I don't get it.

OK, so I read the book thinking it would be good preparation for possibly seeing the musical while it's in Chicago. Now I'm not so sure, though I'm told the musical is vastly different from the book. I'm guessing I'm no more prepared than I was before I started.

It started strong. The experiences that led her parents to believe her disfigurements were a curse were quite captivating. She was born with green skin, razor-sharp teeth, and a fatal allergy to water. However, Maguire then spends an inordinate amount of time on her infancy, which seems rather unnecessary. Especially since she's not really the focus of that part of the story; it's more about her parents and their relation to a foreign glass-blower.

There were two sections of the book that were simply excellent. The Witch's time at school with her sister and Glinda was engaging, and the following section, in which she lives in secret in Emerald City and carries on an affair with an old school mate, was equally so. In these sections, the character grows a lot. She starts as a reclusive misanthrope, disinterested in social interaction until a political revolution lights a fire under her. She discovers an unlikely set of like-minded revolutionaries, they work together, become friends, and expand their group when one of their teachers is murdered to stop his research. I felt that such a person would quite reasonably become a target of the Wizard's tyranny. When she goes to see the Wizard with Glinda and is convinced upon meeting him that he must be brought down, she's ambitious, passionate, and ready to act. In the next section, when one of her old school friends finds her and pursues her to her hideout, she continues that ambition and passion, so fiery that it's not hard to believe he could fall headlong in love with her.

Sadly, when her big plan comes to a head, the narrative collapses into unremarkability. She fails to kill her target, her lover is murdered, and the entire rest of the book is a plodding story. She occasionally encounters the chance to do something, but never, ever does, until Dorothy comes right up to her doorstep and she completely loses her mind.

The end.

Seriously, that's what I got out of the book. I thought this was about giving depth to the Wicked Witch of the West, but what little she had was cast away in a whirlwind of guilt and confusion halfway through the book, never to be recovered. Worse, reams of character development are left untold. We never see any evidence that the Witch's assassination plot is part of something larger, save her insistence that it is. Presumably her coconspirators are captured because of her failure, but when she begs forgiveness, they are left unconsidered as she heads to the ancestral home of her murdered lover to beg his wife's forgiveness, which she never gives before sharing her husband's fate. Though she speaks often and passionately of political and military movements going on within Oz, she never actually does anything about it! After her botched assassination attempt, she doesn't do anything else, despite several opportunities to get involved and take a leadership role, and all the important people in her life give her reason to do so! By the end of the story, she's not even a threat to the Wizard's rule; she's just a convenient scapegoat.

Then there's Liir; presumably her son by her murdered lover. She spends some time in a convent hospital, and when she leaves, this kid is right there with her, even though they don't seem to like each other and they rarely speak. The Witch's motivations are clear, but failed. Liir's motivation is never explored and appears not to serve any significant role in the story, despite being there from the midpoint of the story right up to the end. Apparently a sequel has been written about him, but I don't care -- he's not interesting.

I was really disappointed here, and I don't understand the reviews I've read that made me want to read the book so much. Why are they all so glowing?

Book synopsis sounds interesting & promising enough:

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil? Colleagues mentioned that they loved the musical that was based on this book so I decided to pick up a copy.

Definitely thumbs down for me. I have never read a more tedious, long-winded, boring piece of literary work! Believe me, coming from a Philosophy major & Law student such as I am, that means I've read a lot of dry literary works that tend to ramble on. But this book beats them all.

It took me more or less 3 weeks to finish this book because I insisted on giving every book a chance. I'm definitely reselling this book as soon as possible.

Book Details:

Title Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Author Gregory Maguire

Reviewed By Purplycookie

The book's synopsis initially caught my attention. It promised to offer a fresh perspective on the well-known story by delving into the life of the Wicked Witch of the West. However, my expectations were quickly dashed as I began reading. The writing style was overly complex and convoluted, making it a struggle to follow the narrative. The author seemed to be more interested in showing off his vocabulary and literary devices than in telling a engaging story. I found myself constantly losing interest and having to force myself to keep reading. Even though I persevered and finished the book, I did so with a sense of relief. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable read.

