A Crystal of Time by Soman Chainani

Shruthi | Holmdel High School, Grade 11

Rating: *****

The fifth installment of Soman Chainani’s bestselling “The School for Good and Evil” series is well worth the wait. Readers eagerly counted down the days until its release, and I can promise you that Soman delivered in this book. Complete with plot twists and snares that jump out from literally nowhere, “A Crystal of Time” is overflowing with magic, cunning, glory, and gore.

Sophie is forced to act like a future queen at the castle of Camelot where she is held prisoner, with Rhian, her ex, posing as the king. Agatha is on the run for her life. Tedros, the coven, Dovey, and the others are imprisoned in the dungeons, and Merlin is still missing. Camelot and the rest of the woods are under Rhian’s spell, casting aside their belief in the Storian for Lion’s Mane, a twisted publication made by his brother, Japeth, the Snake who terrorized the woods to begin with. Agatha, Sophie, Tedros, and their friends must find a way to save their own lives, and then the lives of all of the woods.

I LOVED this book, mainly because of how quick it was. Something was always going on, and I find that fast-pacedness is very important in a story. The book was not only intriguing and clever, but the characters were also very real. Obviously they weren’t real; we’re talking about princesses and witches here, but the characters were human and they acted human. They had biases, problems, and personalities. Read the book regardless of if you’re a fantasy lover; you’ll thank me later.