3.5 stars---Since I'm a person who gives books second (and sometimes third) chances, I decided to read the fourth book in the School For Good and Evil series. (I'm talking about second chances and all that because I didn't really like the third book). So, "Quests for Glory" was good, but not great. It was much better than the previous book in the series, The Last Ever After, but I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Again, the book was longer than it needed to be, and I felt like too many new characters were introduced all at once (You know, Nicola (even though she has now become one of my favorite people in the series)? Rhian? All the other minor characters whose names I forgot?) Anyway, I just couldn't keep track of who was who because of this. At least Sophie (everyone's FAVORITE character, I'm being sarcastic) seems to have gotten better. She isn't as vain or self-obsessed as she used to be (oh, wait, I take that back. I guess hosting a party EVERY DAY IN HONOR OF YOURSELF IS vain and self obsessed after all). But I mean it about Sophie's personality improving a tiny bit as the story progresses. After meeting Rhian, she somehow snobbed down (I don't think that's a word, but...). I don't know how it happened, though, since she normally gets even MORE annoying than usual (if that's possible) when she has a boyfriend.
Also, Tedros. (We're all going to release those exasperated sighs we've been trying to hold in). I had problems with him in the third book too, and HIS personality, unfortunately, has NOT improved. NOT ONE BIT. Despite being crowned king of Camelot, he's still brash, arrogant, and selfish (I mean, other kingdoms are in trouble, and he has the power to help them but he doesn't? Because he acts like he's worried about the bankruptcy of his own kingdom, though he does absolutely NOTHING to help the poor people? No wonder they liked Rhian better, even though he was the villain all along). And then, there's the plot. Though the plots in the previous School for Good and Evil books were unique and intriguing, this one didn't really hook me. People going on valiant quests that quickly spiral downward because of some unseen villain, while a hero swoops in and tries to save everyone? It sounds kind of stereotypical to me...
So I know that all the stuff I've mentioned so far makes the book sound bad, but that's not what I'm going for. I really did think "Quests for Glory" was good, if not amazing. As I mentioned earlier, I loved the character of Nicola--she's smart, resourceful, and worldly. I didn't expect to like her that much, but I did. Rhian is also a pretty well-developed character. I know, he's the villain and we don't know anything about his past, but he still manages to be a cunning double agent whom (admit it) we all liked (as a character, not like THAT). The world building was awesome as usual, and I can tell Chainani works hard on that part of his books. The twist at the end added some drama and suspense, though it was kind of predictable. So I did like the book, and I might read the next one (there's something strangely addicting about a book series that you've started but not finished yet).
1) Warrior cats 2) The Nat Geo Brain Candy series 3) Warrior cats 4) Some Kind of Happiness 5) ME!!! Thanks!About 20 hours ago
