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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Better than the last two, still not quite there.
Starting the book with two characters I didn't know really threw me off at first the characters were likable and I was interested in their fate.
But I've enjoyed the adventures this time, especially the beginning, but I'm so bored by all the characters (minus the villains) being all good and extra polite and kind. I need some spice.
Starting the book with two characters I didn't know really threw me off at first the characters were likable and I was interested in their fate.
But I've enjoyed the adventures this time, especially the beginning, but I'm so bored by all the characters (minus the villains) being all good and extra polite and kind. I need some spice.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It seems like Baum was introducing new protagonists just for the sake of it at this point, although in this case they're actually from some non-Oz books he wrote. Still, these ones aren't bad and this book adds a bit more onto the world of Oz, which is good.
This was a very solid Oz book without anything that made it particularly annoying but not really doing anything unique or out there. I definitely skimmed the second half of it more than seriously rereading. This has all the classic Oz elements: some old favorite characters but also a new cast of wacky individuals, ozians totally failing at rescue missions, Glinda being the shadow government of Oz, mild continuity errors, ending with a big party... But it doesn't feel stale or rehashed.
Yesss there are still good books so late in this series.
The number of new characters is thankfully going down and I was glad to have the scene where everyone gathers in Oz at the end shrunk down to a couple of pages.
There was more silliness and charm in this book that’s been missing from the last two and I hope that continues going onwards.
The number of new characters is thankfully going down and I was glad to have the scene where everyone gathers in Oz at the end shrunk down to a couple of pages.
There was more silliness and charm in this book that’s been missing from the last two and I hope that continues going onwards.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-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
Life is hard when you're a writer chock-full of creative ideas but the whiny jerks whose parents buy your books only want more of the same. 'Scarecrow of Oz' starts off with a jolt with main characters Trot and Cap'n Bill just existing with barely a sketch of an introduction - Betsy Bobbin at least gave her mule some exposition about their homeless plight in 'Tik-Tok of Oz' - but there is a sense that Baum expected readers to know who these two were, especially when it turns out they'd had adventures with Button Bright in the past. Of course they did. Another review points out that those books are 'The Sea Fairies' and 'Sky Island'.
Much like 'The Road to Oz' this book was supposed to lure children into reading Baum's non-Oz books, but this time he spent a little more effort on the plot. Cap'n Bill and Trot are drawn into a whirlpool and trapped underground, only the appearance of a Ork allows them to escape the caverns. They don't come out in the mundane world, however.
It turns out that to the South and a turn from Quadling Country is a great mountain range that cuts off one of Ozma's client-states from the rest of Oz. This isolation has allowed that kingdom to continue in a state of disharmony that makes a story interesting. A wicked king rules the land, he had taken the throne from a mean king who had taken the throne from a nice king. His niece, daughter of nice king, has fallen in love with the gardener's boy, son of mean king, and refuses to marry a rich courtier. The wicked king resorts to wicked magic to get his way - inspiring Trot and Cap'n Bill to help out in any way they can. Can they help the lovers and defeat the wicked king?
Already a lot more is going on then in several of the previous books, and though the inevitable help from the Scarecrow arrives, a great deal of the resolution comes from Trot, Cap'n Bill and the Ork's relationship and actions. If only they didn't have to go back to Oz to stay at the end. Trot and Cap'n Bill don't appear to worry about Trot's mother. And Button Bright's parents are...?
Oz
Next: 'Rinkitink in Oz'
Previous: 'Tik-Tok of Oz'
Much like 'The Road to Oz' this book was supposed to lure children into reading Baum's non-Oz books, but this time he spent a little more effort on the plot. Cap'n Bill and Trot are drawn into a whirlpool and trapped underground, only the appearance of a Ork allows them to escape the caverns. They don't come out in the mundane world, however.
It turns out that to the South and a turn from Quadling Country is a great mountain range that cuts off one of Ozma's client-states from the rest of Oz. This isolation has allowed that kingdom to continue in a state of disharmony that makes a story interesting. A wicked king rules the land, he had taken the throne from a mean king who had taken the throne from a nice king. His niece, daughter of nice king, has fallen in love with the gardener's boy, son of mean king, and refuses to marry a rich courtier. The wicked king resorts to wicked magic to get his way - inspiring Trot and Cap'n Bill to help out in any way they can. Can they help the lovers and defeat the wicked king?
Already a lot more is going on then in several of the previous books, and though the inevitable help from the Scarecrow arrives, a great deal of the resolution comes from Trot, Cap'n Bill and the Ork's relationship and actions. If only they didn't have to go back to Oz to stay at the end. Trot and Cap'n Bill don't appear to worry about Trot's mother. And Button Bright's parents are...?
Oz
Next: 'Rinkitink in Oz'
Previous: 'Tik-Tok of Oz'
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes