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

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Summary: Thanks Ed, for recommending this book! :-)
Review: The reviewer who said you will never look at Oz the same way again after reading this book was right on target! Maguire gives us a most un-wicked wicked witch in Elphaba, a green girl who is misunderstood, passionate about Animal rights, and forever plays second fiddle to younger sister Nessarose. We see a Wizard in collusion with native Oz-ians who think nothing of manipulating young women into becoming pawns of the state. The question then becomes, were Elphaba, Nessarose and Galinda merely pawns, or did they have a choice in their actions? Is Elphaba truly wicked? And what happens when a little girl from Kansas blows into town and upsets the delicate political balance that has kept this country from totally imploding on itself? A must-read for all Oz fans.

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Summary: Makes you think
Review: "The Wizard of Oz" was my favorite movie when I was little, so this book really caught my attention. My best friend played the WIcked Witch in a theatre production some years back, so I especially looked forward to telling her about it. OK, the Wicked Witch is a preacher's kid who drops out of college to be an animal rights activist? I know that's the shallow interpretation, but that's the basic, bare plot. It was actually very good; the characterization was wonderful and he has a wide variety of characters. Though there was a little more sexuality than I cared for, it was a part of Elphaba's development. Overall, it was a great book that you ought to read at least once. I would not reccomend reading it as a substitute for "Wizard of Oz," but in certain moods it can be just the ticket.

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Summary: Well written story!!!!!!
Review: I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE COVER AND THEN JUST HAD TO READ IT. THIS STORY IS SO WELL WRITTEN AND VERY INTERESTING. THERE WAS SO MUCH CREATIVITY IN THE TALE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO LIKE 'THE WIZARD OF OZ"

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Summary: The REAL story...
Review: Maguire takes a simple children's story and provides the REAL story behind the fanasty. Yes, it is still a STORY but now it is now much more interesting to hear the social, political and economic possibilities that could have created such a story. I loved this and "Stepsister". I can't wait for more!

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Summary: Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Review: This has become one of my favorite books of all time. Learn about the childhood of the wicked witch of the west in a compelling and fascinating tale. If you like the Wizard of Oz at all, you MUST read this book.

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Summary: Fun, intelligent read!
Review: Brilliantly written,imaginatively gripping and insightful, 'Wicked' grabbed me and kept me ever intrigued, entertained and amazed at Maguire's amazing work! So true to our world today -- yet fun! Storybook style allowed me to enjoy the message within the fun of the fantasy world! I will never see 'The Wizard of Oz' in the same way again! Enjoy!

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Summary: Novel but disappointing
Review: I started off this book enjoying it for it's novelty. Then I started to enjoy it for it's descriptions and it's complex world you don't usually associate with OZ. The Animal rights, the complex religious dogma, the social classes, etc. Really enjoyable and different, something to sit down and read for it's own merits not just because it's novel. Upto the middle of the book. Then, when 'wicked' went to the Emerald city and stayed I found that the book just dragged on and on. After what I found to be a forced chapter (and a big one) I just couldn't get back into it. The middle of the book annoyed me so much I actually thought about stopping (very rare for me) but I persisted. The book did get better after that, but the damage was done. Though amusing and some innovative adeas of the 'beloved' land of OZ and our 'wicked' witch, the magic was gone, leaving you wondering if it was magic at all or just an illusion of a good book.

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Summary: Wicked Book!
Review: I do not think this book is suitable for people. It has much sexual content and should not be on the shelves for children!!!!!

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Summary: Captivating!
Review: Once I had but 100 pages left to read I could not think of anything else. I read on and all the while my stomach turned because, like the movie Titanic, I knew how the story ended! However, by that point I was in love with Elphaba and dreaded the end of her tortured life. Mr. Maguire presented her as the only true character in all OZ, without pretense or prejudice. I'm on my way to rent The Wizard of OZ so that I may see it through my newfound understanding of the otherworld.

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Summary: I liked her! I really liked her!
Review: As a young child watching the Wizard of Oz on our old black and white TV set, I would literally hide behind a sofa pillow at the site of the Wicked Witch. She scared me to death! Had I only known who she REALLY was, maybe I would have felt kind of sorry for her. But don't try to compare this book with the movie. While there are some similarities, there are many new ideas and twists that I found totally enchanting and fascinating. To find that Elphaba was a sexual-being who was capable of loving and being loved was not easy to imagine, but if you stay with this weird and wonderful story through the first few chapters you might find that you really like her! I adored this book and hated to turn the last page.