Soman Chainani Explained

Soman Chainani is an American author, best known for writing the children's book series The School for Good and Evil.^{[1] [2]} Some of his work has been adapted to films.

Early life and education

Chainani grew up in Key Biscayne, Florida, where his family was one of the few of Indian descent.^[3] He attended Harvard University, where he graduated with a degree in English and American Literature in 2001.^[4] He came out as gay in his senior year at college.^[5] After graduating from Harvard, he attended Columbia University, where he participated in their MFA film program.

Writing career

Chainani's series, The School for Good and Evil, debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list, has sold more than 4 million copies, been translated into 35 languages across 6 continents, and has been adapted into a major motion picture from Netflix that debuted at #1 in over 80 countries.^[6]

His other books in the School for Good and Evil series are A World Without Princes, The Last Ever After, Quests for Glory, A Crystal of Time, and One True King – have all debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List as well.

His book of retold fairytales, Beasts and Beauty, was released on September 21, 2021, to wide acclaim, with Kirkus Reviews calling the collection "expertly crafted... evoking the wonder, terror, and magic of the fantasy realms."^[7] Beasts & Beauty was an instant New York Times bestseller, Soman's seventh New York Times bestseller in a row,^[8] and is slated to be a limited television series from Sony 3000, with Soman writing and executive producing.^[9] Together, Chainani's books have been on the New York Times Bestseller List for 50 weeks.^[10]

His book, Rise of the School for Good and Evil was released on May 31, 2022, to high acclaim and The New York Times Bestseller list. Publishers Weekly described it as "an episodic, adventurous fantasy offering."^[11] A sequel, Fall of the School for Good and Evil was released in May 2023.

In 2024, Soman announced his next book Young World, a global political thriller coming 2026, about a 17 year-old who against all odds, gets elected President of the United States.^[12]

Bibliography

The School for Good and Evil

See main article: The School for Good and Evil. The School Years

• The School for Good and Evil (2013)^[13]
• A World Without Princes (2014)^[14]
• The Last Ever After (2015)^[15]
  • The Ever Never Handbook (companion) (2016)^[16]

The Camelot Years

• Quests for Glory (2017)^[17]
• A Crystal of Time (2019)^[18]
• One True King (2020)

Prequels

• Rise of the School for Good and Evil (2022)^[19]
• Fall of the School for Good and Evil (2023)^[20]

Short stories

• "Flying Lessons" in Flying Lessons & Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh (2017)
• "Gwen and Art and Lance" in Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy, edited by Amerie (2017)

Other titles

• Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales (2021)^[21]

Awards

The School for Good and Evil

• New York Times Bestseller^[22]
• ABA Indie List Bestseller^{[23] [24]}
• Waterstone's Children's Book Prize for Best Fiction for 5–12 (2014, nominee for The School for Good and Evil)^[25]
• A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2013
• A Books-a-Million Best Book of 2013
• Entertainment Weekly PopWatch Pick
• Children's Choice Reading List Selection
• Goodreads Choice Semi-finalist (Best Children's Book)^[26]
• IndieNext Pick

A World Without Princes

• New York Times Bestseller^[27]
• ABA Indie List Bestseller
• Goodreads Choice Finalist (Best Children's Book)^[28]

The Last Ever After

• New York Times Bestseller^[29]
• ABA Indie List Bestseller^[30]
• A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2015
• Goodreads Choice Runner-up (Best Children's Book)^[31]

Filmography

• 2006: Davy and Stu (short)
• 2007: Kali Ma (short), Boys Life 6
• 2022: The School for Good and Evil (Executive Producer)

External links

• Official website
  • Princess Not So Charming at Harvard Magazine

Notes and References

1. Web site: Soman Chainani creates complex fantasy tales . January 2, 2024 . Wall Street Journal.
2. Web site: October 18, 2022 . Netflix's The School For Good and Evil is Indian-origin author Soman Chainani's attempt to reimagine classic fairytales . January 2, 2024 . Vogue India.
3. Web site: Hodara. Susan. Soman Chainani's new fantasy-adventure novel is a fairy tale for today's world. Harvard Magazine. 2013.
4. Contributors . 2003 . Marvels & Tales . 17 . 2 . 294–296 . 10.1353/mat.2003.0024.
5. News: The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Soman Chainani (#220) . . 2018-06-21 . The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss . 2021-05-17.
6. Web site: 2022-10-25 . Netflix Top 10: School for Good and Evil Debuts at No. 1 . 2022-11-22 . en-US.
7. Book: BEASTS AND BEAUTY Kirkus Reviews. en.
8. News: Children's Middle Grade Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - Books - The New York Times. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-01-10. 0362-4331.
9. Web site: Donnelly . Matt . 2022-05-09 . Bestseller 'Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales' Heads to Sony's 3000 Pictures for Series Adaptation (EXCLUSIVE) . 2022-11-22 . Variety . en-US.
10. Web site: The Storian . 2022-11-22 . EverNever World . en-US.
11. Web site: May 24, 2022 . Rise of the School for Good and Evil (School for Good and Evil) by Soman Chainani . 2022-11-22 . www.publishersweekly.com.
12. Web site: Maas . Jennifer . 'School for Good and Evil' Author Reveals New Book 'Young World' . 2024-10-03 . en-US.
13. Book: Chainani . Soman . The School for Good and Evil . 2013 . Harper . New York . 978-0-06-210489-2.
14. Book: Chainani . Soman . The School for Good and Evil 2: A World Without Princes . 2014 . Harper . 978-0-06-210492-2 . registration .
15. Book: Chainani . Soman . The School for Good and Evil 3: The Last Ever After . 2015 . Harper . 978-0-06-210496-0.
16. Book: Chainani . Soman . The School for Good and Evil: The Ever Never Handbook . 2018 . Harper . 978-0-06-242306-1.
17. Book: Chainani. Soman. The School for Good and Evil: Quests for Glory. Harper. 2018. 978-0-00-822447-9.
18. Book: Chainani. Soman. The School for Good and Evil: A Crystal of Time. Harper. 2019. 978-0-06-269517-8.
19. Book: Chainani. Soman. Rise of the School for Good and Evil. Harper. 2022. 978-0-06-316152-8.
20. Web site: Fall of the School for Good and Evil . 2022-11-22 . HarperCollins . en.
21. Web site: Beasts and Beauty. 2021-09-23. EverNever World. en-US.
22. News: Best Sellers – The New York Times. The New York Times. December 11, 2015.
23. Web site: National Indie Bestsellers – Children's Interest American Booksellers Association. www.bookweb.org. December 11, 2015.
24. Web site: National Indie Bestsellers – Children's Interest American Booksellers Association. www.bookweb.org. December 11, 2015.
25. Web site: Chris O'Dowd's wife and actress Emerald Fennell up for Children's Book Prize. February 14, 2014. Express. April 7, 2014.
26. Web site: Best Middle Grade & Children's 2013 – Goodreads Choice Awards. Goodreads. December 11, 2015.
27. News: Best Sellers – The New York Times. The New York Times . December 11, 2015.
28. Web site: Best Middle Grade & Children's 2014 – Goodreads Choice Awards. Goodreads. December 11, 2015.
29. News: Best Sellers – The New York Times. The New York Times. December 11, 2015.
30. Web site: Bestseller List for August 20, 2015 . American Booksellers Association . December 11, 2015. December 22, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222091455/http://www.bookweb.org/august-20-2015.
31. Web site: Best Middle Grade & Children's 2015 – Goodreads Choice Awards. Goodreads. December 11, 2015.