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cjcoleynz's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sraev19's review against another edition
4.0
Part one in a five-volume collection, this book contains the stories The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz. Grouping these three stories into the first volume is a good introduction to Oz and more than enough to hook me on the series.
Right from the first story the characters endeared themselves to me. They are simple, each with a few defining characteristics and clear motives, and they speak honestly and straightforwardly. As such, the characters can be predictable, but they aren’t boring. It is this reliability that makes them charming and quaint and at times humorous as well.
Baum takes Dorothy and her companions all across Oz in these three books. The range of this world and its inhabitants could be disorienting, but Baum is a sure guide. He explains the order of the land and demonstrates the logic in its magic. He also circles back to people and places introduced earlier to ensure nothing is left unfinished. The stories feel neat and tidy when Baum reveals how interconnected everything is.
Unfortunately, this collection does not contain any illustrations, neither the originals by W.W. Denslow and John R. Neill nor new ones, which is a loss. The original illustrations, for instance, lend an air of strange fantasy similar to that of Alice in Wonderland, though I admit that some of the renderings are more disturbing than the fancy of my imagination. And truly, the books feel less like children’s stories without illustration.
Nevertheless, Baum’s prose has pulled me in to the Land of Oz. While his writing is as simple and straightforward as his characters, it is also evocative and mesmerizing. I had no trouble picturing the stories without illustrations or following the well-paced action. I am excited to begin the second volume in this collection and see where the yellow brick road goes this time.
Right from the first story the characters endeared themselves to me. They are simple, each with a few defining characteristics and clear motives, and they speak honestly and straightforwardly. As such, the characters can be predictable, but they aren’t boring. It is this reliability that makes them charming and quaint and at times humorous as well.
Baum takes Dorothy and her companions all across Oz in these three books. The range of this world and its inhabitants could be disorienting, but Baum is a sure guide. He explains the order of the land and demonstrates the logic in its magic. He also circles back to people and places introduced earlier to ensure nothing is left unfinished. The stories feel neat and tidy when Baum reveals how interconnected everything is.
Unfortunately, this collection does not contain any illustrations, neither the originals by W.W. Denslow and John R. Neill nor new ones, which is a loss. The original illustrations, for instance, lend an air of strange fantasy similar to that of Alice in Wonderland, though I admit that some of the renderings are more disturbing than the fancy of my imagination. And truly, the books feel less like children’s stories without illustration.
Nevertheless, Baum’s prose has pulled me in to the Land of Oz. While his writing is as simple and straightforward as his characters, it is also evocative and mesmerizing. I had no trouble picturing the stories without illustrations or following the well-paced action. I am excited to begin the second volume in this collection and see where the yellow brick road goes this time.
sraev19's review against another edition
3.5
The Patchwork Girl of Oz, Tik-Tok of Oz, and The Scarecrow of Oz are stories seven through nine in this third volume of the Oz series.
Grouping these three stories together is a bit unfortunate because of their similarities. Individually, the stories still have the same fun, bright magic and wholesome simplicity that captivated me in the previous titles. But taken together, they are a repetitive and somewhat disappointing bunch.
As with volume two, new characters take the lead in this collection. The cast in The Patchwork Girl of Oz is the most well rounded, having strong and distinct personalities with backstories that are developed early on to motivate them.
On the other hand, the companions in Tik-Tok of Oz and The Scarecrow of Oz are less varied. Betsy and Trot, the little heroines, are so similar to each other and Dorothy that they’re interchangeable. Both are dropped into their stories with little background*, have a companion who looks over them, and bear a spirit of curiosity and bravery. They’re dear girls, but Oz needs only one Dorothy.
The core cast of Oz make brief appearances in all three tales, and they’re not as vibrant as before. Here they’re plot devices, used to push the new characters forward, get into trouble, or save the day. Glinda and Ozma in particular serve only as safety nets in Oz. It is these safety nets that are the real issue with this volume.
After the characters face many dangers and obstacles in all three stories, easy answers to their problems are revealed at the last minute, and all is well. The endings are anticlimactic not only because these resolutions are sudden and tidy, but because they were available all along.
