Wicked takes the relatively modern fairytale of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and poses some thought-provoking "What if?" scenarios.

What if the Munchkins weren't the sweet and innocent beings we envision, but rather a superstitious group from the backwoods? What if Glinda the Good Witch was actually a shallow socialite, only "good" in terms of physical beauty? And what if the Wicked Witch of the West wasn't truly wicked at all, but rather misunderstood and a product of her upbringing?

It's an interesting concept, to be sure. However, I just couldn't buy into it.

This story seems to scathe religion, government, and society in a rather bizarre and horribly preachy way. Often, it does so in a manner that is too boring to effectively get its point across. Someone really needs to tell the author that his point would have been better made if it hadn't been force-fed through overblown conversations from the characters. (Characters that the author didn't bother to develop enough to make the reader care enough to invest in them.)

The musical, on the other hand, is so much better. I would highly recommend going to see it rather than wasting your time and money on this snoozefest.

How truly intriguing and deeply captivating this story premise is and was!

I will indeed have to think twice before second guessing what McGuire might serve up for me to read next. This was truly fantastic and, to be honest, it offers a more grim and dark, yet still whimsical and tragic take on the romantasy novel-like series that we seem to be overly dosed with in recent years. Just amazing how every point of this series was so effective.

If I had to offer a bit of negative criticism, it would be the rushed last act involving Elphaba's inevitable demises. While it was just as impactful, it could have been at least twice the length. It felt like, oops, Dorothy showed up three pages ago and now she's dead. Aside from that, I'm especially interested in Elphaba's greater family as a whole, as it is expanded in the series. That might be my personal favorite part.

4.75/5

I had rather complex feelings regarding this book.

On one hand, the plot is truly captivating and engaging, pulling the reader in and making them eager to discover what will happen next.

However, on the other hand, the author's excessive use of sexual references and addition of unnecessary scenes for the plot almost spoils the entire reading experience. It seems as if the author believes that the true essence of learning lies in sexual encounters and sensory gratification.

Moreover, I think the author blurs the boundaries between real good and real evil. Clearly, those who are different are not necessarily evil. But killing, even for political reasons and vengeance, is undeniably evil. The story appears to lack real moral teachings and instead focuses mainly on political implications.

Plus, the author's writing style is rather disjointed. He presents numerous ideas and narratives that do not seem to be well-connected. He discusses animal rights, the political climate of Oz, and suppression, but fails to tie them together effectively.

Although this is a passion of Elphie, it almost seems as if the author is comparing these themes to today's social and political climate. Are the outcasts in the story meant to represent lesbians and gays, or perhaps immigrants?

Unfortunately, the author does not do a good job of making these comparisons interesting or thought-provoking. Instead, it all comes across as rather dull and uninteresting.

The author also spends an inordinate amount of time describing relationships that lead nowhere and places that have no real significance. I often found myself longing for a CliffNotes version, something I have never desired before.

Despite all of this, I do think that the book challenged me to take a closer look at political activity. However, it did not have the same impact on the rest of my life.

I did enjoy certain aspects of the plot, but I also found myself skipping large portions where the author seemed to become overly preachy about the reality of good and evil.

I also disagree with the author's portrayal of fate. I do not believe that people are mere puppets, but rather that we all have the power to choose our actions.

Finally, the end of the book is disappointing. It leaves the reader feeling cheated and unsatisfied. My advice would be to watch the play instead of reading the book.

When I initially embarked on reading this book, I was overjoyed by the sensation of being immersed in this dark, Grimm Fairy Tale-esque realm known as Oz. The idea of the time dragon and the dwarf-operated marionette machine truly sent shivers down my spine. The baby Elphaba, with her green skin and enormous teeth, was indeed freakish. However, I could sense a certain tenderness in her otherness, anticipating the difficulties she would inevitably encounter in trying to fit in.

But as the story progressed, the book gradually lost its allure and my sympathy. Elphaba failed to transform into a likable character. I simply did not take a liking to her and was completely indifferent to her fate, despite her being the central protagonist. It was evident that Maguire was attempting to dehumanize her in the latter part of the book by referring to her as "witch" instead of "Elphaba."

