The School for Good and Evil Summary

Soman Chainani's "The School for Good and Evil" introduces readers to a fantastical world where fairytale legends are forged. The titular School for Good and Evil exists deep within the Endless Woods, a magical institution responsible for training the next generation of heroes and villains. Every four years, two children are kidnapped from the village of Gavaldon: one deemed "good" for the School for Good, and one "evil" for the School for Evil. This year, the seemingly beautiful and kind Sophie, who dreams of becoming a princess, expects to be taken to the School for Good. Her only friend, Agatha, an outcast girl with a penchant for dark clothes and a grumpy disposition, anticipates her inevitable placement in the School for Evil. However, their fates are dramatically reversed when Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, a grim bastion of ghoulish gargoyles and wicked ways, while Agatha lands in the glittering towers of the School for Good, surrounded by princes and princesses. This unexpected switch immediately forces both girls to confront their assumptions about themselves and the nature of good and evil. The curriculum at the School for Good, known as "Ever After," focuses on subjects like Animal Communication, Princess Etiquette, and Beautification, preparing students for lives of heroism and happily-ever-afters. Conversely, the School for Evil, or "Nevermore," trains its pupils in Uglification, Death Curses, and Havoc and Henchmen, molding them into formidable antagonists. Sophie strives to prove she belongs with the Evers, while Agatha reluctantly navigates the world of good, questioning whether true heroism lies in outward appearances or inner character. Their intertwined journeys challenge the very definitions of their labels and the preordained paths laid out for them by the mysterious School Master and the magical Storian, which records all fairytale events.