What I liked:
Fall of the School for Good and Evil is the final book in the prequel to the main series and picks up where the previous book ends with a shattered school and two brothers who still don't trust each other the way they should. The theme of what is good and what is evil is constantly discussed throughout this book. Chainani does an outstanding job of catching the reader's attention, keeping your focus on the book in your hands, and having a plot with multiple levels going on.
Final Verdict:
I am sad that the series is done. I enjoyed the original series a lot, and having these two prequels sets up new readers for the series and answers some questions for those who read and loved the original. We meet a few new characters with these prequels and see some classics that get a twist or two. I felt that the author had a lot of fun writing these, and I think fans of the series will enjoy them and want to share them with new readers.

Yes! I was So excited to read this. The Ending!
I can’t wait to introduce this to my student book club.

This series continues to go downhill. I had forgotten how bad the previous title in this subseries was, so I suppose my dislike for this book was somewhat inevitable. With no likable characters and a plot that should have been concluded 5 or 6 books back, I have no idea how this series remains so appealing to so many people. Personally I think this will be the last thing by this author I choose to ever read

I was a huge fan of the previous stories. I was very anxious to get this copy, so I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this one. I would definitely encourage others to read it because the continuation is something that I cannot wait to see more of.

I very much enjoyed the school for good and evil and therefore this series pales in comparison. I feel like prequels are very rarely done well and even when in some peoples minds they are, they may not be. (A ballad of songbirds and snakes) therefore I rated it slightly curved because of this fallacy

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review the best book of the year!! I first became a fan of Soman Chainani when I watched the Netflix movie "The School for Good and Evil". I immediately fell in love with the story and the world-building, so much so that I literally found myself wishing there was an actual School for Good and Evil that I could attend. After some time, I bought the first book in "The School for Good and Evil" book series. I then saw that Soman was coming out with a book called "Fall of the School for Good and Evil" and about 10 seconds later, I was looking it up on Goodreads. I noticed that it was the second book to the prequel of "The School for Good and Evil" and I was very intrigued. I have a podcast called "Strawberry Milkshake" where I read and review books that authors send me, and I had this crazy idea that in some fantasy world, Soman would want to collab with me on my podcast. After a quick email and a crazy hail storm, I came home to check my email to find a response from Soman's assistant basically telling me Soman would love to collab with me. I was so surprised and even more surprised when I read his book. His writing transports you and you just wish the book will never end because it is literally that good. Along with the writing being superb, the story never leaves you bored. There was not one page where I wanted to put the book down and go do something else. If you want to hear a full review and even a few words from Soman Chainani himself, I'll leave the link to my podcast episode in this review. Basically, just go check out his books, (especially this one) and I promise you, you won't regret it one bit.

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/QkjMzsTawBb

This didn't wow me like Rise of the School for Good & Evil, but I still really enjoyed my time reading it. I've been assuming this is a duology prequel series, but I'm hoping it continues because I need more from some of the characters we were introduced to and I want to see when Arabella and Evelyn Sader finally come into play.

I think what didn't make this book as good as its predecessor was the introduction of Pan as a competitor for the school master. I found that whole storyline a bit harder to follow and I was still a little confused by the end. I would have rather it be only centered on Rhian and Rafal without the inclusion of a third party to mix things up.

However, still love this world and the overall story so I'm hoping it continues.

This is the second book in a duology prequel to the School of Good and Evil series. Sets the stage of how the school is how it is in the main series. Enjoyable story to continue the tale of the two brothers.

THIS WAS SO GOOD!

I’ve been a fan of The School for Good and Evil series since it initially came out and this conclusion (and beginning) to the series felt bittersweet. It was enjoyable to see Soman Chainani’s growth as a writer throughout the years and this book definitely showed his improvement. The story was action packed and filled with moral dilemmas that I loved. Rafael and Rhian are two characters that you almost love and almost hate. They are both incredibly flawed and that gives it a unique flare. This middle grade definitely transcends age. Definitely recommend this and the entire series!!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I was so excited to get to this, and it did not disappoint.

