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spenkevich's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, I’m really not into a man writing a book where the metaphor is that feminism sometimes goes to far and that the boys just naturally respond violently. Not great. Did the first book need a sequel? No. But I get it, it’s publishing and they built quite the empire from this series with a slew of books and now a feature film. But did they have to retcon the best moment of the first book by ensuring that, no, Sophie and Agatha aren’t romantically attracted to each other and then launch into some very heteronormative reinforcing where a big portion of the character’s development and sense of self is based on if they can secure the affection of the man they fancy. The whole novel actually begins because Agatha regrets the ending of the first book, wishing she'd stayed with the insufferably dull but apparently sexy prince instead of have a well-adjusted and supporting friendship with Sophie. Who IS GREAT, Agatha!
While, sure, I did like the aspect that often good ideas get co-opted by those with evil motives in order to achieve their personal wishes at the expense of destroying the ideals, but so much was all muddled up in some pretty problematic depictions of women’s empowerment and scapegoated all of that for the benefit of the ‘boys will be boys’ toxic characters and yeeesh. Also, boys looking hot without a shirt on gets them way too much leeway from the two main girls who shrug off major red flags. Which like, realistic I guess, but also Tedros is so beyond irritating and flagrantly dull that no amount of oiled-up chiseled abs could ever make up for it. We have Agatha more or less abandoning her personality because she can be the cute girl that gets the hot guy and it's rather eye rolling when this is presented as character growth instead of something to overcome. Top that off with the whole reverse sexism thing and ughhhhh.
What a disappointment after a rather fun and exciting first book, and there is fun to be had here but a lot of it is a rehash of what made the first book so engaging (a repeat of the Trials occurs, but with higher stakes). It falls pretty flat in the pile of uninspired sequels that becomes simply a bridge to get to a bigger third volume where at least there are fresh ideas. The problem with that direction, however, is that it defaces a lot of what was so charming about Sophie and Agatha in the first book, especially Agatha who went from snarky and strong-willed to very wishy-washy and meek. Have I mentioned Tedros sucks? God he sucks.
Read the first one, but pretend it ends there.
While, sure, I did like the aspect that often good ideas get co-opted by those with evil motives in order to achieve their personal wishes at the expense of destroying the ideals, but so much was all muddled up in some pretty problematic depictions of women’s empowerment and scapegoated all of that for the benefit of the ‘boys will be boys’ toxic characters and yeeesh. Also, boys looking hot without a shirt on gets them way too much leeway from the two main girls who shrug off major red flags. Which like, realistic I guess, but also Tedros is so beyond irritating and flagrantly dull that no amount of oiled-up chiseled abs could ever make up for it. We have Agatha more or less abandoning her personality because she can be the cute girl that gets the hot guy and it's rather eye rolling when this is presented as character growth instead of something to overcome. Top that off with the whole reverse sexism thing and ughhhhh.
What a disappointment after a rather fun and exciting first book, and there is fun to be had here but a lot of it is a rehash of what made the first book so engaging (a repeat of the Trials occurs, but with higher stakes). It falls pretty flat in the pile of uninspired sequels that becomes simply a bridge to get to a bigger third volume where at least there are fresh ideas. The problem with that direction, however, is that it defaces a lot of what was so charming about Sophie and Agatha in the first book, especially Agatha who went from snarky and strong-willed to very wishy-washy and meek. Have I mentioned Tedros sucks? God he sucks.
Read the first one, but pretend it ends there.
emon1ghmar3's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
edithp_peony20's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
El padre de Sophie, Stefan, se va a casar con Honoria, la mejor amiga de su madre, pero Sophie planea arruinar la boda con una obra de teatro que cuente las aventuras de ambas amigas durante la escuela del bien y el mal. Pero el plan de Sophie se frustra cuando su padre pide a los ancianos cambiar el día de la boda y celebrarla antes, Sophie acepta su cruel destino pero el deseo de Agatha de volver a ver a Tedros, su príncipe, hace que el velo entre los Mundos se vuelven delgados y varias armas intentan asesinar a Sophie.