With magic-wand resolutions at the ready, Baum proves that there are no real stakes left in Oz. Each tale is just an adventure for adventure’s sake. While still fun and enjoyable reads, these stories have less substance than the previous books in the collection, and travelling along the yellow brick road is becoming less meaningful and a tad monotonous.
*I’m learning now that Trot was pulled from Baum’s less successful novel The Sea Fairies, which was first intended to be unrelated to Oz. This explains Baum’s letter preceding The Scarecrow of Oz, which otherwise had no context.
Grouping these three stories together is a bit unfortunate because of their similarities. Individually, the stories still have the same fun, bright magic and wholesome simplicity that captivated me in the previous titles. But taken together, they are a repetitive and somewhat disappointing bunch.
As with volume two, new characters take the lead in this collection. The cast in The Patchwork Girl of Oz is the most well rounded, having strong and distinct personalities with backstories that are developed early on to motivate them.
On the other hand, the companions in Tik-Tok of Oz and The Scarecrow of Oz are less varied. Betsy and Trot, the little heroines, are so similar to each other and Dorothy that they’re interchangeable. Both are dropped into their stories with little background*, have a companion who looks over them, and bear a spirit of curiosity and bravery. They’re dear girls, but Oz needs only one Dorothy.
The core cast of Oz make brief appearances in all three tales, and they’re not as vibrant as before. Here they’re plot devices, used to push the new characters forward, get into trouble, or save the day. Glinda and Ozma in particular serve only as safety nets in Oz. It is these safety nets that are the real issue with this volume.
After the characters face many dangers and obstacles in all three stories, easy answers to their problems are revealed at the last minute, and all is well. The endings are anticlimactic not only because these resolutions are sudden and tidy, but because they were available all along.
With magic-wand resolutions at the ready, Baum proves that there are no real stakes left in Oz. Each tale is just an adventure for adventure’s sake. While still fun and enjoyable reads, these stories have less substance than the previous books in the collection, and travelling along the yellow brick road is becoming less meaningful and a tad monotonous.
*I’m learning now that Trot was pulled from Baum’s less successful novel The Sea Fairies, which was first intended to be unrelated to Oz. This explains Baum’s letter preceding The Scarecrow of Oz, which otherwise had no context.
sraev19's review against another edition
3.0
The fourth volume of the Oz series includes Rinkitink in Oz, The Lost Princess of Oz, and The Tin Woodman of Oz, and this time around, the collection is a mixed bag.
The volume starts off strong with Rinkitink in Oz. Baum again takes readers to a new kingdom with new peoples and magics to tell the tale of three unlikely heroes. This story could very well stand on its own outside Oz—and perhaps would be better if it had.
The characters are lively and fun with brash attitudes, and the tropical setting is fresh and invigorating. The antagonists prove to be dangerous, and with Ozma, Dorothy, and co out of sight, there are real risks to the heroes. Now there’s meaning and substance.
That is, until Baum drags this story back to Oz, vilifies a previously good character for no reason, and clears everything up with an easy out.(There is literally a chapter called “Dorothy to the Rescue.”)
From there, the volume continues heading downward. While The Lost Princess of Oz is based on an intriguing concept, its execution is lacklustre. Suspending disbelief was difficult for this story, as disappearing the strongest magical items and people in Oz is no small feat, and the reveal of how it was done doesn’t feel consistent with the rules of Oz.
Last, The Tin Woodman of Oz has good intentions at its heart, but ironically, Nick Chopper has little heart here. Misogynist attitudes prevail in this story as the Tin Woodman seeks an old love he’d unintentionally abandoned years ago and assumes she’d be eagerly waiting for his return. I’m glad to say that Baum does give the woman more agency than that, but it’s not much, and Chopper’s outdated views are off-putting.
Throughout this volume and the previous ones, it’s clear that Baum can create fun magical worlds filled with interesting characters and page-turning action. However, Oz and Dorothy and friends are feeling a bit tired and overdone. I’m looking forward to reaching the end of the yellow brick road in the final volume.
The volume starts off strong with Rinkitink in Oz. Baum again takes readers to a new kingdom with new peoples and magics to tell the tale of three unlikely heroes. This story could very well stand on its own outside Oz—and perhaps would be better if it had.
The characters are lively and fun with brash attitudes, and the tropical setting is fresh and invigorating. The antagonists prove to be dangerous, and with Ozma, Dorothy, and co out of sight, there are real risks to the heroes. Now there’s meaning and substance.
