Scan barcode
A review by tempestaires
The School for Good and Evil Books 1-4 Paperback Box Set by Soman Chainani
4.0
I started reading this book because I needed a break from the last Witcher book, which has too much violence and gore for me, and it was just what I needed.
The School for Good and Evil, is light, fun, plays with the fairy tales rules and clichés, and I enjoyed following the plot.
The story follows beautiful and kind Sophie and her friend the lonesome and dark Agatha who are kidnapped to become students at The School for Good and Evil. But as they arrived, there is a big confusion and the girls find themselves in the wrong side of the school... or do they?
From the start we realise Sophie is quite vain, and does daily Good Deeds because she knows it's what Good people do. With Agatha, we're left to wander, she lives in a cemetery, enjoys writing stories where villains win, she even has some dead birds in her pocket... thanks to her cat I guess ! She clearly has an affinity for evil, but does that - and her bad looks - make her evil?
Agatha struggles to find her place in that school, and to get to know who she is. Sophie struggles less, because she is focused on her goals and question herself very little.
I was a bit disappointed that Agatha seems to loose her fire during the lasts chapters, but in the end she gets herself back together when she needs it.
What I really enjoyed in this book, was that things are good or evil, some are in-between, some fluctuate, and all of them depends on what choices people make, and the author lets his characters make bad decisions and he also lets them change their minds and go beyond their character, to sometimes go right back at the beginning but mostly learn from their actions.
I also loved seeing the friendship between Agatha & Sophie grow, because it started on a very shallow base, on Sophie's side. The relationships with Sophie's roomates were also entertaining to follow. And even if there are princes in this story, it's nice to see the girls fight for themselves !
Evil students seem to have more interesting classes, and the boys from the Good school too... Beautification & Etiquette... how lucky are the Evergirls? But I suspect there will be changes in the next story !
This edition also has lovely illustrations in every chapter, just like any fairytale book !
The School for Good and Evil, is light, fun, plays with the fairy tales rules and clichés, and I enjoyed following the plot.
The story follows beautiful and kind Sophie and her friend the lonesome and dark Agatha who are kidnapped to become students at The School for Good and Evil. But as they arrived, there is a big confusion and the girls find themselves in the wrong side of the school... or do they?
From the start we realise Sophie is quite vain, and does daily Good Deeds because she knows it's what Good people do. With Agatha, we're left to wander, she lives in a cemetery, enjoys writing stories where villains win, she even has some dead birds in her pocket... thanks to her cat I guess ! She clearly has an affinity for evil, but does that - and her bad looks - make her evil?
Agatha struggles to find her place in that school, and to get to know who she is. Sophie struggles less, because she is focused on her goals and question herself very little.
I was a bit disappointed that Agatha seems to loose her fire during the lasts chapters, but in the end she gets herself back together when she needs it.
What I really enjoyed in this book, was that things are good or evil, some are in-between, some fluctuate, and all of them depends on what choices people make, and the author lets his characters make bad decisions and he also lets them change their minds and go beyond their character, to sometimes go right back at the beginning but mostly learn from their actions.
I also loved seeing the friendship between Agatha & Sophie grow, because it started on a very shallow base, on Sophie's side. The relationships with Sophie's roomates were also entertaining to follow. And even if there are princes in this story, it's nice to see the girls fight for themselves !
Evil students seem to have more interesting classes, and the boys from the Good school too... Beautification & Etiquette... how lucky are the Evergirls? But I suspect there will be changes in the next story !
This edition also has lovely illustrations in every chapter, just like any fairytale book !