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Suzanne
Rating:
Review
Wicked is right up there in the top three most fun books I've read in my entire life. Starting with the character of the Wicked Witch of the West, named Elphaba, Maguire fleshes out the phenomenal fantasy world of Oz until the tie-ins to the original story are almost beside the point. Evil is not always what it seems, and you'll never think of Glinda the "good witch" the same way again, either. With animals that can talk and more than one species of human, Oz is ripe with inter-species tensions, magic, and politics, with some love and a bit of weird sex thrown in for good measure. Not a pretty place, and not for the timid, Oz is intense and full of life. A very satisfying and enjoyable read.
Best Lines:
Elephant Princess Nastoya tells Elphaba "Remember this: Nothing is written in the stars. Not these stars, nor any others. No one controls your destiny."
Kim
Rating:
Review
This book is on my Top Ten Best Books Ever list because it's rich – rich in description, in adjectives, and in words I either rarely see anymore, or have never seen before, which I credit Mr. Maguire's astonishing wordsmithing abilities. Wicked is written from the Wicked Witch of the West's point of view, rather than from Dorothy's in the Wizard of Oz. Elphaba is the "wicked witch", and throughout the entire book, I continued to cheer for her, even though I knew how it was all going to end. This book has an unbelievable amount of detail in everything from the city of Oz, to the animals that talk (and even teach college classes!), to Elphaba's parents, siblings, friends and her lover. As a matter of fact, when I recently saw a photo of the cast announcing that Wicked was now a Broadway show, I mentioned to a friend that I pictured Fiyero much differently, and she agreed! This book is not for the devouring kind of reader, so I recommend it be savored and enjoyed, as rich things ought to be.
Best Line:
"Her green skin made her more persuasive, as if she were a dragon child."
Donnamarie
Rating:
Review
This is an adult story about the life of the Wicked Witch of the West. Beginning with her childhood and family, to her relationship with college roommate Glinda and through her adult years and single romantic relationship. The Witch, Elphalba is an extraordinary character, not evil at all but damaged by her childhood. The story is worthwhile and ends much better than it begins but it takes far too long to get there. There was so much going on in this book; religious paradox, politics, paternity, the talking animals and then there is the story itself. Gregory Maguire seems to have an obsession with detail that I found to be tiresome. I think that the extensive imagery is better suited to film than novels. I would have found it much more enjoyable if the author left out half of the adjectives and his need to flaunt his vocabulary. I will never see the "Wizard of OZ" in the same way again because according to this book, nothing is as simple as it seems. Count me in for the musical though.
Best Lines:
"Maybe the definition of home is the place where you never are forgiven, so that you may always belong there, bound by guilt. And maybe the cost of belonging is worth it."
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