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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
challenging
mysterious
sad
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This book was ok but I didn't really overly enjoy it. The musical is so much better! Also a bunch more people die in this book than in the musical and it was a bit of a shock cause I was like huh, you're not supposed to die
Soooooooo weird! I thought it was going to be interesting to get the story behind the Wicked Witch of the West but I just could never get over the fact about how weird and creepy the whole thing was.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
👎🤮🧙♀️
This might be the worse book I've ever read. The musical is nothing like the book. There are sexual scenes, including minor, that make me despise the author. His writing style is choppy, confusing, and uninspired. Do not recommend this book. Instagram had a 3 minute cut off or else I could have gone on about how bad this book is and how very different the musical is.
This might be the worse book I've ever read. The musical is nothing like the book. There are sexual scenes, including minor, that make me despise the author. His writing style is choppy, confusing, and uninspired. Do not recommend this book. Instagram had a 3 minute cut off or else I could have gone on about how bad this book is and how very different the musical is.
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
'Sir,' she said, 'I think you are a very bad wizard.'
'And you,' he answered, stung, 'are only a caricature of a witch.'
This book is definitely pretty insane but I did know what I was getting into before.
Now I think this is a great story. And I admire the idea to give the "Wicked witch" a voice in this way and using Oz to tell a story about dictatorship, oppression, religion, good vs. evil and resistance from brave people like Elphaba. I loved the look into her thoughts, the way she stayed strong in her morals but also had to deal with disappointment because of it and struggled with herself so much. In the craziness there were so many passages that I found super profound, relevant and often sad.
I also think dialogue was written very entertaining and witty. Elphie talking to people in her cynical but logical way was amazing, didn't matter who she talked to.
While I wouldn't necessarily disapprove of everything grotesque in books and I welcomed some of it - I still found a number of passages problematic. Misogynistic, ableist at times and also unnecessary. Weird because you'd think a political book like this would also reject SA or the sexualisation of women for example instead of upholding it but oh well that's where men draw the line I guess.
I definitely wouldn't look at this and think let's make this material into a kid-friendly musical but I'm very glad someone did. You just can't rly try to look at the book in the same way although I had fun finding connections between the two while reading.
Galinda felt totally different to me which surprised me. Imo she was made much more likeable for the musical (because she also plays a much bigger role in it I guess). In the musical she does also conform to the system for her own benefit but she seems to have the strong will to be "good" and she grows and regrets. Which I honestly didn't find in the book.. probably why I liked her less. Fitting tho, most characters were written more pessimistic in this way, as the whole book is a lot darker ofc. Elphie and her's relationship was still as captivating and heartbreaking as you'd know it tho.
All in all I'd say if you already like and are interested in the whole universe of Oz (but aren't too attached to a childhood fairytale of it haha) definitely read this. I'll probably re-read at least once at some point.
I see myself there: the girl witness, wide-eyed as Dorothy. Staring at a world too horrible to comprehend, believing - by dint of ignorance and innocence - [...] that we may not always be tormented by our shame. Neither Dorothy nor young Elphaba can speak of this, but belief of it is in both our faces...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I knew the book was nothing like the musical but I did not know the book would be so laborious to read, so dull and so unpleasant. I would much rather read horror than this overtly political tome. There is no subtlety anywhere in this book. I gave it two stars for originality but I do not recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content