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mnmeg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I don't want it to end. I am definitely going to start back at the beginning of this series and read them again. Well written, fun to listen to, it's a great invitation to another land.
agentpoptart's review against another edition
5.0
Though a bit long winded at points, Out of OZ is a worthy and satisfying conclusion to the series.
poppunkfoxes's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful end to a story I've kept unfinished since I was 12
jholloed's review against another edition
2.0
So, so slow.
The story skips around, and ramdomly jumps ahead without a great transition. Ending fairly unsatisfying. I was expecting more out of the last 50 pages then it was able to give...posed questions that should have been wrapped up at that point.
I only read it to finish the series...I think I would have been happier if I had stuck to just reading the first one (still by far my favorite).
The story skips around, and ramdomly jumps ahead without a great transition. Ending fairly unsatisfying. I was expecting more out of the last 50 pages then it was able to give...posed questions that should have been wrapped up at that point.
I only read it to finish the series...I think I would have been happier if I had stuck to just reading the first one (still by far my favorite).
emmanovella's review against another edition
5.0
Did I skim read this in order to finish it in 2018. Yup. Do I wish I'd started it earlier and just taken my time.. YUP.
I truly enjoy Maguire's writing. I don't know what it is about it but I just get sucked in. Yes, it can be confusing and complex. Yes, it often feels like characters are on endless ambles around Oz with barely any action... but something about that just appeals to me. Maybe it's because it's Oz, I don't know. I'll find out when I pick up one of his non-oz works.
I really enjoyed reading the Wicked Years books and I felt they all added to the original Wicked story without feeling like they were trying to cling to something that was dead and gone. I think any more than the four books we have would have been too much, mind you. But I love the way this book wraps up all the previous ones. It made it feel like a series again, having characters from previous books and events etc referenced or appear.
Maybe it's because I don't read High Fantasy (or any fantasy, really) that I enjoy this as it seems to be the well read fantasy lovers that dislike this, or maybe I'm just bias and just really wanted to like this since Maguire is the reason the (albeit very adapted) musical exists but it is what it is.
I truly enjoy Maguire's writing. I don't know what it is about it but I just get sucked in. Yes, it can be confusing and complex. Yes, it often feels like characters are on endless ambles around Oz with barely any action... but something about that just appeals to me. Maybe it's because it's Oz, I don't know. I'll find out when I pick up one of his non-oz works.
I really enjoyed reading the Wicked Years books and I felt they all added to the original Wicked story without feeling like they were trying to cling to something that was dead and gone. I think any more than the four books we have would have been too much, mind you. But I love the way this book wraps up all the previous ones. It made it feel like a series again, having characters from previous books and events etc referenced or appear.
Maybe it's because I don't read High Fantasy (or any fantasy, really) that I enjoy this as it seems to be the well read fantasy lovers that dislike this, or maybe I'm just bias and just really wanted to like this since Maguire is the reason the (albeit very adapted) musical exists but it is what it is.
arundlestl's review against another edition
3.0
I was fortunate enough to meet the author recently and I asked him if his own childhood was awful, much like all of the characters in these books. His mother died and he was raised by his stepmother, which may help explain why mothers are so absent. Also, it's common knowledge that Gregory Maguire is gay. This series has a mix of straight, gay, bisexual and asexual characters. But I'm concerned that anti-gay right-wing people may say that the lack of good parenting is a contributing factor to "choosing to be gay".
Having said that, I must say that I truly love the characters in this series. I was sad that this was the final book, and took my time with it.
Having said that, I must say that I truly love the characters in this series. I was sad that this was the final book, and took my time with it.
slr242's review against another edition
1.0
I kept hoping it would get better... and it didn't. I was very disappointed and wish I hadn't wasted my time. Oh well.
situationnormal's review against another edition
5.0
I was enjoying this book way more than any of the other books in this series at first, but by the middle I was a little jaded with Rain's relationship with Tip, and a little too frustrated with her relationship with Liir (or lack thereof) and started to like it slightly less. Overall, I think if parts of it had been more from Liir's perspective it would've been even better for me than Son Of A Witch. But I'm too biased.
This book is well-written, tongue-in-cheek, and poignant, and the characters are so frustratingly dimensional that they make you hate and love them at once. I think my main complaint, maybe my only real complaint, is that it's almost impossible for me to fully connect with any of them. Even though the third person point of view is so well-written the characters' voices come out even in the syntax, it makes it very difficult to get as close as I'd like. Sure, Elphaba and Rain are mysterious characters who never fully connect with those around them, but even characters like Glinda are mysteries by the end of the book. On one hand, it simulates real life, on the other it makes for a frustrating reading experience that makes you feel like you can't leave the book completely satisfied.
That said, I loved every character. Even Brrr who bored me out of my mind throughout his book in the series, redeemed himself in this one with his love of Rain. I felt invested in all of them (well, maybe except Candle, but...) and was genuinely upset when one of them would get hurt, or be disappointed. I just wish the end of the book had centered more on each of the previous characters in the series, since they never got real endings in their own books, instead of fully circling around Rain--whose ending, which wasn't wrapped up with a pretty bow, either, was still in line with her character and very satisfying for me. I wish the same could be said for Liir, especially, because he was by far my favorite and the the ending to his storyline left me feeling sad and frustrated and disappointed. A small demerit for a book I enjoyed so much.