Todos en el pueblo se asustan y deciden posponer la boda pero cuando se dan cuenta que mientras Sophie sigue entre ellos, dolor y pérdida los acechará, así es como Sophie termina siendo entregada y Agatha intentó salvarla una vez más, solo que las cosas en el mundo de los cuentos mágicos no es como se lo esperaban: contra todo pronóstico llegan a la escuela del bien, después de que las persiguieran a ambas, sin embargo ahí se dan cuenta de que la escuela del bien ahora es la escuela de las chicas. La historia de Agatha y Sophie inspiró a las mujeres a no elegir a los hombres, los cuentos cambiaron y ahora los hombres viven como salvajes en la escuela del mal.
Pero Agatha cree que puede salvarlos a todos, solo si consigue entablar una conversación con Tedros, pero Sophie sospechando lo que su amiga planea hacer la sigue y las cosas se complican a tal grado que hay amenaza no solo de la cabeza de la bruja sino también de la princesa. Una guerra se avecina y Sophie no es la única villana que se entromete entre el final de cuentos de hadas, la decana Saver tiene su propio juego que jugar.
Este libro me vino a demostrar que Soman Chainani es bueno con los clifhangers y en general con las segundas partes de sus libros, ya que ahí se desarrolla lo más importante del libro, en el primer libro fue el cómo Sophie se convierte en bruja y al final, Agatha termina reviviendola con el beso de amor, eso trae cómo consecuencias este libro.
Hort sigue siendo mi personaje favorito, Sophie me cayó mejor aquí, siento que como personaje vimos más facetas que ella y más porqué es una pre adolescente, y Agatha me estresaba mucho en la primera parte. Tedros tampoco me cayó muy bien sólo hasta que Sophie se convierte en varón para intentar detener la guerra entre los chicos y las chicas.
isisiis's review against another edition
3.0
The second part was really good so i would put 4 stars but i cant ignore that the first part put me in a reading slump, and the only way out was dnfed things for almost two months.
at first i tought Sophie was being dramatic. But when she told us her MOM DIED THINKING SHE WAS ALONE, BECAUSE HER HUSBAND WAS WITH HER BEST FRIEND, I WAS SHOCKED OMFG. NOO, Agatha makes a wish to be with Tedros, and people start coming for Sophie, the olders pretend to protect her but they want to kill her, shit.}
they go back to the school, and now is divided by boys and girls. Its so cool, girlbosses, they hate men and think they dont need princes, i love this. But that fucking Dean, god i hate her so much, she manipulates Sophie to make her kill Tedros, wtf. Also Sophie is showing sympthoms again wich makes me scared, in a test she attacks Agatha, this is really sus.
wtf, Agatha goes to talk to Tedros, and for a moment everything is okay and they are about to kiss but Sophie who was following them, casts a spell. He says he has to kill Sophie, Agatha gets angry and leaves, then he says to the others thay have to hunt them both, WTF DUDE. I feel kinda bad for both of them, they have to go throught so much
Sophie has to turn into a boy to get to the boys tower. And omg i love Hort he is so sweet <333. I feel really bad for Tedros, Sophie wins every day so he is starving and they torture him. Im glad she brings him food but they get caught so they punish him more. I feel like Tedros likes Sophie, and i dont know how he´ll feel when he discovers its Sophie. I mean, he thinks Agatha just left him and feels like he has to be the villian now
The dean is so sus, she figures out Agatha is discovering what she is doing and that Sophie is in the boy tower, im so scared of her. So, Evelyn actually wants to bring the school master back, shit. OMG THE CONVO BETWEEN HER AND AGATHA IN THE HALL.
SOPHIE CHOOSES TEDROS FOR THE TRIAL, POOR HORT I CANT. Agatha wakes up and AGH I HATE EVELYN, Sophie and the coven already went in, the trial started like 3 hours ago. In there Aric comes and Hester saves the girls (she gets out covered in her own blood, what happened?). Sophie and Tedros find Yara, who is dying, she reveals that she is actually Tristan omg, then he dies. I feel so bad for Tedros
TEDROS LEANS TO KISS FILIP AND AGATHA ARRIVES OMFG, POOR AGATHA AND THEN POOR TEDROS WHEN HE REALIZES, I FEEL SO BAD. The two realize what happened and they turn against Sophie, omg poor Sophie, i feel bad for everyone. One thing i cant seem to understand is how easy they forgive each other, like Agatha girl, Tedros wanted you dead five minutes ago, WHY ARE YOU KISSING HIM.
