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Soman Chainani is an American author and filmmaker, best known for writing the children's book series The School for Good and Evil.[1][2]

Soman Chainani
Chainani at the 2018 Texas Book Festival
Occupation	Author, filmmaker
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Harvard University, Columbia University
Genre	children's literature, fantasy
Notable works	The School for Good and Evil series
Website
somanchainani.com

Soman's first novel, The School for Good and Evil, debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, has sold more than 3 million copies, been translated into 30 languages across 6 continents, and is now a film by Netflix directed by Paul Feig.[3]

His other five books in the School for Good and Evil series – 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. To date, these six books in the series have been on the print and extended New York Times Bestseller List for more than 35 weeks.[4]

The story collection 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."[5] Beasts & Beauty was an instant New York Times bestseller, Soman’s seventh New York Times bestseller in a row.[6]

His most recent book, The 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.”

Early life and personal life

Chainani grew up in Key Biscayne, Florida, where his family was one of the few of Indian descent.[7] He attended Harvard University, where he graduated with a degree in English and American Literature in 2001. As of 2003 he resided in New York City.[8] He came out as gay in his senior year at college.[9] After graduation, he went on to attend Columbia University, where he participated in their MFA Film Program.

Bibliography

The School for Good and Evil

The School Years

• The School for Good and Evil (2013)[10]
• A World Without Princes (2014)[11]
• The Last Ever After (2015)[12]
  • The Ever Never Handbook (companion) (2016)[13]

The Camelot Years

• Quests for Glory (2017)[14]
• A Crystal of Time (2019)[15]
• One True King (2020)

Prequel

• The Rise of the School for Good and Evil (2022)[16]

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)[17]

Awards

The School for Good and Evil

• New York Times Bestseller[18]
• ABA Indie List Bestseller[19][20]
• Waterstone's Children's Book Prize for Best Fiction for 5–12 (2014, nominee for The School for Good and Evil)[21]
• 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)[22]
• IndieNext Pick

A World Without Princes

• New York Times Bestseller[23]
• ABA Indie List Bestseller
• Goodreads Choice Finalist (Best Children's Book)[24]

The Last Ever After

• New York Times Bestseller[25]
• ABA Indie List Bestseller[26]
• A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2015
• Goodreads Choice Runner-up (Best Children's Book)[27]

Filmography

• 2006: Davy and Stu (short)
• 2007: Kali Ma (short), Boys Life 6

References

External links

• Official website
• Soman Chainani at IMDb
• Princess Not So Charming at Harvard Magazine
• Soman Chainani at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Soman Chainani at Library of Congress Authorities, with 2 catalog records

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