The Queen's Spade has the quote: "from the King of the Blacks to the Queen of the Whites".  What kind of effed up compliment is that! Unfortunately it is a real quote from history.  I looked up the basis of this story and Omoba Aina (Omba Ina in the book) had an interesting life.  Of course, you never really know how it played out for her, but the end result def wasn't her freedom in real life.  A woman, and especially a black woman's, choices and fate are never easy, especially in the 1800s.  
The casual insults and condescending statements by the Europeans in the book had me gasping and upset.  Partly because I still hear people talk like that to and about Black people today.  The crow you must eat to survive, my hats off to you Omoba (she deserves to be called her true name).  Overall, I enjoyed the book and a strong female lead trying to take down a horrible cruel system that sees black and brown people as objects to control.  Lots of good commentary on the slave trade and relevant view points of the aftermath.  
I did not like the continual references to the playing cards, but I get it you gotta draw in that book title.