Even during her formative college years, Elphaba remained unlikable and condescending. In terms of dialogue, Maguire endeavored to make her witty on occasion, but to no avail. She was an awkward conversationalist, yet always eager to share her snide opinions.

From there, Elphaba devolved into a terrorist in the name of helping Animals. The flaws of terrorism, such as her casual dismissal of the inevitable deaths of innocents as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good, made it impossible for me to sympathize with her cause. I believed she should have been wiser, smarter, and more clever than that - but she wasn't.

The real nail in the coffin for my dislike of Elphaba was her treatment of what was surely her own son. She treated him callously, as if he were a mere servant, and provided no parenting whatsoever. She was so indifferent that she cared more for her bees, crows, and winged monkeys. Perhaps, Elphaba was truly not very human. One might have expected Maguire to reveal that beneath her physical deformities lay a sensitive and highly intelligent human with remarkable abilities. Instead, I saw a subhuman with a crabby and negative demeanor that led her nowhere.

Maybe I'm not grasping the political or philosophical commentary. Maybe I'm not seeing the necessity for Elphaba to be this way for the book to function. But in my opinion, a book will never succeed if there isn't a single character to like and empathize with. And unfortunately, in this case, there wasn't.

My advice to anyone: watch the musical - for all its clichés, it offers a far more satisfying experience.

DNF around page 60.

This is by far the worst book I have picked up this year. It suffers from all the same problems that made "Mirror Mirror" unreadable for me. It's truly a disappointment. This was my second attempt to read a Gregory Maguire book, and I can firmly say it will be the last.

I simply don't have the inclination to force myself to read more. After all, I have plans to watch the musical adaptation, and I don't want to ruin that experience by slogging through this lackluster book.

The story seems to lack direction, and the characters are not engaging enough to hold my interest. It's a real pity, as I had hoped for something better from this author. But alas, it seems that his writing style just doesn't resonate with me.

Maybe others will have a different opinion, but for me, this book is a definite pass. I'll stick with the musical and hope that it does a better job of bringing the story to life.

This was a book club read for August.

I truly desired to have an affinity for this story. After all, who doesn't have an affection for the Wizard of Oz? And I had the anticipation that learning about the Wicked Witch's backstory would introduce an intriguing adult perspective, especially after having watched the Wizard of Oz on an annual basis during my childhood.

I was braced for a satirical, outlandish sort of narrative. However, what I encountered was not that. Instead, it was the overly flowery descriptions and the dull, meaningless diatribe that inundated the pages of this novel. This made the book seem even more elongated, far longer than its actual length.

Although the creativity and imagination that seep through the pages might initially be admirable and even enjoyable, it ultimately felt like an excess. The countless descriptive passages contributed nothing but length to the story. While they might have been intended to enhance the plot or develop the characters, they did so in such a sluggish manner that it detracted from the overall literary impact. It wasn't that the gibberish banter was completely without meaning; it was more like it was filling time, similar to layer upon layer of personal or even personality minutiae that didn't really add an equally descriptive trait to the characters or significantly advance the plot.

Nevertheless, there were some interesting passages. The university life of both the "Wicked Witch" and Glinda was at times captivating and展示了 the development of the characters. Yet, at other times, there were an abundance of hollow descriptions and pointless philosophical exchanges.

While this was clearly a completely different perspective from the classic Wizard of Oz and did not "mesh" with the story as we are familiar with it, it offered a whole new theory or philosophy, not only regarding the happenings in the land of Oz but also concerning all the characters and the political climate of the Emerald City. In some respects, this interesting perspective was truly what compelled me to keep turning the pages. However, more often than not, if the truth be told, it lulled me to sleep!

Such was my quandary. Do I persist in reading or simply close the book? I really loathe leaving things unfinished!