That is, until Baum drags this story back to Oz, vilifies a previously good character for no reason, and clears everything up with an easy out.
From there, the volume continues heading downward. While The Lost Princess of Oz is based on an intriguing concept, its execution is lacklustre. Suspending disbelief was difficult for this story, as disappearing the strongest magical items and people in Oz is no small feat, and the reveal of how it was done doesn’t feel consistent with the rules of Oz.
Last, The Tin Woodman of Oz has good intentions at its heart, but ironically, Nick Chopper has little heart here. Misogynist attitudes prevail in this story as the Tin Woodman seeks an old love he’d unintentionally abandoned years ago and assumes she’d be eagerly waiting for his return. I’m glad to say that Baum does give the woman more agency than that, but it’s not much, and Chopper’s outdated views are off-putting.
Throughout this volume and the previous ones, it’s clear that Baum can create fun magical worlds filled with interesting characters and page-turning action. However, Oz and Dorothy and friends are feeling a bit tired and overdone. I’m looking forward to reaching the end of the yellow brick road in the final volume.
lillanaa's review against another edition
5.0
Same deal as most of my other reviews, three books three reviews in one!
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
This one's a classic for a reason, and it holds up to this day. The characters are so endearing, and it sends on such a good and positive note. This got me wanting to reread one of my favourite comics, and I'm so glad to have it in my collection! I love it so much, I know there's not much for me to say here but it's one of those ones that just makes my heart happy. The conflicts are there, but they're at the level of accomplishable with the tools at hand so nothing feels like a drawn out struggle, thankfully. Just an all around good book.
The Marvelous Land of Oz
This book follows the other one perfectly, giving backstory and context, and actual worldbuilding that I wasn't expecting. Tip makes for an interesting protagonist, and the cast of characters in this book almost rivals the first for how interesting it is. This is a direct leadup to the third, and made me genuine excited to read it, I never expected there to be this much here and there to be so many interesting parts to the world, but here we are. I've been endeared to this as a series, now, and I'm excited to see where it ends up.
Ozma of Oz
I'm not sure that this is my favourite in the series so far, but it was fun and cute! Bringing back the characters from both previous books, and adding a few new ones, this definitely feels like more of a succinct "adventure" than the others. There isn't really anything new being done, but that's not a bad thing, we're just getting another fun time. This definitely also felt much shorter than the others, but I won't say that's a bad thing either. Nothing felt like it was dragging, and it was a natural progression from the first two. Cute, fun, and one that actually felt like it had stakes here and there.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
This one's a classic for a reason, and it holds up to this day. The characters are so endearing, and it sends on such a good and positive note. This got me wanting to reread one of my favourite comics, and I'm so glad to have it in my collection! I love it so much, I know there's not much for me to say here but it's one of those ones that just makes my heart happy. The conflicts are there, but they're at the level of accomplishable with the tools at hand so nothing feels like a drawn out struggle, thankfully. Just an all around good book.
The Marvelous Land of Oz
This book follows the other one perfectly, giving backstory and context, and actual worldbuilding that I wasn't expecting. Tip makes for an interesting protagonist, and the cast of characters in this book almost rivals the first for how interesting it is. This is a direct leadup to the third, and made me genuine excited to read it, I never expected there to be this much here and there to be so many interesting parts to the world, but here we are. I've been endeared to this as a series, now, and I'm excited to see where it ends up.
