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Summary: Oh, Ye of Little Imagination...
Review: ... don't read this book if you expect -- or need -- a simple re-hashing of L. Frank Baum's books, or if you are afraid to see something other than the movie's screenplay. But if you want more than those, if you want something deeply layered and highly imaginative, then by all means read "Wicked". It's a masterful fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: Very imaginative
Review: I think some reviewers might have been disappointed because they were expecting a children's story along the lines of the original Oz books and movie. This book is much more imaginative and is definitely NOT a children's book. It is also very heavy in the fantasy area; something some might not be used to.I really enjoyed it. It totally changed my preconceptions of the Witch of the Oz movie. And, contrary to others, I found Elphaba (the Witch) to be a sympathetic character right up to the climax that meshes roughly with the movie. Her actions are more explainable here. The story also has a lot to say about the natural of "evil" and our basic human condition. I like the way the author tied in elements from our world (the Madame Blavatsky reference), too. In short: just read it.
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Summary: will it make a good musical?
Review: I'd be interested to hear if people think it will make a good musical... (I already bought the tickets ... and will now buy the book also.)
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Summary: Shocking to an OZ fan 3.5 stars
Review: This book shocked me quite hard. As a long time OZ fan it was very odd to read this novel about the truly evil Wicked Witch from the first book. Honestly I almost put this book away a half dozen times.
Why didn't I? because it was also incredibly engrossing I found myself almost facinated to see what he would twist of my beloved childrens books next, and he sure didn't disapoint me.
Glinda is a self centered pretty girl, the Wizard is a despotic dictator destroying OZ, Dorothy is a pawn used to destroy the true hero of this book.
Very odd, very well written, and very disturbing. I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Maguire but I'm not sure if I will ever read the book again. The original OZ books are a delight. But this novel really twists the tale into something quite dark and depressing by the end. Something I'm not sure Mr. Baum's book deserved to have done to it. I do however have tickets to see the musical this May in San Fransico out of perverse curiosity and my profond respect for Stephen Schwartz the composer who made Godspell in the 1970's. If anyone can make me truly care for characters that were once [bad] and hate those who were once good, he can and maybe it will let me read the book again.
Rating:
Summary: Elphabulous!
Review: I purchased the book at the recommendation of a co-worker, and finished within a day and a half. I could not tear myself away from Oz - and I became so sad when I realized I was approaching the end of the novel.
Maguire has crafted a richly developed world, and I found myself lingering and rereading sentences, conversations, and entire paragraphs, simply enjoying them and stopping to think. In fact, I did a lot of stopping and thinking throughout this book - about the implications and ramifications of Ephalba's story. I found myself wishing that Margaret Hamilton was still alive, because it would be great to hear her thoughts on the book.
Can you see The Wicked Witch of the West as a modern-day PETA activist? How about visualizing The Emerald City as a Nazi-occupied city during the pogroms?
This book left me reeling, and wanting more. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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Summary: For those who like to hear BOTH sides of the stories..
Review: I've loved "The Wizard of Oz" for as long as I can remember... So when I read about "Wicked" in a magazine, and it's summary, I was intrigued. The classic tale from the witch's point of view? YES!! So, I immediately ran out and bought "Wicked." It remains in my top 5 picks for favorite book. "Wicked" tells the story of Elphalba, or Elfie, the little girl who will grow up to be the Wicked Witch of the West. We are taken from her birth, through her time at school, through her time as a political activist, up until her death. We meet some characters you may remember: The Wizard, Dorothy, The Wicked Witch of the East, The Witch of the North. And who would have thought the Wicked Witch would have been in love?? I finished this book in what seems to be no time at all. Maguire truly makes you feel like you are in every town that is described. I do have to admit that there are still some things that I don't understand, even after reading the book five times.
I've also read "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister," and while I enjoyed both books, I find "Wicked" to be the better of the two. After reading one of the two reviews already posted, I feel it important to mention: PLEASE do not get this book if you're expecting an exact retelling of "The Wizard of OZ." Dorothy is just a bit player in this story, and we as the readers are better off for it! Enjoy!!
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Summary: Dark and Wonderful
Review: If you are expecting the movie The Wizard of Oz from a different perspective you will be very disappointed.
If, however, you are open minded and willing to strectch your imagination you will love this book. This is a rare piece of fiction that actually makes you think. What is evil? What is right and wrong? How far would you go to protect what you believe in? How do we, as society, treat those who are different than we are and why? and what does that ultimately say about us?
I loved this book, I started it and could not put it down. I am eagerly waiting to have the time to read Maguire's other takes on classic tales.
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected!
Review: I've been a fan of the Wizard of Oz movie and book since I've been a little kid. In the book and even the movie, it shows Oz as a place of wonder and amusement. In this book Wicked, by Maguire, Oz is not at all like that. Instead Oz seems like a world no better than ours. The munchkins are people who swear and find amusment in that nasty time clock that puts on pornographic puppet shows. The Witch, Alphaba does'nt even have magic at all through the book, just a broom that flys. According to Maguire The Wicked Witch of the West (Alphaba)is a scientist who sewes wings on monkeys, and the Witch of the East is a cripple with no arms who is really nice,which completely goes against what the movie and the book of the Wizard of Oz tells us about her.
This book at times is based on the movie of the Wizard of Oz then is jumps to The Book of the Wizard of Oz and it keeps jumping back in forth. Then towards the end the Witch lives in her castle of the west with her child hood nanny and a little boy. I can honnestly say this book is not worth buying, its really twisted and would have been a lot better if C.S Lewis (author of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe) had written it.
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Summary: Such a different point of view!
Review: A friend of mine gave me this book when she saw that i was collecting fairy tales and such. I am so glad she did! This was a great spin on a classic story. Seeing the world through Elphaba, the little green girl's eyes made me feel much differently about one of my favorite tales! In following Elphaba's struggles to grow up and live a semi-normal life, it isn't hard to imagine why she became the Wicked Witch of the West. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for different twists on classic tales. Maguire writes this tale beautifully and it definitely designed to make you think twice about the Wicked Witch!
Rating:
Summary: Amusing
Review: I wouldn't call this novel anything life changing, I saw no need to change any opinion or habit, I didn't feel vindicated, or wronged. I laughed. This novel made it seem like OZ was someone's very strange hallucination and the girl that they picked on was just a rather human victim. Yeah, she does bad things, and yeah, she is strange- but what happenes to the "different Kids" in the grand old high schools of the U S of A? Sometimes they get bitter and hard, and sometimes they do naughty things.
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