So, at approximately the halfway point, after much effort and numerous distractions (I simply couldn't stay focused on the topic, at least not with my eyes open), I elected to conclude this journey. On the positive side, during the distractions I mentioned, I did discover a number of other hopefully more thrilling books to read. I think that was the tipping point that led me to close the covers on this one.

Well, at least the title accurately describes the story.

I suppose this one was just not to my taste! I really wanted to give it a 3-star rating, but despite the prose being lovely at times, there was just a "failure to launch" that old broomstick!

RTC, I truly don't know what I just read.

However, I really needed to read this because I am officially obsessed after finally seeing the film!!

I read the book mainly because I was truly enamored with the musical that was adapted from it. However, perhaps due to this very reason, I did not have the same level of affection for the literary version.

One aspect that I found quite interesting was the profound reflections on the relationship between humans and animals, or rather 'Animals'. It delved into the requirements by which we recognize human dignity in other beings. After all, since we are Animals ourselves, it also served as a thought-provoking examination of how effortlessly humans have been able to deny human dignity to members of their own species. Additionally, the description of the 'tiktok' religion, the religion of easy pleasure, and its potential effects on society and individuals was also very topical.

Nevertheless, the book struck me as being unnecessarily long. I was not fond of the long-winded, cynical, and often vulgar style. Moreover, throughout the entire book, there wasn't a single character to whom I could truly become attached.

Particularly, Elphaba was a disappointment. At school, she was depicted as a bright, rebellious, and passionate girl. But then, she transformed into a mysterious terrorist. In reality, however, she failed to accomplish much and spent the remainder of the book wallowing in self-pity. Her fallibility might have made her more realistic, but by the end of the book, I couldn't help but question the significance of reading her story. Also, her relationships with Glinda and Fiyero were not explored in sufficient depth, as they only made brief appearances in the book. I believe the musical was correct in赋予 them a more central role, as they added interest and diversity to the plot.

You should have seen my face throughout the entire book. It was a whirlwind of emotions. At first, there was confusion as the story unfolded in unexpected ways. Then, excitement began to build as new plot twists emerged. I couldn't help but lean forward, eager to see what would happen next. As the characters faced their challenges, my heart ached for them. I felt their pain and frustration as if it were my own. And when the climax finally arrived, my eyes widened in shock and anticipation. The final pages left me with a sense of satisfaction and wonder. It was a reading experience like no other, and I'm sure my face showed every single moment of it.

Go and see the musical without reading this. You will be much better off for it. The musical offers a unique and immersive experience that cannot be replicated by simply reading about it. It brings the story to life through the power of music, dance, and acting. The talented performers will transport you to another world and make you forget about your worries. You will be able to enjoy the beautiful sets, costumes, and lighting, which add to the overall atmosphere of the production. So, don't waste your time reading this. Instead, go and see the musical and have an unforgettable experience.

The world was in a state of chaos, with floods肆虐 above and below. It was as if nature had unleashed its fury upon the earth, leaving no place untouched.

In this desolate and perilous situation, if there was indeed such a thing as a soul, it seemed to have taken a gamble on a sort of baptism. The soul was perhaps facing its greatest test, wondering if it would emerge victorious from this watery chaos.

Would the soul be purified and strengthened by this experience, or would it be drowned and lost forever? The outcome was uncertain, and the soul hung in the balance.

As the floods continued to rage, the soul could only hold on and hope for the best, trusting that somehow, through this baptism, it would find a new beginning and a reason to believe in a better future.

"The world was floods above and below. If there was such a thing as a soul, the soul had gambled on a sort of baptism, and had it won?"

I was pleasantly surprised by this story. It is a book that, despite having been written in 1995, is extremely relevant today. It talks about politics, feminism, racism, morality, and even gender, all within a fantasy story that reveals to us the wicked witch of the West as the fabulous Elphaba.

The author has done an excellent job of weaving together these complex themes in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The character of Elphaba is particularly well-developed, and we see her grow and change throughout the story.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy, or who is interested in exploring these important themes. It is a great read that will stay with you long after you have finished it.