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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Such a quirky story. I'm not quite sure what else to say about it. I am a big fan of the original Wizard of Oz movie so I would like to slowly work my way through Baum's book series.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved the wide variety of examples of female leadership. Very fun and very ozian situations/characters!
NB I didn't read this particular edition; the one that I read was part of a complete ebook omnibus and wasn't very good quality.
This is book 2 in the Oz series. Already being familiar with books 1 & 3, I was keen to finally read the missing piece. However, I would say it is much weaker than both its predecessor and sequel. While all three books are about a character going on a journey and collecting new friends along the way, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz and Ozma of Oz are QUESTS. Whereas The Marvellous Land Of Oz has almost no plot at all and involves the characters simply marching back and forth from the Emerald City a wearying number of times. I didn't find the new characters to be terribly memorable while the returning characters are really rude and mean all the time. I can't remember if that is how they behave in the other books, probably, but it was often quite shocking how much everyone seems to hate each other. However it is all played for laughs, and Baum is always entertaining.
This is book 2 in the Oz series. Already being familiar with books 1 & 3, I was keen to finally read the missing piece. However, I would say it is much weaker than both its predecessor and sequel. While all three books are about a character going on a journey and collecting new friends along the way, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz and Ozma of Oz are QUESTS. Whereas The Marvellous Land Of Oz has almost no plot at all and involves the characters simply marching back and forth from the Emerald City a wearying number of times. I didn't find the new characters to be terribly memorable while the returning characters are really rude and mean all the time. I can't remember if that is how they behave in the other books, probably, but it was often quite shocking how much everyone seems to hate each other. However it is all played for laughs, and Baum is always entertaining.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I laugh more with each new book in the Oz series. I was surprised at how superficial and vain the tin woodman (or Nick Chopper, as the scarecrow calls him) is in this book. I was very amused by how often Jack the pumpkin-head is berated and called stupid. The way of writing back then is hilarious to me!
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Kids book, but I found it interesting to read follow on Wizard of Oz stories. I did not know that there is a "universe" of Oz stories.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While I enjoyed the odd characters in this book--who could not enjoy a talking, tottering sawhorse and an oversized Woggle Bug!--I found the plot meandering and difficult to get through. There's also a lot of gendered insults of the girls who are occupying Oz, which are much more difficult for me to see past as an adult than they were as a child when I originally read this series.
I still kind of want to finish the series this year just to see what other characters L. Frank Baum comes up with; his imaginative lands and the characters that fill them are not like any other children's books I can think of. Unfortunately, the descriptions of these worlds often lead to a lack of an interesting plot. We'll see what #3 is like.
I still kind of want to finish the series this year just to see what other characters L. Frank Baum comes up with; his imaginative lands and the characters that fill them are not like any other children's books I can think of. Unfortunately, the descriptions of these worlds often lead to a lack of an interesting plot. We'll see what #3 is like.