Sophie is heartbroken and the Dean tricks her into kissing "her mom", but is actually the school master. WHO NOW IS WHIT SOPHIE, WHAT. HE KILLS EVELYN, AND ALMOST KILLS TEDROS BUT AGATHA GRABS HIM AND THEY LEAVE OMFG THIS ENDING.
at first i tought Sophie was being dramatic. But when she told us her MOM DIED THINKING SHE WAS ALONE, BECAUSE HER HUSBAND WAS WITH HER BEST FRIEND, I WAS SHOCKED OMFG. NOO, Agatha makes a wish to be with Tedros, and people start coming for Sophie, the olders pretend to protect her but they want to kill her, shit.}
they go back to the school, and now is divided by boys and girls. Its so cool, girlbosses, they hate men and think they dont need princes, i love this. But that fucking Dean, god i hate her so much, she manipulates Sophie to make her kill Tedros, wtf. Also Sophie is showing sympthoms again wich makes me scared, in a test she attacks Agatha, this is really sus.
wtf, Agatha goes to talk to Tedros, and for a moment everything is okay and they are about to kiss but Sophie who was following them, casts a spell. He says he has to kill Sophie, Agatha gets angry and leaves, then he says to the others thay have to hunt them both, WTF DUDE. I feel kinda bad for both of them, they have to go throught so much
Sophie has to turn into a boy to get to the boys tower. And omg i love Hort he is so sweet <333. I feel really bad for Tedros, Sophie wins every day so he is starving and they torture him. Im glad she brings him food but they get caught so they punish him more. I feel like Tedros likes Sophie, and i dont know how he´ll feel when he discovers its Sophie. I mean, he thinks Agatha just left him and feels like he has to be the villian now
The dean is so sus, she figures out Agatha is discovering what she is doing and that Sophie is in the boy tower, im so scared of her. So, Evelyn actually wants to bring the school master back, shit. OMG THE CONVO BETWEEN HER AND AGATHA IN THE HALL.
SOPHIE CHOOSES TEDROS FOR THE TRIAL, POOR HORT I CANT. Agatha wakes up and AGH I HATE EVELYN, Sophie and the coven already went in, the trial started like 3 hours ago. In there Aric comes and Hester saves the girls (she gets out covered in her own blood, what happened?). Sophie and Tedros find Yara, who is dying, she reveals that she is actually Tristan omg, then he dies. I feel so bad for Tedros
TEDROS LEANS TO KISS FILIP AND AGATHA ARRIVES OMFG, POOR AGATHA AND THEN POOR TEDROS WHEN HE REALIZES, I FEEL SO BAD. The two realize what happened and they turn against Sophie, omg poor Sophie, i feel bad for everyone. One thing i cant seem to understand is how easy they forgive each other, like Agatha girl, Tedros wanted you dead five minutes ago, WHY ARE YOU KISSING HIM.
Sophie is heartbroken and the Dean tricks her into kissing "her mom", but is actually the school master. WHO NOW IS WHIT SOPHIE, WHAT. HE KILLS EVELYN, AND ALMOST KILLS TEDROS BUT AGATHA GRABS HIM AND THEY LEAVE OMFG THIS ENDING.
mizzlroy's review against another edition
4.0
Still really enjoying this series. Can't wait to read the next one and see how it all wraps up.
dia_arca_mina's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
emily_gaynier's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the first one better, but this is a very unique story. In as not spoilery as possible the best way to describe this book is how men who hate feminist think feminism is about. It's called "A World Without Princes" for a reason.
How much the school changed was very noticeable and the Dean is... a character. I don't think girls have to find their prince charming (lord knows my prince isn't very charming), but if that's what a girl wants it should be how her fairy tale ends.
I found Anadil's rats adorable during the play. I can't wait to see how the third book goes.
How much the school changed was very noticeable and the Dean is... a character. I don't think girls have to find their prince charming (lord knows my prince isn't very charming), but if that's what a girl wants it should be how her fairy tale ends.
I found Anadil's rats adorable during the play. I can't wait to see how the third book goes.
jess_walkinshaw's review against another edition
I can't get enough of this amazing book series. I love the annoying character as much as much good ones.
magali_torres's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
i think maybe a “girls can do whatever the f*ck they want” instead of a girls must be xyz to be better would’ve been a cooler girls vs. boys approach