Ozma of Oz
I'm not sure that this is my favourite in the series so far, but it was fun and cute! Bringing back the characters from both previous books, and adding a few new ones, this definitely feels like more of a succinct "adventure" than the others. There isn't really anything new being done, but that's not a bad thing, we're just getting another fun time. This definitely also felt much shorter than the others, but I won't say that's a bad thing either. Nothing felt like it was dragging, and it was a natural progression from the first two. Cute, fun, and one that actually felt like it had stakes here and there.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
4.0
Dorothy & the Wizard in Oz ★★★★☆
Loved this Oz adventure, mainly due to the appearance of the 9 tiny piglets which were not in enough scenes at all! Other parts I enjoyed were the silly vegetable people, the Dragonettes (I really hope I'll meet them again in future books) and the creepy invisible bears. Zeb seemed kind of unnecessary as he stayed very pale throughout the book. And I didn't like the stupid kitten of course because she kept wanting to eat the tiny piglets. Come to me mouse-sized, precious piggies and let me take care of you forever ♥
The Road to Oz ★★✯☆☆
This adventure was pretty boring, very similar to the previous book but with less fun characters. I didn't care for the Shaggy Man or Button-Bright (and we didn't even figure out where he came from even though Santa Clause knew!). I did like Polychrome but she didn't get much spotlight. The only fun thing was the cross-over from Santa Clause and his little helpers whom I've gotten to know in Baum's other book [b:The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus|715058|The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus|L. Frank Baum|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387732742s/715058.jpg|701311]. Oh, and my beloved piglets were mentioned briefly!
The Emerald City of Oz ★★★★☆
Much better than the previous book! This one had a serious threat with the attack of the Nome King and it explored lots of new places and people in Oz. My favourite was Utensia (a place full of living cutlery and tableware) and Bunbury (where everyone and everything is made of bread, pastry, cake etc.) because their citizens constantly talked in puns.
I didn't like how much of a plot hole the magic belt is. It can fulfill any wish, so why not just wish the attackers away from the get-go? Also, the end – in which Oz is sealed off from the outside completely – left a bad taste in my mouth. I get that they want to be safe and keep Oz a happy place but it feels mean and elitist to shut yourself off from other countries so completely.
Loved this Oz adventure, mainly due to the appearance of the 9 tiny piglets which were not in enough scenes at all! Other parts I enjoyed were the silly vegetable people, the Dragonettes (I really hope I'll meet them again in future books) and the creepy invisible bears. Zeb seemed kind of unnecessary as he stayed very pale throughout the book. And I didn't like the stupid kitten of course because she kept wanting to eat the tiny piglets. Come to me mouse-sized, precious piggies and let me take care of you forever ♥
The Road to Oz ★★✯☆☆
This adventure was pretty boring, very similar to the previous book but with less fun characters. I didn't care for the Shaggy Man or Button-Bright (and we didn't even figure out where he came from even though Santa Clause knew!). I did like Polychrome but she didn't get much spotlight. The only fun thing was the cross-over from Santa Clause and his little helpers whom I've gotten to know in Baum's other book [b:The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus|715058|The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus|L. Frank Baum|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387732742s/715058.jpg|701311]. Oh, and my beloved piglets were mentioned briefly!
The Emerald City of Oz ★★★★☆
Much better than the previous book! This one had a serious threat with the attack of the Nome King and it explored lots of new places and people in Oz. My favourite was Utensia (a place full of living cutlery and tableware) and Bunbury (where everyone and everything is made of bread, pastry, cake etc.) because their citizens constantly talked in puns.
I didn't like how much of a plot hole the magic belt is. It can fulfill any wish, so why not just wish the attackers away from the get-go? Also, the end – in which Oz is sealed off from the outside completely – left a bad taste in my mouth. I get that they want to be safe and keep Oz a happy place but it feels mean and elitist to shut yourself off from other countries so completely.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
4.0
The Wizard of Oz ★★★★☆
Übersprungen, Review hier
The Marvelous Land of Oz ★★★★☆
Sehr lustig, kindlich und kreativ. Man trifft die Vogelscheuche und den Blechmann wieder und lernt außerdem neue Charaktere kennen. Mein absoluter Favorit war das vorlaute Sawhorse (den Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug mochte ich weniger, aber seine Wortspiele waren äußerst unterhaltsam). Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich die ganze Sache mit der Frauen-Armee als sexistisch einstufen soll oder nicht. Einerseits haben sie keine Lust mehr zu kochen und zu arbeiten und starten deshalb eine Revolte, andererseits wollen sie lieber Edelsteine besitzen und sich schöne Kleider kaufen. Der Roman ist von 1904, also sind die Ansichten im Kontext verständlich, aber ich kann mich nicht entscheiden, ob die Darstellung eigentlich spielerische Kritik birgt oder deutliche Geschlechterbilder zeigt. Das Ende hat mich übrigens total überrascht und ich freue mich im nächsten Band den Fokus komplett auf Ozma zu haben.
