meh_10's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
anastasija_101's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
3rd or 4th time reading the series and I just can’t stop loving it.
andyman811's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Oh. My. Goodness.
Whenever I thought about this book and the series that accompanies it, I always mixed it up with something akin to "Ever After High", a fun fantasy series about a school young readers can fantasize about attending. But it is so much more than that.
Sophie and Agatha are two good friends who couldn't look more different. Sophie is conventionally pretty and thinks of herself as good, while Agatha is believed to be ugly and evil. Sophie dreams of her and her friend being taken to this place called the School for Good and Evil, where she is sure they will grow up in their respective schools and learn to be in their place. But that all changed when they are brought to the school and it is Agatha who is brought to the School for Good while Sophie is the one brought to the School for Evil. What follows is the two of them adapting to their new surroundings, while Sophie tries everything to switch schools, while Agatha wants nothing more than to go back home.
What really shocked me about this book was the horror aspect. Make no mistake: this school is no Hogwarts or Ever After High. Kids are forced here against their will and are molded to be a specific type of person. Those who don't face punishments that are both physically and psychologically terrifying. This part of the book came as a welcome surprise, as it added another layer to this mysterious new world.
I also enjoyed the parody and exaggeration of fairy tale tropes. The book constantly brings up different themes and ideas typically found in fairy tales and questions them, like summoning animals, going to the ball, etc. They're aspects of fairy tales young children wouldn't necessarily question, things that should be discussed about. And the way that these lessons are brought about can be incredible. Without giving much away, there's a scene where Agatha discovers something about herself, and the way author Soman Chainani wrote what happened, it nearly brought me to tears.
And although some of the twists and turns may be a bit obvious, they're framed in a unique way. Plus the book seems to be for kids who may or may not have experienced these twists and turns before.
So if you are someone who has any slight interest in the fantasy school genre, or someone who likes fairy tales and wants to see them experimented in a new way, I would implore you to try this book out. Especially with the Netflix film adaptation coming out next month at the time of this review.
Whenever I thought about this book and the series that accompanies it, I always mixed it up with something akin to "Ever After High", a fun fantasy series about a school young readers can fantasize about attending. But it is so much more than that.
Sophie and Agatha are two good friends who couldn't look more different. Sophie is conventionally pretty and thinks of herself as good, while Agatha is believed to be ugly and evil. Sophie dreams of her and her friend being taken to this place called the School for Good and Evil, where she is sure they will grow up in their respective schools and learn to be in their place. But that all changed when they are brought to the school and it is Agatha who is brought to the School for Good while Sophie is the one brought to the School for Evil. What follows is the two of them adapting to their new surroundings, while Sophie tries everything to switch schools, while Agatha wants nothing more than to go back home.
What really shocked me about this book was the horror aspect. Make no mistake: this school is no Hogwarts or Ever After High. Kids are forced here against their will and are molded to be a specific type of person. Those who don't face punishments that are both physically and psychologically terrifying. This part of the book came as a welcome surprise, as it added another layer to this mysterious new world.
I also enjoyed the parody and exaggeration of fairy tale tropes. The book constantly brings up different themes and ideas typically found in fairy tales and questions them, like summoning animals, going to the ball, etc. They're aspects of fairy tales young children wouldn't necessarily question, things that should be discussed about. And the way that these lessons are brought about can be incredible. Without giving much away, there's a scene where Agatha discovers something about herself, and the way author Soman Chainani wrote what happened, it nearly brought me to tears.
And although some of the twists and turns may be a bit obvious, they're framed in a unique way. Plus the book seems to be for kids who may or may not have experienced these twists and turns before.
So if you are someone who has any slight interest in the fantasy school genre, or someone who likes fairy tales and wants to see them experimented in a new way, I would implore you to try this book out. Especially with the Netflix film adaptation coming out next month at the time of this review.
aeirin's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
libbyferg99's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
fjlu's review
4.0
I really like the book just not the parts where Tedros says sexist stuff about him being a man so women should listen to him blablabla. The book was beautifully written though.
repunzee's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
alex2009's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75