Ahem...

I THINK I'LL TRYYYYY defying gravity READING THIS 500 PAGE BOOK.

Oh woah oh oh waoh oh oHHHHHH.

(I just watched the movie if you couldnt tell.)

You know, after watching that movie, I got this crazy idea. I thought, "Hey, why not take on the challenge of reading this huge 500-page book?" It's like defying gravity in a way. The thought of going through all those pages seems a bit daunting, but at the same time, there's a certain excitement.

I can picture myself sitting in a cozy corner, with a cup of coffee by my side, slowly but surely making my way through the book. Maybe I'll discover new worlds, meet interesting characters, and gain a whole new perspective.

Sure, it might be a long and arduous journey, but I'm ready to give it a go. Who knows what awaits me on the other side of those 500 pages?

So here I go, ready to embark on this reading adventure. Wish me luck!

To be honest, when I first began reading this book, I was truly at a loss as to what to make of it.

A few years earlier, I had made my initial attempt to read Gregory Maguire with "Lost," but that didn't go very smoothly. I ended up abandoning that attempt and almost gave up on trying to read his works altogether.

However, instead of giving up on this particular book, I persisted in asking around about it. I received some rather funny looks when I inquired about certain things within it. I was eager to know others' impressions of what they had read before I completely gave up. And I'm so glad I didn't!

Maguire is not for the faint of heart when it comes to "wordiness." In the entire "Wicked Years" series and in another of his books that I'm currently reading, there are some colloquialisms and very antiquated terms that may not be "reader-friendly" for all. While many people can catch on from the context, it's not always the case. If you're like me, I don't just settle for context; I want to know precisely what each word means. So, be prepared to do some additional research on the side for some 14th-century terms.

Despite some of the strange elements in it at first, I ultimately ended up really liking the book. Those of you who have read it will understand what I mean.

Okay, after this come the SPOILERS (nothing major... but just in case).

... It was extremely interesting to me that the character wasn't a witch at all, and that the story provided an explanation for her green skin color. I appreciate the different twist on things, and I really came to like the curmudgeonly Elphaba and the bubbly Glenda. I'll admit that the main character was a bit difficult to "love" at first. But, nevertheless, I grew very attached to Elphie and her character's personality about a quarter of the way through. I adored that she had such a deep love for animals and "Animals" (yes, in this world, there is a difference).

I admired that she was bookish and could envision her walking the halls of her school, eager to learn all she could. She was your typical underdog who discovered some unusual strengths and utilized them to survive.

I didn't like how the author confusingly and oddly explained the villagers holding the infant Elphie up to the light and no one knowing what the infant was - in more ways than one. It just seemed odd and rather cumbersome. To me, it appeared overly cruel and graphic. Others might not think so, but that, along with a few other things her parents did early on, almost put me off the book. To me, an adult fairy tale doesn't equate to an excuse to say nasty things and call it literature. But I digress.

There were a few awkward moments like that in the novel, but if you can get past those, it's truly a brilliant and actually innovative piece of storytelling.

Happy reading.

The bones of an engaging story are there.

It has the potential to captivate the audience and draw them into its world.

The stage adaptation, on the other hand, took this potential and made a lot of very smart changes.

These changes enhanced the story, making it even more compelling and interesting.

Perhaps the adaptation added new characters or subplots that added depth and complexity to the narrative.

Or maybe it rearranged the sequence of events to create a more suspenseful or emotional arc.

Whatever the changes were, they were made with great care and attention to detail.

The result is a stage production that brings the story to life in a whole new way.

It allows the audience to experience the story in a more immediate and visceral way, through the power of live performance.

The stage adaptation has truly transformed the original story into something that is both fresh and exciting.

Acerbic witch abhors water, lies, family.

Oz has haunted my childhood days. I have never truly given it up. I have read all Baum's books numerous times and most of Thompson's continuations of the series. I have always thought that someone (other than Philip Jose Farmer) should have written an adult version of the Oz books. So, a couple of months ago, when I heard that Gregory Maguire had done it (OK, I'm a bit behind the times.....he had done it 17 years before!), I went down to the public library and borrowed this very book.

