In Sept. of 2022, Netflix released a movie called “The School of Good and Evil” by Soman Chainani. I watched it about a month ago, and I liked it, but not how it ended. So, when I found out it was originally a book, I had to see if the ending differed from the movie.
If you’re not familiar, “The School of Good and Evil” follows two best friends, Sophie, who sees herself as a princess, and Agatha, who is “the village witch” living in the village of Gavaldon. In the story, the village people are frantic because every four years, an eerie shadow comes and kidnaps two children, where they are later recognized in storybooks. Agatha doesn’t believe the myth, while Sophie is counting on it so she can finally have her happy ending.
Despite Agatha’s beliefs, the shadow comes and takes Sophie, and in an attempt to save her friend, takes Agatha along with them. The shadow arrives at The Endless Woods where readers are introduced to the School of Good and Evil. Where the plot thickens is when Agatha is dropped into the School of Good, while Sophie is dropped into the School of Evil.
One thing that was interesting to me was how much denial Sophie had about whether or not she was good or bad. In the movie, we got just enough to get the point across, but in the book, she went to the extent of killing someone because they cut her hair, then proceeded to tell herself that the rules of being good and forgiving were wrong, instead of her actions.
After that, Sophie is still determined to get into the School of Good to pursue the biggest love interest in the book, Tedros, because she believes this will get her to her happy ending. Agatha, on the other hand, just wants to go home. Much of the rest of the book, the girls are either trying to switch schools or go home. Conflict arises, though, when Tedros falls in love with Agatha and vice versa because they both realize Agatha’s true character.
The movie and book end in a similar manner, though I like the book’s ending a bit better. Luckily, I discovered that this is a series so that made me feel a lot better.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I really liked the writing and the storyline the author chose. It followed a traditional, fairytale vibe while still being modern to this day and age. Before I read it, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, just because I don’t usually read fantasy, but I’d recommend the book to anyone who likes to read fiction, just because it has something for everyone. A fantasy setting, dramatic love triangle, friendship, and moral shifts. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
