Soman Chainani

Another not-so-good author.  :'(
---------
SOMAN CHAINANI
~Stars:  Three
~Author of:  the School for Good and Evil Trilogy (The School for Good and Evil, A World Without Princes, The Last Ever After).
~Notes:  This guy is a good author, with an amazing plot, but some things could be left out.
    The thing I really like about his book (I've only read the first one) is how it looks on the inside for evil and good, not the outside.  For instance, the two main characters, Sophie and Agatha, are picked to go to the School for Good and Evil.  Every year, the Schoolmaster takes two kids from a village and one is the princess, prince, etc, the other is the villain.  Agatha looks like your typical witch--black hair, loves cats, wears black clothes, etc.  Sophie is the living image of a perfect princess--long blond hair, pink dress, flawless skin, etc.  However, they get dropped in what seems like the wrong school--Agatha goes to Good, Sophie goes to Evil.  But it is soon apparent that the Schoolmaster looks on the inside, not the outside.  Agatha just wants what's best for Sophie and is kind and generous, while Sophie doesn't care about Agatha and wants a prince and happily ever after.  Great plot.
    Language: about halfway through the first book, I ran into blasphemy.  It also was not at a tense part, which (in my experience) means that there will be more to come.  Sadly.
    Romance: yes, there is romance.  Practically half of it is how to become a princess, and all princesses must have a prince.  In the first book there is one almost kiss, and very vivid descriptions of handsome boys.  One of the things I definitely could have done without is at the last bit, Sophie dies.  And Agatha kisses her lips and then Sophie is alive again.  It's supposed to show the bond between friends is just as good as true love, but in this day and age, it's just not right.  Seems to me that there's a little homosexual theme right there.  Sadly.  There is also some detailed descriptions of slightly scandalous outfits that Sophie wears.  Not sure if that is something I need to tell, but I will.
    Like I said, there's a great plot, but some things are just wrong.
---------
Sigh.  If only all books were clean...
~~Zoë Wingfeather