This book is well-written, tongue-in-cheek, and poignant, and the characters are so frustratingly dimensional that they make you hate and love them at once. I think my main complaint, maybe my only real complaint, is that it's almost impossible for me to fully connect with any of them. Even though the third person point of view is so well-written the characters' voices come out even in the syntax, it makes it very difficult to get as close as I'd like. Sure, Elphaba and Rain are mysterious characters who never fully connect with those around them, but even characters like Glinda are mysteries by the end of the book. On one hand, it simulates real life, on the other it makes for a frustrating reading experience that makes you feel like you can't leave the book completely satisfied.
That said, I loved every character. Even Brrr who bored me out of my mind throughout his book in the series, redeemed himself in this one with his love of Rain. I felt invested in all of them (well, maybe except Candle, but...) and was genuinely upset when one of them would get hurt, or be disappointed. I just wish the end of the book had centered more on each of the previous characters in the series, since they never got real endings in their own books, instead of fully circling around Rain--whose ending, which wasn't wrapped up with a pretty bow, either, was still in line with her character and very satisfying for me. I wish the same could be said for Liir, especially, because he was by far my favorite and the the ending to his storyline left me feeling sad and frustrated and disappointed. A small demerit for a book I enjoyed so much.
glindaaa's review against another edition
3.0
This book was horrible, interesting, boring and laughable at once. Like I said in the first what is it: three reviews.
I think that Maguire write about conversations or settings that are not really necessary. Of course sometimes it can be a bit long but not everything has to be in there and make this a book about 580 pages that took me forever to finish it. This is the longest I did with a book this year. Three weeks if I'm right and of course also because of finals but also because Maguire his writing is not my style.
The first part of Glinda I found absolutely boring. Of course it was necessary but because of the writing style I didn't like it. However in this book you don't know if you can skip anything so I didn't. After Glinda came Brrr, someone I hated thanks to a Lion Among Men. He was alright in this book but not yay, I still don't like his parts of the story.
The best parts were Rain and Liir. Liir I've favored forever since Son of a Witch. As if it's easy for Maguire to make his parts (and Rain now too) interesting while the rest seems to fail?!
One thing that Maguire is really good at is using old things. Like Avaric. Chistery, Nanny. Dorothy got back. I found lyrics parts. For example he had written down: Defying Grafity.
Or the Serpent told Rain that he had degreenify her. (The Wizard and I)
Those things are very nice and I like that he is able to do that so smooth but it's nothing compared with the rest. I hoped this story would be great since it got the most stars from all four. My favorite would be Son of a Witch. I think that if I will reread this series ever again because I know I will, it will only be the first two parts. I think you should just to that only. Especially a Lion among Men was horrible.
I'm reading The Wizard of Oz now and I'm afraid I'm not going to like it very much because of Dorothy. Maguire makes her a bit laughable, he makes her a joke. Dorothy is a very annoying, childish, selfish, stupid girl in the Wicked series. Especially in Out of Oz. I would be glad to get ride of her.
Oh en by the way the thing with Tip. First of all I thought as such a young child you cannot talk about a relationship that way but apparently you can according to Maguire but than what he turned out to be. My god I was so dissapointed about it. Not cool.
I think that Maguire write about conversations or settings that are not really necessary. Of course sometimes it can be a bit long but not everything has to be in there and make this a book about 580 pages that took me forever to finish it. This is the longest I did with a book this year. Three weeks if I'm right and of course also because of finals but also because Maguire his writing is not my style.
The first part of Glinda I found absolutely boring. Of course it was necessary but because of the writing style I didn't like it. However in this book you don't know if you can skip anything so I didn't. After Glinda came Brrr, someone I hated thanks to a Lion Among Men. He was alright in this book but not yay, I still don't like his parts of the story.
The best parts were Rain and Liir. Liir I've favored forever since Son of a Witch. As if it's easy for Maguire to make his parts (and Rain now too) interesting while the rest seems to fail?!
One thing that Maguire is really good at is using old things. Like Avaric. Chistery, Nanny. Dorothy got back. I found lyrics parts. For example he had written down: Defying Grafity.
Or the Serpent told Rain that he had degreenify her. (The Wizard and I)
Those things are very nice and I like that he is able to do that so smooth but it's nothing compared with the rest. I hoped this story would be great since it got the most stars from all four. My favorite would be Son of a Witch. I think that if I will reread this series ever again because I know I will, it will only be the first two parts. I think you should just to that only. Especially a Lion among Men was horrible.
I'm reading The Wizard of Oz now and I'm afraid I'm not going to like it very much because of Dorothy. Maguire makes her a bit laughable, he makes her a joke. Dorothy is a very annoying, childish, selfish, stupid girl in the Wicked series. Especially in Out of Oz. I would be glad to get ride of her.
Oh en by the way the thing with Tip. First of all I thought as such a young child you cannot talk about a relationship that way but apparently you can according to Maguire but than what he turned out to be. My god I was so dissapointed about it. Not cool.