Soman Chainani is definitely a favorite author of mine. I absolutely love the way he writes his characters. They feel like real people to me, and I can connect to them easily. I get so sucked into the story that I don’t even realize how much I’ve read until I actually look.

These twins put me through it in the original series, and in their own series they did it again. However, I didn’t expect to starting caring for one of them though. I was fighting myself, but he eventually won me over. All in all, I loved this book and can not wait for whatever else Soman Chainani releases.

My most awaited sequel and it did not disappoint! (Soman never disappoints! Love his books. He's an autobuy author for me 💖)

So happy to be able to dive into the world of school for good and evil once again! This book is the perfect conclusion to the Rise duology!

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the e-arc!

4 ⭐️

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a good conclusion about the story of Rhian and Rafal.

Plot

What rises must inevitably fall. Two brothers, one Good, the other Evil. They rule the School for Good and Evil and keep watch over the Endless Woods in return for strength and immortality. But an exam is required for all School Masters. They are loyal. But what occurs if allegiance is tainted? when the blood ties are severed? Who will endure? Who will perish? How will the school and its students fare? The voyage that began a century ago is accelerating toward its conclusion.

The plot of this book was interesting and I really loved the pace of this novel. It was a good pace and the ending was full of twists. However, I actually predicted at least two.

Characters

Rafal

Rafal was my favorite character of the book. I think he was more interesting than his brother and I love how he acknowledge that he can be both good and evil.

Rhian

Rhian was a character that was really messed up. He was a well written character. I don't like him, I despise some of his actions, especially the end, but I can't denied that the author made a good job with his characterization.

Aladdin

Well, Aladdin could have been a very interesting character, but for the most part he was just there. I still think he could have been more developed than he was.

James Hook

Hook was a little bit more developed in this book. But, just like Aladdin he was just two dimensional.

Kyma

Just like Aladdin and Hook, she could have been way more interesting than she was.

Midas

I wasn't expecting seeing his character here. I really liked Midas, he was just a boy who wanted to try to return home. He made some bad decisions, but there were moments when I really felt sorry for him.

Peter Pan

This character was a surprise and it was a good twists to the old tale. In here, Peter Pan is absolutely awful, a horrible person, honestly I don't think I found a good quality about his character.

Writing

I like Soman's writing. For a middle grade book, the writing is good. Simple and very easy to follow, as was expected.

World-Building

I really liked how the author concluded this duology about these two school masters. I also loved how I got answers to some questions for the original series, for example, if it was supposed to be a balance between good and evil, why good always win and this book gives a good answer.

Final Thoughts

This duology is perfect for the fans of the original series.

Chainani does it again in this conclusion to the Rise duology. The plot follows to storylines. One one hand the story follows the adventures of Hook, the Nevers as well as Aladdin and Kyma, while the other storyline focusses on the brother's and their efforts to fix the school. Readers will adore the epic battle when the two lines converge. A lot of story and character lines satisfyingly tie up at the end. The characters jump off the page, engaging readers not only in the story, but their motives, relationships, pains and joy. The books of this series and the School for Good and Evil transcend the middle grade readership and are easily enjoyed by kids and adults alike. For this reader, I have to admit that I loved Fall of the School for Good and Evil more than the initial book in the Rise series. It's a solid, entertaining, and engrossing read. I look forward to adding it to my library shelves and introducing new readers to the series.

