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markcdickson's review against another edition
3.0
The weakest book in the series so far. Other than the weirdly facist enforcement of banning people from practicing magic (other than Ozma’s select group of friends), there’s not a lot of note that happens in this one. It was still a solid time, but it lacked the imagination and whimsy that previous books have had.
billyraymcevoy's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
clockless's review against another edition
4.0
Baum continues with the momentum he built in the Emerald City of Oz writing possibly the best book in the series thus far, which is unfortunately marred by the ending. Still, very few of the endings of these books have been decent, so it's getting hard to keep deducting points rather than simply ignoring it.
I don't have much to say about the book beyond that, it was fairly typical Oz even though it is much improved, but, seriously, what did Baum have against music?
Spoiler
deus ex machinaI don't have much to say about the book beyond that, it was fairly typical Oz even though it is much improved, but, seriously, what did Baum have against music?
Spoiler
First there's the Musicker getting snubbed and pitied in Road to Oz (I believe), and now Vic the phonograph being hated and abused here? Music may be annoying at times, but he's treating it like it's leprosy. A little bizarre for someone who clearly enjoyed a little poetry, which is the real leper of the performing arts. No?proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
4.0
Many adventures with both new and old characters in the land of Oz! For the first time I've been listening to a book in this series, and it was quite fun. I really enjoy going back to Oz now and then, even as an adult!
elenamarmiroli's review against another edition
funny
sad
medium-paced
2.75
Credo che la parte migliore di questo libro sia stata la parte iniziale dell'opera ambientata a casa del mago, seguita da il rivedere i personaggi dei volumi precedenti della saga.
Per il resto, ho trovato l'opera non particolarmente coinvolgente, in quanto tende ad essere ripetitiva come a struttura rispetto ai volumi precedenti e anche rispetto a sé stessa, con un set di personaggi principali meno gradevoli, soprattutto il gatto di vetro.
Per il resto, ho trovato l'opera non particolarmente coinvolgente, in quanto tende ad essere ripetitiva come a struttura rispetto ai volumi precedenti e anche rispetto a sé stessa, con un set di personaggi principali meno gradevoli, soprattutto il gatto di vetro.
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
After 'Ozma of Oz' L. Frank Baum decided to telegraph it in. Big time. The books became a parade of nonsensical events with little of any importance happening to the characters other than walking through curious places, with no sense of wonder or danger, and when a real threat or problem emerges, such as in 'The Emerald City of Oz', book 6 and the first one since 'Ozma' to show a bit of life it gets solved lickity-split with boring magic.
You read that correctly. Baum makes magic boring.
Still, I push on, and 'The Patchwork Girl of Oz' features none other than a young Munchkin boy with a genuine problem and the need to go on a specific journey to get specific items to solve that problem. It's incredible how this book has the bare minimum of plot necessities! My standards must have become just that low, because it was relief to read an Oz book that wasn't awful. Until the end.
I'll let you connect the dots and guess what happens at the end of this installment, or let you experience it for yourself. I must add that it is really strange how Baum seems to hate music. One of the ancillary characters is a walking, talking Victrola and it is essentially threatened with hot death until it leaves our merry band of adventurers alone. There was a similar character in one of the previous books that literally lived and breathed music and the characters shat all over him, too. What gives with the hate Baum? What gives?
'The Patchwork Girl' gives me hope for Oz, but I'm still waiting on a follow up to the first three.
Oz
Next: 'Tik-Tok of Oz'
Previous: 'The Emerald City of Oz'
You read that correctly. Baum makes magic boring.
Still, I push on, and 'The Patchwork Girl of Oz' features none other than a young Munchkin boy with a genuine problem and the need to go on a specific journey to get specific items to solve that problem. It's incredible how this book has the bare minimum of plot necessities! My standards must have become just that low, because it was relief to read an Oz book that wasn't awful. Until the end.
I'll let you connect the dots and guess what happens at the end of this installment, or let you experience it for yourself. I must add that it is really strange how Baum seems to hate music. One of the ancillary characters is a walking, talking Victrola and it is essentially threatened with hot death until it leaves our merry band of adventurers alone. There was a similar character in one of the previous books that literally lived and breathed music and the characters shat all over him, too. What gives with the hate Baum? What gives?
'The Patchwork Girl' gives me hope for Oz, but I'm still waiting on a follow up to the first three.
Oz
Next: 'Tik-Tok of Oz'
Previous: 'The Emerald City of Oz'
romankurys's review against another edition
4.0
Another installment in the magical land of Oz has come to an end and I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed this adventure pretty much the same as I have all the previous ones.
Yes, it is very simple.
Yes, it follows the same formula that made the original successful.
Yes, I don’t care. It was fun to read nonetheless.
Characters: 4
This is the main attraction of Oz adventures to me. I am expecting a travelogue, since that is just what it is, but what never ceases to amaze me is Baum’s ability to create whacky characters who are too ridiculous to be thought of as characters in just about any other piece of fiction on earth.
I mean think about it:
A talking gramophone not good enough? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone. Not good enough still? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone that everyone in the story hates!
