adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted 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
seattlefraggle's profile picture

seattlefraggle's review

5.0

Most people are unaware that Frank Baum published 13 other books about the world of Oz, besides his most famous book The Wizard of Oz. As a lifelong Baum fan, I was surprised, reading it now to recognize how radically feminist and transgender “friendly” the book is- especially for 1904! In one scene a castle is stormed by women, and the queen of Oz is trapped in a boy’s body. In fact, most of the Oz series emphasizes strong female leaders.
liquidopal's profile picture

liquidopal's review

3.0

I borrowed this book from the library because my inner child's imagination needed a good shake. When I read/re-read books like these, I remember the magic I used to feel.

Although I haven't read all of this books, I'm sure this is not one of this best. I found some of the non-human characters to be a bit childish and uncomfortable with the constant prattle about hearts, brains, and pumpkins spoiling. I found the social implications of women seizing power to be a bit uncomfortable.

However, I always appreciate the underlying message about uniqueness being a desirable and treasured trait. I can't remember the actual quote word for word, but the general message is that someone who is normal is not worth remembering.

That's a message I can relate to.