Well, it's difficult to say, considering my lifelong sense of closeness to the characters. Of course, the Wicked Witch of the East and the Wicked Witch of the West were not fully developed in the original. Here, they, along with Glinda the Good and the Wizard, are the central figures, with a number of other characters never seen in Baum's books. I liked the religio-philosophical context, the witty remarks here and there, the grappling with the moral problems of the real world, the geographical imagination, and the maps on the end leaves (just like in some Baum books). The plot is excellent, with everything interwoven. I also liked the way Maguire allows the reader to draw some conclusions without emphasizing them too much.

I don't know if, for those who have never read any Oz books, this will all be fascinating. I can't determine if people would like the book for its own sake. The charm surely lies in the reworking of the Oz legend. On the other hand, I often tried to imagine how I would have rewritten the Oz books in an adult way. My own imagination is very different from Maguire's, so in a sense, I felt that he had pushed out my visions, sending them away before his published work. I didn't like the modern American slang or suburban language that sometimes seemed out of place in the mouths of people from a different world. I'm sure the author wanted the book to connect with the modern reader, so it's understandable, but still......

All in all, I enjoyed this book and could hardly put it down. It all depends on whether you really care about Oz or not, and whether you would like to imagine the classic story in an entirely new way. Give it a try. I'm the 23,000th plus person to write a review, so I'm afraid I haven't said much that's new.

It took me a while to get through this particular piece.

To be honest, it was a touch too political for my personal taste. However, that doesn't mean there weren't aspects of it that I found enjoyable.

The author's perspective on certain political issues was quite thought-provoking, even if I didn't necessarily agree with every single point.

There were also some well-written sections that managed to hold my attention and make me reflect on the topic at hand.

Despite the political undertones that I wasn't overly fond of, I still think there were valuable insights and ideas presented in this article.

It serves as a reminder that different viewpoints can often lead to interesting discussions and a deeper understanding of complex issues.

Overall, while it wasn't a perfect read for me, I'm glad I took the time to go through it and explore the ideas it had to offer.

Woah. I'm still in the process of digesting this remarkable piece of work. It was an absolute whirlwind of emotions and experiences. So fascinating that it kept me on the edge of my seat, yet haunting in a way that made me think long after I put it down. It was disgustingly beautiful, inspiring in its complexity, and tragic in its portrayal of the characters. The strangeness and humor added an unexpected layer to the mix, making it a truly unique read. And let's not forget how danged confusing it could be at times. But that's what made it so captivating.

This book really is in a genre of its own. It combines elements of psychological analysis, romance, religious theory, and mystery in a way that I've never seen before. It's not your typical slick, poorly edited psychothriller where you know exactly what's going to happen from the first chapter. No, this one is much more profound and thought-provoking. (Ahem, Dan Brown, take note!)

[Spoiler Warning!]

The book is essentially an in-depth psychological biography of the Wicked Witch. We learn that she spent her entire life grappling with the big questions of life, death, good, bad, and God. It drove her to the brink of insanity, especially when, towards the end, a mysterious little dwarf showed up out of nowhere (for the eighth time, no less) to tell her that she was the product of the marriage between GOOD and EVIL. Talk about a mind-bender! So it was up to her to decide her own fate - whether she had a soul, whether she was truly evil, and whether she was being manipulated by some higher power. As she slowly descended into paranoia, she met Dorothy, which ultimately led to her death and perhaps even her redemption with the "baptismal splash" (although it killed her because she was allergic to water). It was all just too deep for me to fully comprehend.

And then, on top of all the mind-boggling questions, the author decided to leave huge gaps in the plot, forcing the reader to guess how the Witch's character had changed over time. Meh. I would have preferred a bit more clarity. Plus, there were all these random cameo appearances from a character named Yackle, who seemed to be the reincarnation of a fierce and not entirely pleasant goddess. The old crone showed up at just the wrong time, when the Witch's life could have used a bit of a boost, and instead, she set events on a path towards even more doom and despair. And then she'd utter some cryptic but ominous prophecy and disappear. It gave me the chills.

All in all, if you're looking for a book that will tie your head in a knot and give your heart a vigorous massage, then this is the one for you. I loved it, even though I only understood about half of it. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Boomer men often make statements like, “Autism didn’t exist when I was growing up.”

And yet, these same boomer men might also produce a 500+-page Wizard of Oz fanfiction where the Wicked Witch of the West gets her

Wicked is a captivating story that offers a fresh perspective on the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. It challenges the traditional fairytale narrative, making us question whether the well-known tale is entirely true. The novel's premise is indeed interesting, and the themes it explores make us think deeply. The characters are well-developed and three-dimensional, although the story takes a turn for the worse towards the end.

The story begins with the events surrounding the witch's birth, following young Elphaba through her infancy and then jumping to her schooling in young adulthood. There, she meets Galinda, who later becomes Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The story then skips ahead to Elphaba's revolutionary stage, where she defies the Great and Powerful Wizard, and later to her imprisonment with the family of her lover. The novel culminates in her fateful encounter with Dorothy and her friends.
I enjoyed seeing the "other" side of Oz, where talking Animals are mistreated and lose their rights, and the Wizard is a despot. The depth given to the Witch's life, including her relationship with her sister and her attempts to make Glinda use her brain, was also engaging. The thought-provoking questions about evil added another layer of interest.
However, the story had a few flaws. The enormous skips in time were confusing, and the point of view jumps within an action were a pet peeve of mine. The ending also felt flat compared to the rich and detailed beginning. Overall, though, Wicked is a good novel that offers a new take on an old fairytale. I'm still undecided about whether to read the sequel, Son of a Witch.

Ever since I was around 11 or 12 years old, I have been completely and utterly OBSESSED with this story. As a theatre-loving girl, the moment I saw this incredible musical, I became instantly infatuated and it essentially became my entire personality.

Fast forward another decade, and to my great excitement, they are making this wonderful show into a film. And then, to my absolute delight, I find out there’s a BOOK?!?! You can bet your bottom dollar that I had to get my hands on it ASAP

While this book is indeed well written on a technical level, it fails to captivate my interest. For me, in fiction, that is of utmost importance. I need to feel something. When I first read it, the concept lingered in my mind, and I thought I might have been unfair. So, I gave the audiobook version a try. Big mistake! It was even worse. But I persevered, knowing I had blanked on some parts in the second third of the book. However, the narrator put me to sleep, resulting in a lot of re-listening to figure out what I missed.

I kept hoping to gain a better understanding of the "Wicked Witch," to learn how she became a witch, etc. Instead, I got a book that focuses more on the politics and religions of Oz. Through Elphaba's "college" years, I can see many real-life students experiencing similar things in today's world. But this is Oz! It's supposed to have a sense of wonder and the fantastical! Where was it? Yes, there are mentions of talking Animals and such, but aside from the debate (animal vs Animals) that the book covers, that's about it.
This is a crude world we encounter, especially in the beginning. So, if you are sensitive to what you read, stay away from this. Almost all the characters are immoral and self-centered. The little I did feel was frustration at how similar the characters are and how none are truly likable. Boq, Elphaba, and Nanny are probably the best, but even they are far from likable.
I also had trouble visualizing much. There is a lot of telling and little showing, which is another no-no for me in novels. I want to see the characters and the world they inhabit. And the imagination I could muster for this world was less than appealing. In fact, it left me with a depressed feeling about the land.
Overall, this book is not for me. It drags at an excruciatingly slow pace. I really struggled to get through it, and why? Because those who recommended it said it gets better. Well, not for me. Given its length, it was closer to a waste of time. Twice now I have tried and failed to read it properly. If it weren't for its good grammar and verbiage, I would have given up completely. But that alone is not enough to redeem a book and make it enjoyable.
If you do decide to read this, read it. Do not listen to it unless you are an insomniac in need of some help falling asleep.