Soman Chainani

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 World Premiere of The School for Good and Evil
Chainani at the World Premiere of The School for Good and Evil
OccupationAuthor, filmmaker
NationalityAmerican
Alma materHarvard University, Columbia University
Genrechildren's literature, fantasy
Notable worksThe School for Good and Evil series
Website
somanchainani.com

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. As of 2003 he resided in New York City.[4] He came out as gay in his senior year at college.[5] After graduation, he went on to attend Columbia University, where he participated in their MFA Film Program.

Career

Soman's series, The School for Good and Evil, debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, has sold more than 3.5 million copies, been translated into 32 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 – 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 44 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 is expected in May 2023.

Bibliography
Chainani at the National Book Festival in 2022.

The School for Good and Evil
Main article: The School for Good and Evil

The School Years

The Camelot Years

Prequel

  • Rise of the School for Good and Evil (2022)[18]
  • Fall of the School for Good and Evil (2023)[19]

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)[20]

Awards

The School for Good and Evil

  • New York Times Bestseller[21]
  • ABA Indie List Bestseller[22][23]
  • Waterstone's Children's Book Prize for Best Fiction for 5–12 (2014, nominee for The School for Good and Evil)[24]
  • 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)[25]
  • IndieNext Pick

A World Without Princes

  • New York Times Bestseller[26]
  • ABA Indie List Bestseller
  • Goodreads Choice Finalist (Best Children's Book)[27]

The Last Ever After

  • New York Times Bestseller[28]
  • ABA Indie List Bestseller[29]
  • A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2015
  • Goodreads Choice Runner-up (Best Children's Book)[30]

Filmography

References
  1. "Soman Chainani hits jackpot with novel 'School for Good and Evil'". Miami Herald. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  2. Metallidis, Effie-Michelle (October 16, 2008). "'The characters drive your story'". The National. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  3. Hodara, Susan (2013). "Soman Chainani's new fantasy-adventure novel is a fairy tale for today's world". Harvard Magazine.
  4. "Contributors". Marvels & Tales. 17 (2): 294–296. 2003. doi:10.1353/mat.2003.0024.
  5. "The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Soman Chainani (#220)". The Tim Ferriss Show. June 21, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  6. "Netflix Top 10: School for Good and Evil Debuts at No. 1". October 25, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  7. BEASTS AND BEAUTY | Kirkus Reviews.
  8. "Children's Middle Grade Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - Books - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  9. Donnelly, Matt (May 9, 2022). "Bestseller 'Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales' Heads to Sony's 3000 Pictures for Series Adaptation (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  10. "The Storian". EverNever World. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  11. "Rise of the School for Good and Evil (School for Good and Evil) by Soman Chainani". www.publishersweekly.com. May 24, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  12. Chainani, Soman (2013). The School for Good and Evil. New York: Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-210489-2.
  13. Chainani, Soman (2014). The School for Good and Evil 2: A World Without Princes. Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-210492-2.
  14. Chainani, Soman (2015). The School for Good and Evil 3: The Last Ever After. Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-210496-0.
  15. Chainani, Soman (2018). The School for Good and Evil: The Ever Never Handbook. Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-242306-1.
  16. Chainani, Soman (2018). The School for Good and Evil: Quests for Glory. Harper. ISBN 978-0-00-822447-9.
  17. Chainani, Soman (2019). The School for Good and Evil: A Crystal of Time. Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-269517-8.
  18. Chainani, Soman (2022). Rise of the School for Good and Evil. Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-316152-8.
  19. "Fall of the School for Good and Evil". HarperCollins. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  20. "Beasts and Beauty". EverNever World. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  21. "Best Sellers – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  22. "National Indie Bestsellers – Children's Interest | American Booksellers Association". www.bookweb.org. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  23. "National Indie Bestsellers – Children's Interest | American Booksellers Association". www.bookweb.org. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  24. "Chris O'Dowd's wife and actress Emerald Fennell up for Children's Book Prize". Express. February 14, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  25. "Best Middle Grade & Children's 2013 – Goodreads Choice Awards". Goodreads. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  26. "Best Sellers – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  27. "Best Middle Grade & Children's 2014 – Goodreads Choice Awards". Goodreads. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  28. "Best Sellers – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  29. "Bestseller List for August 20, 2015". American Booksellers Association. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  30. "Best Middle Grade & Children's 2015 – Goodreads Choice Awards". Goodreads. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
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