A World Without Princes (The School for Good and Evil, Book 2)

By Author / Illustrator

Soman Chainani

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN

9780007502813

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

08-05-2014

Synopsis

It's all happy ever after at the School for Good and Evil... or is it? The second title in the bestselling fantasy adventure series - perfect for those who prefer their fairy tales with a twist.

After saving themselves and their fellow students from a life pitched against one another, Sophie and Agatha are back home again, living out their Happily Ever After. But life isn't quite the fairytale they expected... Meanwhile, back at the School for Good and Evil, witches and princesses are now living together at the School for Girls, where they've been inspired to live a life without princes, while Tedros and the boys are camping in Evil's old towers. A war is brewing between the schools, but can Agatha and Sophie come back and restore the peace? Can Sophie stay good with Tedros on the hunt? And whose heart does Agatha's belong to - her best friend or her prince?

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Reviews

A World Without Princes is book two of the magical The School for Good and Evil series. This part of the story is deeper and darker, with pacy twists and turns that help keep the reader engaged.

The novel starts with Sophie and Agatha back in their village living their Ever After. They are living life like celebrities as they are the only two children to ever return from the school. Sophie loves the attention, thrives on it, but for Agatha something is missing. Tedros is on her mind and she wishes for more. This wish has consequences as it opens up the gates to the other world and fairy tale beasts and monsters can now get through... (I don't really want to give too much away, I want you to read and enjoy it as much as I have.)

Due to events in the village and Agatha's wish, the girls end up back at the school. However, things have changed, but not for the better, as it's now boys against girls. Teachers have disappeared, the Storian is being held in chains and is unable to write any fairy tales and a new Dean is head of the girls' school, who is not all she seems to be!!

This part of the story is mostly about trust, loyalty, love and the true meaning of friendship. Once again there is a huge cast of characters, however the main ones are realistically developed, making the story a fantastic read. I felt for Sophie, her love for Agatha leads her to make irrational and often disastrous decisions. Tedros's character has more depth, and poor Agatha is in the middle trying to work out who's telling the truth and where her loyalties lie. Wondering who - her friend or her prince - will be her Ever After.

This is 433 pages of well-written, magical fun, a fairy tale with a twist that is suitable for 11+ readers (due to the violence). It would also be great for reading clubs as there are quite a few discussion points. Although A World Without Princes is full of magic, fairy tale beasts, mild violence and prince and princesses, as all fairy tales are, and it's been cleverly coated with a wonderful sense of humour that comes from the familiarity between the characters. It's simply such a great read.

After the cliffhanger of an ending, I'm now eager to start book three, The Last Ever After, to see how the saga continues... Fairy tales are being rewritten, with the heroic prince now at the mercy of the princess!

448 pages / Ages 11+ / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian.