Rating: 
Summary: About a witch
Review: Wicked
By Gregory Maguire
HarperCollins publishers
Copyright 1996
About a witchThe coming of the clock of the time dragon, the birth of an oddly colored child, the strange quadling. Can you tell the difference between an animal and an Animal? Where did the red shoes come from? Read Wicked to find out and more. This is a great book about being difference. Wicked puts a strange twist on power in the government and their power to discriminate.
This book is great but you might want to have a cup of coffee by your side because about midway into the book the author goes into incredible (and kind of boring) depth about the wizard and the crimes that he has committed.
Over all a good book but be ready for the boring parts, just incase.
Rating:
Summary: whirlwind of a treat
Review: This will give the reader an amazing insite to the dark side of Oz. The point-of-view from the witch finds you rooting for her the whole way and each and every twist down the road leaves a edgy mark in your brain. Delightfully wicked!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great idea but written in the slowest possible fashion
Review: I received this book as a gift since I am an Oz fan. I have read all of L. Frank Baum's Oz books, and I expected this novel to be a marvellous twist on his vision. I liked the concept, but I had to struggle to finish it. Several times, I almost gave up on it. I am glad I read it, but I would not recommend it to anyone unless they are an avid and patient fan of the Oz series. The author's style of writing is slow and overly descriptive. I found it to be, quite honestly, one of the most difficult books to get through I have ever read. Again, an interesting concept but...Perhaps if he had written in half the number of pages, the novel would have been more enjoyable. I am interested to see how much of Wicked the novel will be used for the upcoming Wicked the musical...I saw the musical on Broadway the other day (November 26th) and found it to be awesome. It's beautifully done, with a tighter focus than the book has. The show was so wonderful that it might just influence me to try to read this a second time. Go see it!
Rating:
Summary: big news for Judy Garland fans.....
Review: ...It turns out that when Dorothy crash-landed in Oz, she was just in time to witness the very last act in the tragic epic story of someone else. Who? The Wicked Witch of the West, of course! Here is the clever, daring and imaginative book that answers all your most probing questions about Oz and its inhabitants. Such as: why was the Witch wicked in the first place? Where did those shoes come from? And why did she want them so badly? Are they really magic? Are ALL munchkins short? Why were they so glad the Wicked Witch of the East was killed? Why is the Wicked Witch of the West allergic to water? How does she stay clean? Why is she green? Does that bother her? and more! Using elements from L. Frank Baum's classic book, a few throwbacks to the classic film, a lot of allusions to past and current historical events and political regimes, and heaping chunks of his very own imagination, Gregory Maguire weaves a very compelling story that explores the true nature of wickedness. Written along the lines of a traditional Tragedy (capital T), the Witch continually grapples with the issues of Fate and Choice, and if we even have one due to the aforementioned Fate. Lots of deep issues for being such an entertaining read, huh? But tuck the kids in first. This isn't about Dorothy, remember? This is a fairy tale for GROWNUPS. The Wicked Witch (really, Elphaba. And really, not a witch) is a fabulously interesting and flawed character. Glinda (formerly Galinda) is revealed to be (dare I say it?) blonde. The Wizard really IS a "bad wizard". Is he the wicked one? Can we even judge? Is Fate final? Read and admire a feat of imaginative skill. But remember, if you simply adore Dorothy and have a thing for endearing cowardly Lions, this might not be the book for you as fully 3/4 of it is over before the house even drops into Munchkinland. PS: They're making this into what looks like a pretty cool Broadway musical. I'm not sure how much this lends itself to music, but it should be neat onstage, especially with the ladies they've got for the leads. Should be an interesting addition to a soundtrack collection, if you're into that sort of thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Wickedly Fantastic!!!
Review: I LOVE this book! The concept is fantastic!
If you love the Wizard of Oz, then take a spin on this broom stick and find out the reality behind the myth.
Of course, the story is not real - but the take on this classic tale is hysterical, thought provoking, and real enough to relate to our own reality! I found myself forgetting I was reading about childhood characters, and tore through the pages to see where it would all get to.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fantastic
Review: The imagination on display by Gregory Maguire in "Wicked" is almost breathtaking. He bites off way more than he can chew in some instances and introduces more themes and storylines than he knows what to do with, but somehow none of that matters, and the book is compulsively readable anyway. The various threads of story are tied up with varying degrees of success, but what comes through most is the audacity with which Maguire has envisioned this pre-Dorothy Oz. I guarantee you will not be able to watch "The Wizard of Oz" (or read it, for that matter) with the same perspective again. Highly, highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Rainbow
Review: This marvelous, imaginative and thought-provoking novel takes the story of the "Wizard of Oz" and spins its themes around more thoroughly than the famous tornado spun Dorothy and her house. Elphaba, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, is a Munchkinlander, born of a religious preacher who thinks her birth is some sort of punishment,and a beautiful, alcoholic mother who is restless and lonely. During the course of her life, we see her as a freak of a child, a cranky but intelligent schoolgirl and then as a rebellious young woman who hopes to turn the tide of history in Oz by fighting against the powerful Wizard. Elphaba's loneliness is primarily self-inflicted, and at heart she does not believe she has a soul, although she longs for one. During her journey, she makes mistakes, some very serious, and ultimately fears that she is a failure. Among the fascinating questions this novel raises is the question of whether she is indeed a failure, or, because she never compromises and never gives up, is she ultimately a success? Her fate is very well known, and her whole life seems to lead up to the final confrontation with Dorothy, her seemingly innocent murderer. But this novel addresses the question of free will vs. destiny, as well as good vs. evil. Was Elphaba's destiny pre-determined, or was it of her own making? Is she better or worse than the Wizard who sends an innocent child to murder her? Was her single-minded abandonment of her family and friends to become a revolutionary a necessary part of a noble journey, or was it a thoughtless and selfish act? Is her story ultimately tragic, or did she succeed? I am still thinking about it and while I may never know the answers to the questions it raised, I have thoroughly enjoyed contemplating them. The women of the novel, from Elphaba to her self-righteous sister, the armless Nessarose (who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East), to Nanny, the nursemaid to them both, to Glinda, Elphaba's girlhood friend and the shallow society girl who becomes the Good Witch of the North, are all strong characters who are well drawn and who all evolve as the novel progresses. Each deals with life under her own terms. But in the society of Oz, this does not always make a woman a success. Gregory Maguire has managed to make one of the most frighteningly evil icons of literature into a sympathetic and even vulnerable character. I will never see the Wicked Witch in the same way again. There is so much to say about this book and it is difficult to do so in this small space. Nothing is clear -- everything is questioned and there are many gray areas. That is why I found it fascinating. I will probably think about this one for a good while to come.
Rating:
Summary: Something Wicked This Way Comes...
Review: I first heard about this book during my junior year of college. I was pursuing my bachelor's degree in English literature and the subject of my third year seminar was "The Fairytale." The class was taught by a very outspoken feminist professor and although we were not required to read this text, she did mention what an insightful tale "Wicked" was. The class discussed everything that "Wicked" explores: What exactly are we teaching our children by telling them these stories? What makes a person evil and another person good? What's so great about "happily ever after" anyway?
After hearing that the book was being turned into a Broadway musical (and living only 20 minutes from the Great White Way), I decided to finally read the story that I had heard so much about. I absolutely loved it. Perhaps the biggest shock, being a head-strong feminist myself, is that the book was written by a man. I applaud Maguire for his insights and I admire him for being able to weave a tale from the virtually unknown. I find myself, after reading this novel, in love with the character of Elphaba. She is, alas, a tragic figure, but Maguire has finally given her a voice. At the very core of the feminist movement is the act of questioning. If this society is to evolve, we must teach our children to constantly question. Why is "throwing like a girl" such a bad thing? Why should a woman abandon her own last name when she gets married? "Wicked" is what resulted from Gregory Maguire's own questions. As a child, he heard the story of "The Wizard of Oz" and quite frankly, didn't buy it. Why is it ok that all of these characters lied to Dorothy? The Wizard and even Glinda herself told Dorothy lies. And why shouldn't the so-called "Wicked Witch of the West" deserve her own sister's shoes? What right did Dorothy have to take them anyway? It is these very questions that gave birth to this remarkable book, and all I can say is that I cannot wait to see what Maguire does next...
Rating:
Summary: You'll never think of the Wizard of Oz the same way again
Review: This book was well written and completely unique, as much a comment on society as a biography of the Wicked Witch. Maguire's story is thoroughly entertaining just as a work of fiction. Add to that his insight on our social intricacies and his excellent wordsmithing and you have a book that you can love on so many levels. It felt as though he had inside information, previously unreleased, about the truth of OZ and he was finally showing us the "reality" of this place and its people. I have to remind myself that the history of the Wicked Witch is his creation, not just a piece of the story that was left on the cutting room floor! I was totally impressed with Maguire's work and have subsequently read and loved all his other books.
Rating:
Summary: Not what your would think...but still good
Review: I was amazed at how well Oz was described by Mr. Maguire. He takes that imaginative world created by Mr. Baum and transforms into what, it seems, Oz would be like to an adults eye. If you can get past any ideas of the Wizard of Oz you may have had as a child, then you will enjoy this fantasy, and actually start to sympathize with "the wicked witch of the west".
| 
