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A review by luhos
Wicked: Volume One in the Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's impossible to read this, as a fan of the musical and the movie, without making comparisons. The musical/film adaptation storyline deviates quite a bit from that in the book, and I can understand why. Wicked is a richly detailed and slow-burning story over the entirety of the Wicked Witch of the West's life, from birth, up to the end; this is truly a fantasy novel with rich world-building and some strong character development, a lot of which would not fit into a 2.5 hour musical, nor ~5 hours of film.
It's impressive what Maguire did with the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. She is troubled and complex, and the novel adds dimension to her and many other characters (though not all) that is absent from the subsequent adaptations. The core message of this novel is about what is good, and what is evil, and it is explored in a multitude of ways throughout. I appreciate that it is never pointed out to the reader, it's left for us to decide ourselves.
While I enjoyed the story, it felt at times a little slow and dawdling. I'm also writing this almost immediately after completing the book, and I am not sure how I feel about the ending. Despite my comment about the slow nature of the book, the ending felt incredibly rushed, and I wish there was more to explore. Also, never thought I could hate Dorothy that much.
It's impressive what Maguire did with the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. She is troubled and complex, and the novel adds dimension to her and many other characters (though not all) that is absent from the subsequent adaptations. The core message of this novel is about what is good, and what is evil, and it is explored in a multitude of ways throughout. I appreciate that it is never pointed out to the reader, it's left for us to decide ourselves.
While I enjoyed the story, it felt at times a little slow and dawdling. I'm also writing this almost immediately after completing the book, and I am not sure how I feel about the ending. Despite my comment about the slow nature of the book, the ending felt incredibly rushed, and I wish there was more to explore. Also, never thought I could hate Dorothy that much.