Rating: 
Summary: Great story marred only by the ending.
Review: Despite what other reviewers have written and what the blurb on the back of the book says, I never thought this story had anything to do with determining the nature of "evil." Basically, it's just an extraordinarily beautiful, rich and detailed retelling of the Oz story from a different point of view. I was terribly disappointed with the ending, however, Elphaba loses all her idealism, courage and spirit after her lover is killed. She wastes away to a shadow and all that is left by the end of the book is her guilt, sadness and denial. Elphaba is such a strong, interesting and innovative character full of intelligence, justice, action and fury, it just doesn't make sense to me that she would lose all this and then retreat first to a convent for seven years and then to the outlands of the Vinkus before acceding to her own death. On the other hand, Frank Baum decreed the ending of this book 98 years ago so perhaps there was nothing more Gregory Maguire could do.
Rating: 
Summary: A superb literary fantasy
Review: Gregory Maguire's Wicked is without a doubt the finest fantasy novel I've read in years, far outclassing what is generally published within the genre. It's clever, original and gripping. I would put it in that rare collection with Tolkien, Fritz Leiber, Evangeline Walton, Eddison, Peake and John Crowley.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book, Great Illustrations
Review: What a great book! If you're looking for a well written, well conceived, very well assembled, but, at the same time, strange, odd, and off the wall book, this is for you. It's the first book I've finished in quite a while . . . I usually pitch them about half way through. If I hadn't given it to my wife to read, I'd probably be starting over again tonight. It's well worth the money and well worth the time. I hope he writes something else soon. And the illustrations, so seldom are books illustrated any more, but these illustrations absolutely set the tone for the rest if the book. After I finished it, I kept thumbing back through to re-look at the pictures so I could re-live the book.
Rating:
Summary: This book tore me apart
Review: Don't blame the author for the garbage the publishers put on the cover. They may have billed _Wicked_ as "an exploration of good and evil," but it is no such thing, nor does it aspire or need to be. There are plenty of books depicting the age-old good/evil dichotomy -- usually with very predictable results. _Wicked_ explores the gray areas, which is what interests me. I read this book while recovering from a virulent case of flu, and it yanked me in, slapped me around, and tore me apart as no book has done since _Lord of the Flies_.
Rating:
Summary: Oz comes to life!
Review: This book is one of the most creative and well-thought out books I have ever read. The intricate relationships of the characters are only surpassed in excellence by the emotions they evoke. The reader will be always be wondering how the story will unfold while they are reading it. This book's unpredictability is its greatest strength! If you're looking for a wonderful, imaginative, rich story, buy this book!!
Rating:
Summary: Fresh, adult take on a timeless tale.
Review: I was surprized that Wicked was not a juevenile fairy tale, and I was captivated by its moral themes and the questions it poses. I noticed in a response from a displeased reader that he did not see any of the questions of the existance of Good or Evil. As I read the book, I did not notice these questions being answered directly, but instead, the text and situations led me to ponder them myself, and the background Maguire provides gave me new insight in order to develop my own theory. This book was not written for closed-minded people or for children, but is meant to be questioned, and discussed, and enjoyed. I was thoroughly impressed by Maguire's eloquence and diction as he caricatures the misunderstood Elphaba. This is one of the best books I have ever read, and I usually hate fantasy novels. It is political, intelligent and just plain old fun.
Rating:
Summary: Dressed in black, the green of her skin was barely visible
Review: What is evil? Elfalpha is the anti-hero and the precursor of the "slack generation". Maguire re- creates the Land of Oz as world as real or surreal as ours. Elphie is a college-dropout, adultress, friend, shrew and clearly a mad scientist. It just so happens, that despite all good intentions, our green-skinned, hydrophobic heroine is also the Wicked Witch of the West.
Rating:
Summary: one of the funniest, most insightful book i have ever read
Review: When i first saw the movie, the wizard of oz, i thought the wicked witch was some mean old woman who wanted to take over all of oz with a pair of ruby slippers. Then i read WICKED, and found myself remembering that they were her sisters shoes, and by right, they should have gone to the wicked witch. This is my all time favorite book and i would recommend it to anyone who ever thought oz was a peaceful land of munchkins terrorized by an evil witch. This novel is a pleasure to read and incredibly funny, but also very insightful and makes you consider what maybe really goes on in those fairy tale lands. i really enjoyed this book and kept on thinking about it long after i was finished reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Wicked : A Modern-Day Tale of Evil
Review: What is the "Nature of Evil?" Is someone born evil, or is he/she shaped by their environment? Is "evil" an inherent trait, or is it just a case of being misunderstood? Does Society, as a whole, or Religion, in part, lay the foundations for the differences between Good and Evil?
These are some of the questions asked, and partially answered, in this wonderfully entertaining tale of the evolution of a misunderstood young girl into one of the greatest villains of all time: the Wicked Witch of the West.
The book does not pretend to have all the answers; it merely causes you to ponder the questions for a long time after the book is finished. I promise you, if read with an open mind, you will NOT look at society and religion in the same way again!
Definitely a must-read for mature readers, as it delves into not only the darker side of a world we all once thought of as perfect, but into the darkness of your very being.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating new twist to an old favorite!
Review: Read with an open mind, this book teaches many lessons while entertaining and engrossing the reader in a wonderful new world. The truth is, history is written by the victorious (even in fairy tales) ... and this offers a definite "revolutionary"'s view of the Wonderful World of Oz. An enchanting and dizzying ride for an adventurous reader!
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