Oh also there is a sort of a girl made from sawn together pieces of quilt (all multicolored like a gleeman’s cloak in R.Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series. Not sure why this is the association that i get.)
And oh, lets not forget a dog of sorts, made from stacked up rectangles who speaks, has exactly 3 hairs which are impossible to pull out on its rectangle tail, thinks it has the most fearsome howl and shoots fire from its eyes.
I mean...this is either someone high on some illegal substance, or someone with imagination that acts the same way as it the person was high on some illegal substance.
I don’t even know who the main characters are and I really don’t care.
Oh almost forgot!!! Horners and Hammerheads??? Fantastic. Simply fantastic.
Plot: 3
Basic but steady. Much the same like in all the other Oz stories. There is not much to really say. If you have read all the previous Oz books, (and I imagine pretty much just about everyone would not be starting a series on #7) you know exactly what to expect from a plot. Although I did think that the ending was a bit rushed. It felt like Baum just kept going on and and and on and thought, oh wait, I kind of need to wrap this up. And BAM.
Setting: 4
I really enjoyed the setting in this books also. In truth, this rating is a bit inflated. I did not exactly enjoy this specific book setting enough to warrant 4 stars. I gave 4 stars to the overall Land of Oz. The build up and familiarity at this point are innate. I know what country is where, I know who lives where, I know some of the characters mentioned here and there, which makes me feel immersed in the land faster and faster. I imagine this is why Baum was getting requests to write more books after he wanted to wrap up the entire series. The story at this point would need to be really bad for me to not like it, so there goes the unfair 4 stars.
Overall, if you are this deep in the series, keep reading. Might as well wrap it up.
I know I will surely be coming back to Baum’s OZ in the near future. Plus probably delve into some of the retelling as well.
Roman “Ragnar”
Yes, it is very simple.
Yes, it follows the same formula that made the original successful.
Yes, I don’t care. It was fun to read nonetheless.
Characters: 4
This is the main attraction of Oz adventures to me. I am expecting a travelogue, since that is just what it is, but what never ceases to amaze me is Baum’s ability to create whacky characters who are too ridiculous to be thought of as characters in just about any other piece of fiction on earth.
I mean think about it:
A talking gramophone not good enough? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone. Not good enough still? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone that everyone in the story hates!
Oh also there is a sort of a girl made from sawn together pieces of quilt (all multicolored like a gleeman’s cloak in R.Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series. Not sure why this is the association that i get.)
And oh, lets not forget a dog of sorts, made from stacked up rectangles who speaks, has exactly 3 hairs which are impossible to pull out on its rectangle tail, thinks it has the most fearsome howl and shoots fire from its eyes.
I mean...this is either someone high on some illegal substance, or someone with imagination that acts the same way as it the person was high on some illegal substance.
I don’t even know who the main characters are and I really don’t care.
Oh almost forgot!!! Horners and Hammerheads??? Fantastic. Simply fantastic.
Plot: 3
Basic but steady. Much the same like in all the other Oz stories. There is not much to really say. If you have read all the previous Oz books, (and I imagine pretty much just about everyone would not be starting a series on #7) you know exactly what to expect from a plot. Although I did think that the ending was a bit rushed. It felt like Baum just kept going on and and and on and thought, oh wait, I kind of need to wrap this up. And BAM.
Setting: 4
I really enjoyed the setting in this books also. In truth, this rating is a bit inflated. I did not exactly enjoy this specific book setting enough to warrant 4 stars. I gave 4 stars to the overall Land of Oz. The build up and familiarity at this point are innate. I know what country is where, I know who lives where, I know some of the characters mentioned here and there, which makes me feel immersed in the land faster and faster. I imagine this is why Baum was getting requests to write more books after he wanted to wrap up the entire series. The story at this point would need to be really bad for me to not like it, so there goes the unfair 4 stars.
Overall, if you are this deep in the series, keep reading. Might as well wrap it up.
I know I will surely be coming back to Baum’s OZ in the near future. Plus probably delve into some of the retelling as well.
Roman “Ragnar”
katekat's review against another edition
5.0
L. Frank Baum is an author I have read many times since I first discovered him in second grade. I find that his books stand up to the test of time and they are books that I enjoy re-reading. Some of them are stronger than others but as a whole I quite enjoy both the stories and characters.
library_brandy's review against another edition
5.0
Julian and I loved this one: partly the Road Trip that Baum does so well, but with interesting creatures, challenges, and villages, plus plenty of humor and good sense.
Julian was beaming and shouting "yaaaay!!" as I read the final words of the last chapter, but as soon as I hit "the end" his face crumbled and he burst into tears. "I don't want this one to be done! This one is my favorite Oz book!"
We've already ordered him his own copy of this one. :)
Julian was beaming and shouting "yaaaay!!" as I read the final words of the last chapter, but as soon as I hit "the end" his face crumbled and he burst into tears. "I don't want this one to be done! This one is my favorite Oz book!"
We've already ordered him his own copy of this one. :)