Ozma of Oz ★★★★☆
Ich find's etwas seltsam, dass die titelgebende Ozma in dieser Geschichte eigentlich gar keine so große Rolle einnimmt, stattdessen taucht Dorothy wieder auf, die stellenweise unglaublich spießige Aussagen vom Stapel lässt. Huhn Billina fand ich da viel cooler. Wen ich wiederum etwas eklig fand, war die Prinzessin, die ihre Köpfe wechseln kann. Ansonsten war es wieder ein großartiges, kreatives Abenteuer, das mich wunderbar unterhalten hat. Und ich hätte auch gern solche Lunch- und Dinner-Bäume vor dem Haus!
Übersprungen, Review hier
The Marvelous Land of Oz ★★★★☆
Sehr lustig, kindlich und kreativ. Man trifft die Vogelscheuche und den Blechmann wieder und lernt außerdem neue Charaktere kennen. Mein absoluter Favorit war das vorlaute Sawhorse (den Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug mochte ich weniger, aber seine Wortspiele waren äußerst unterhaltsam). Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich die ganze Sache mit der Frauen-Armee als sexistisch einstufen soll oder nicht. Einerseits haben sie keine Lust mehr zu kochen und zu arbeiten und starten deshalb eine Revolte, andererseits wollen sie lieber Edelsteine besitzen und sich schöne Kleider kaufen. Der Roman ist von 1904, also sind die Ansichten im Kontext verständlich, aber ich kann mich nicht entscheiden, ob die Darstellung eigentlich spielerische Kritik birgt oder deutliche Geschlechterbilder zeigt. Das Ende hat mich übrigens total überrascht und ich freue mich im nächsten Band den Fokus komplett auf Ozma zu haben.
Ozma of Oz ★★★★☆
Ich find's etwas seltsam, dass die titelgebende Ozma in dieser Geschichte eigentlich gar keine so große Rolle einnimmt, stattdessen taucht Dorothy wieder auf, die stellenweise unglaublich spießige Aussagen vom Stapel lässt. Huhn Billina fand ich da viel cooler. Wen ich wiederum etwas eklig fand, war die Prinzessin, die ihre Köpfe wechseln kann. Ansonsten war es wieder ein großartiges, kreatives Abenteuer, das mich wunderbar unterhalten hat. Und ich hätte auch gern solche Lunch- und Dinner-Bäume vor dem Haus!
missbookiverse's review against another edition
3.0
The Patchwork Girl of Oz ★★★☆☆
War schön mal wieder nach Oz abzutauchen, da ist einfach alles immer so herrlich bunt und verquer. Ich mochte vor allem die arrogante Glaskatze ("Have you noticed my pink brains? You can see 'em work." xD), das Patchwork Girl aus dem Titel hätte aber irgendwie mehr in den Vordergrund treten können. Das Quest hat Spaß gemacht, war aber auch ziemlich leicht zu lösen und am Ende ratzfatz vorbei.
Tik-Tok of Oz ★★☆☆☆
Diese Geschichte fand ich eher unspektakulär, was wahrscheinlich an der Zusammenstellung der Gefährten lag, v.a. Shaggy Man kann ich einfach nichts abgewinnen (und dann auch noch mit seinem Love Magnet, der bewirkt, dass jeder ihn toll findet, urgh) und ich wünschte, es wäre mehr um Titelfigur Tik-Tok gegangen, den mag ich nämlich viel lieber. Insgesamt scheint sich das Oz-Universum jetzt langsam zu erschöpfen... ich hoffe, das ändert sich in Zukunft auch wieder.
The Scarecrow of Oz ★★★☆☆
Dieses Abenteuer fand ich wieder besser, weil es viele Elemente beinhaltet, die mich ansprechen, so was wie die unterirdische Welt vom Anfang, das Land of Mo mit seinem Popcornschnee und Limonaderegen, das Herz aus Eis und die Höhle hinterm Wasserfall am Ende. Die Lösung des Konflikts ist wieder hochgradig konstruiert, aber da erwarte ich von den Büchern auch nicht viel mehr.
