. While her personality clashes with swim reserves August and Jude, she also makes deeper connections with Baz and “unholy trinity” mean girl Persephone. This novel displays the darkest aspects of ourselves that we hide from others – friends or strangers – to maintain civility.
“I think that’s sweet, Watson. Though, I must warn you that after hanging out with me for a few weeks – you will be a certified sailor.”
As a protagonist, Sade can be semi-prudish yet confident. She brushes off the pursuits of Jude and August, enters a circle of popularity, but somehow also doesn’t use curse words. Homeschooled most of her life, Sade enrolls herself as a third year student at Alfred Nobel Academy shortly after the death of her wealthy father, who never wanted her to attend school. Although it is her own choice, Sade struggles with the transition to boarding school, consistently having nightmares and experiencing sleepwalking that came from her time at home.
Throughout Where Sleeping Girls Lie, Àbíké-Íyímídé makes it clear that she wants to display past traumas within teenage girls – especially women of color – while still fulfilling what they want in life despite what they’ve been through. Especially through the introductions of the “unholy trinity” – April, Juliette, and Persephone – the novel shows them as mean girls who rule the school, with a list full of secrets to match.
With such a unique perspective – especially through a predominantly-white setting of English dark academia – Àbíké-Íyímídé’s characters are raw in their portrayals, offering more realistic descriptions of characters’ dialogue and circumstances. This concept comes alive through interactions between Sade and “unholy trinity” member Persephone – who bond over their shared anger towards past traumas while also sharing sweet treats back and forth with one another as a further dive into their relationship.
“Oh, and Persephone told me to send her thanks.”
“For what?”
“Something about chocolate.”
Although Where Sleeping Girls Lie tosses readers right into a sense of mystery and unease, aspects of Sade’s life do fall by the sidelines in comparison to the overall story. Information about the relationship between Sade and her father – alongside other familial issues – is distributed through the novel, increasing every couple of chapters. The shocking secrets of Sade’s life are worth the wait, although the overall backstory could use more tension and substance to apply to Sade’s current circumstance within the novel, as they feel too quickly resolved once revealed.
Even with this note, Where Sleeping Girls Lie is a necessary novel for any reader in love with YA fiction. A boarding school in England, teenage tension, disappearing acts – Àbíké-Íyímídé raises the stakes and offers a new view of dark academia for POC audiences. Fans of Ace of Spades as well as newcomers should raise their excitement for this modern-age, spellbinding thriller.
“But the thing was, everyone had secrets. Things too dark, too ugly to share with the people they loved most. She knew this more than anyone.”
Dajah Saul is a senior at Loyola University New Orleans, majoring in English with a concentration in Film and Digital Media. A native New Orleanian, she enjoys writing short scripts, listening to all genres of music, and being a huge fan of all things pop culture.