*Disclaimer: I have received a free digital copy of this title and it will not affect my thoughts of feelings towards it*

As a massive fan of this series, I was skeptical if this prequel series was going to be any good. Read the first one and didn't think much of it but this one I will say is 10x better. I would recommend that even if you didn't enjoy book one as much, still give this one a chance because it had some good surprises and twist! Although if you have read the main series some of the twists were a little lackluster because you knew what was going to happen. That said, I was still extremely devasted once x twist happened. Tears were SHED. I did enjoy the new character Midas he was an interesting character to hang around with. Still upset over y twist. Now my main problem with this prequel series is the PACING. It's a whiplash at points. You go from nothing to the whole world is ending, actually just kidding! The 1st half of the book felt good at some parts but my main problem with it was there were 3 storylines going on and only 2 were interesting. So it really killed the mood when it was time for that character's POV. Once it got to the last half that POV was mixed in really well and didn't feel like we were just stalling the book for some unrelated things. I will say Soman delivers a well-crafted message at the end of this crazy book. It was truly a great message I think everyone needs to learn in their lifetime.

Overall I didn't love it as much as the original series but it was still a great time which is why I would give it a 4/5 stars.

Overall I didn't love as much as the original series but it was still a great time which is why I would give it a 4/5 stars.

How is it that Soman Chainani is always able to weave such a lovely story. I have yet to read anything of his and been disappointed. The worlds he weaves are just so enchanting. The reader is swept away on a journey of a different way to look at a fairytale they may have never thought of before. I love how he challenges this idea of being innately good or innately evil. More importantly how we deem ourselves to maybe one way or the other. Nothing is ever so black and white. This book just gives me chills. It is the perfect finish for the origin story of the School for Good and Evil.
Thank you so much to HarperCollin’s Children’s Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

Amazing, this world never lets me down , the story telling was great the development amazing, im always happy when I get to go back to the school of good and evil.

Fall of the School for Good and Evil is the conclusion for the Rise duology, that sets up Chainani's popular series, The School for Good and Evil. We pick up where Rise of the School for Good and Evil left off, with a fractured school and brothers at war.

This book was much more streamlined and easier to follow than the first one. All of the scattered plot lines come together into two main stories. Hook, his Nevers, and Alladin and Kyma are off on their own adventure, while the brothers try to repair their fractured school. These two plot lines intersect in an epic battle at the end, giving us a satisfying conclusion for all the characters.

We continue the discussion of what is good and what is evil in this book. This theme is explored in a way that makes it enjoyable for both adults and young readers. The power struggle between Rafal and Rhian kept me on the edge of my seat. This duology is a great introduction to younger audiences about whether the ends can justify the means.

Princess Kyma had my favorite storyline! I loved her spunk and that we got to explore her character outside of the boys. She takes charge of her fairytale, not content to be the damsel in distress or in love. She will be great for young girls who have always wanted to be the ones slaying dragons in the stories.

Though I don't have the nostalgic connection to the original series that many do, I still enjoyed reading the prequels.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Review has been posted to Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.)

This was a great ending to this duology about the founding of the school for good and evil. I hope we get more books set in this world.

"Fall of the School for Good and Evil" by Soman Chainani is the second & last of the prequels to the "School for Good and Evil" series. It's a thrilling and emotionally charged conclusion that provides some good insight into the world of Evers, Nevers, and Readers that we meet in the series. The story picks up where part one of the prequels, "Rise of the School for Good and Evil," left off.

The plot is fast-paced and engaging. There are plenty of plot twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes, and the stakes are high. The battle between Rafal and Rhial is particularly intense and emotional, and it's impossible not to feel invested in the outcome.

Overall, "Fall of the School for Good and Evil" provides readers with some great insight into the background of the world they were introduced to in "The School for Good and Evil." It's a satisfying and emotionally resonant "ending" that will leave readers excited to read or reread the original series. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or a newcomer, this book is well worth reading.

I somewhat reluctantly and begrudgingly read all the books in this series out of a sense of completionism and mild interest in the direction the story would go.

I really haven't liked the series as a whole, but it did keep my interest enough to keep reading, so I guess that's something.

I did like Rise and Fall slightly more than the two main series. Rafal and Rhian had a more interesting dynamic than Sophia and Agatha, even if I still couldn't get more than mildly invested in the story.

I think that fans of the original series will like this conclusion, but I won't be rereading the series anytime soon.

2.5