War schön mal wieder nach Oz abzutauchen, da ist einfach alles immer so herrlich bunt und verquer. Ich mochte vor allem die arrogante Glaskatze ("Have you noticed my pink brains? You can see 'em work." xD), das Patchwork Girl aus dem Titel hätte aber irgendwie mehr in den Vordergrund treten können. Das Quest hat Spaß gemacht, war aber auch ziemlich leicht zu lösen und am Ende ratzfatz vorbei.
Tik-Tok of Oz ★★☆☆☆
Diese Geschichte fand ich eher unspektakulär, was wahrscheinlich an der Zusammenstellung der Gefährten lag, v.a. Shaggy Man kann ich einfach nichts abgewinnen (und dann auch noch mit seinem Love Magnet, der bewirkt, dass jeder ihn toll findet, urgh) und ich wünschte, es wäre mehr um Titelfigur Tik-Tok gegangen, den mag ich nämlich viel lieber. Insgesamt scheint sich das Oz-Universum jetzt langsam zu erschöpfen... ich hoffe, das ändert sich in Zukunft auch wieder.
The Scarecrow of Oz ★★★☆☆
Dieses Abenteuer fand ich wieder besser, weil es viele Elemente beinhaltet, die mich ansprechen, so was wie die unterirdische Welt vom Anfang, das Land of Mo mit seinem Popcornschnee und Limonaderegen, das Herz aus Eis und die Höhle hinterm Wasserfall am Ende. Die Lösung des Konflikts ist wieder hochgradig konstruiert, aber da erwarte ich von den Büchern auch nicht viel mehr.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
3.0
Rinkitink in Oz ★★☆☆☆
Nicht mein Fall. Ich mochte Rinkitink nicht und seine ständigen Lieder sind mir auf den Keks gegangen. Außerdem geht es schon wieder ins Land des Nome Kings und am Ende rettet Dorothy deus ex machina Style alle. Hoffe, die nächsten werden wieder besser.
The Lost Princess of Oz ★★★☆☆
Ist ein bisschen langsam, aber gegen Mitte/Ende nimmt es an Fahrt auf und macht Spaß. Ich mochte vor allem die bunten Bären und ich muss immer wieder über die moralischen, alles andere als subtilen, Zurechtweisungen lachen.
The Tin Woodman of Oz ★★★★☆
Endlich mal wieder ein richtig gutes Oz-Abenteuer! Es geht zurück zur Entstehungsgeschichte des blechernen Holzfällers und driftet richtig ins Horror-Genre a la Frankenstein ab! Ziemlich makaber und cool. Auch die Weisheiten über Beziehungen zwischen Männern und Frauen waren höchst amüsant und fortschrittlicher als sonst. Außerdem mochte ich die Begegnungen mit den verschiedenen Kreaturen wie den Ballonmenschen, den Drachen, der Hippogyraf und dem Schweine-Ehepaar (die Eltern der 9 Schweinchen des Zauberers!). Herrlich. Ich hoffe die letzten 3 Geschichten werden mehr wie diese hier.
Nicht mein Fall. Ich mochte Rinkitink nicht und seine ständigen Lieder sind mir auf den Keks gegangen. Außerdem geht es schon wieder ins Land des Nome Kings und am Ende rettet Dorothy deus ex machina Style alle. Hoffe, die nächsten werden wieder besser.
The Lost Princess of Oz ★★★☆☆
Ist ein bisschen langsam, aber gegen Mitte/Ende nimmt es an Fahrt auf und macht Spaß. Ich mochte vor allem die bunten Bären und ich muss immer wieder über die moralischen, alles andere als subtilen, Zurechtweisungen lachen.
The Tin Woodman of Oz ★★★★☆
Endlich mal wieder ein richtig gutes Oz-Abenteuer! Es geht zurück zur Entstehungsgeschichte des blechernen Holzfällers und driftet richtig ins Horror-Genre a la Frankenstein ab! Ziemlich makaber und cool. Auch die Weisheiten über Beziehungen zwischen Männern und Frauen waren höchst amüsant und fortschrittlicher als sonst. Außerdem mochte ich die Begegnungen mit den verschiedenen Kreaturen wie den Ballonmenschen, den Drachen, der Hippogyraf und dem Schweine-Ehepaar (die Eltern der 9 Schweinchen des Zauberers!). Herrlich. Ich hoffe die letzten 3 Geschichten werden mehr wie diese hier.