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Summary: A Favorite Novel
Review: Imagine the Wizard of Oz story told from the viewpoint of the not so Wicked Witch of the West. This novel is for adults, not children and draws more from Baum's Oz series than the movie. It is, in part, a meditation on the nature of evil. Do ends justify the means? Does the careless behavior of childen constitute evil? How about the careless promiscuity of a neglected wife? The thoughtless smugness of the upper crust? How about a ruthless campaign to consolidate power by literal scapegoating, murder, opression and distortion and lies? It turns out that the Wizard is both a very bad man and a very bad Wizard--but there were extenuating circumstances. This book is very much worth reading if only to see how an author can take a very familiar story and turn it topsy turvy. Even more thought-provoking is the examination of the nature of evil.
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Summary: Dorothy was a theif
Review: This one is SO hard to explain! Wicked really is the true life story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, told from her birth through, well, we all know the end. Many parts seem as though it were written by George Orwell, with animals who hold social status as high as humans, until politics deem them to become work-animals who are not allowed to dress or speak. Elphaba meets Glinda (you know, Glinda) as her dorm roommate in college. It is part fantasy, part politics, and all-colorful. It takes some work, but it's worth it. A great gift idea for anyone who loves fantasy novels.... or political science majors. Minus one star for the in-between scenes that can drag on....
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Summary: Fantasy worth your time!
Review: I must admit I just could not put this one down. The author has given a real-life view of the politics, humanity and daily life in the world of "OZ". Having always enjoyed the childhood tale, I greatly enjoyed this look into the adult world of Oz, with all of it's inner workings and intrigues. The author has woven a detailed, imaginative and wondrous tale of another culture, with suprising parallels to our own.
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Summary: Oh, what utter delights
Review: Positively delicious! How could I possibly have forseen falling for the "Wicked Witch of the West"? Brilliant. Exotic. Her most noble intentions thwarted by fate throughout her life. The elusive whispers of larger schemes, eloquently (subtly, and only partially) revealed. Do yourself a justice and read Wicked. I'm off to read The Wizard of Oz... which I now understand is clearly a tale told from the perspective of the antagonist. (...and her little dog too...)
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Summary: A new favorite
Review: i thought this book was one of the best that i have read yet and the comparison of life in Oz to the real world was well done. It makes y ou realize that the characters you see in stories are not what they always seem to be. In the original Wizard of Oz and in the movie, the Witch is portrayed as horribly evil, but in Wicked, you find out the Elphaba is just a regular person. But to understand the story you have to reach a bit under the surface, not just critisize everything in it... Can't wait to read Gregory Maguire's other books!
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Summary: Realistic Wizard of Oz
Review: I absolutly loved this book! When I was younger, I often read the Wizard of Oz series and watched the movie several times. This gives you an inside look at the Wicked Witch, and how missunderstood she was. I think it was great!
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Summary: This book is a mess!
Review: I loved reading this book, but kept waiting for something wonderful, as promised by the blurbs on the back. Instead, I got a conceited mess, nothing but a practice exercise by a creative writing instructor with time on his hands. Where is the conflict? Some of it starts half way through, but it never delivers in either threat or release. Yes, I liked the character of Elphalba, but, um, WHY does she have an affair with that guy? and WHY exactly does she feel the need to be forgiven? Her character has no development, but rather changes with new section. I feel ripped off, and it is shameful that writers like this get to ride the coattails of great writers like Rowling.
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Summary: Wise, Witty, Warm and Wicked
Review: "Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire is a wonderful book on many levels. It is a children's book, a social allegory, and a vivid masterpiece about the root of evil. I will not describe the entire story to you as others have, but compare it to another one of my favorite novels, "Watership Down." In that book we are introduced to the world of rabbits as we have never experienced it before. We are taken deep into fantasy, adrift in the warm expanse of dreams and adventure. We are introduced to good and evil as consequences of events out of one's control. We are given a story of Socialism masked in a story of animal survival. Gregory Maguire weaves the same magic with "Wicked." The social implications are not as veiled as they are in "Watership Down," but the ride is just as wonderful and charming. If only all Sociology textbooks could be this much fun, school would be as magical as Summer, and the next time we saw something we didn't understand, we might actually try to understand it...
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Summary: For all of those people who thought that Dorothy was a priss
Review: I read "Wicked" after I read Maguire's second work. Yet,I still loved this book. The political mechanics and the ethical questions raised throughout the book are by far some of the most important of our kind. The story starts with the birth of Elphaba a little green-skinned girl. Throughout her entire far too short life with the exception of a few weeks of bliss,she is the outcast in a sad twisted society. Read this book to see the other side of the "wicked" witch and lose yourself in the exqusite prose that Maguire writes.
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Summary: Wicked and exquisite!
Review: I've always been a fan of traditional stories retold from the point of view of a character other than the protagonist. And "The Wizard of Oz" has long been one of my favorite stories. This book forever changed the way I see it. Using elegant, eloquent prose, Geoffrey Maguire weaves the tale of Elphaba, the little green girl who will one day grow up to be the much-maligned Wicked Witch of the West. After reading this, the Witch became my favorite character of "The Wizard of Oz." See if she doesn't win your heart as well. Born to a religious father and an upper-class mother, Elphaba becomes a surprisingly sympathetic character. Her life is traced from birth to death, and along the way we see her development, from horrific baby, to idealistic student and activist, to reclusive wisewoman. She isn't perfect. She loves, and hates, and plots. Her long association with Glinda is a treat to discover, through Elphaba's eyes. The animal rights (or Animal rights) and political issues of the book were of particular interest to me. This book draws more in inspiration from Frank Baum's classic fantasy series than from the movie. A finely crafted read, a change of perspective, a tragedy, a love story, and a moral tale all wrapped up in some of the best writing I've ever experienced.
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