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A review by travsbookshelf
After Oz by Gordon McAlpine
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was mixed over this book.
I liked the familiarities we got from Dorothy’s reminiscences of her time in Oz. I appreciated the author mixing genres by incorporating mystery and thriller elements into the fantasy and “real life” essences of the story. I liked that we got an actual account of both the reconstruction after the tornado by the townsfolk and Dorothy’s origin background. I even liked that we get a perspective from an anonymous townsperson who we never get to identify which added a bit of fun to the mystery. I respected the nod to the original creator (L. Frank Baum) that McAlpine gave by making him a brief secondary character, albeit off-page.
I didn’t really mind the over-religious references and scripture quoted throughout but it felt so out of place in a story born out of fantasy. I didn’t care for the depressing turn of the characters of Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. The climax and ending were just a bit of a letdown. Dorothy’s origin story was depressing and disturbing and felt very out of context for her character.
I’m giving this a neutral 3 stars as I’m just too torn over which way to go with rating this. My advice before reading this: do not go into this with obvious expectations.
I liked the familiarities we got from Dorothy’s reminiscences of her time in Oz. I appreciated the author mixing genres by incorporating mystery and thriller elements into the fantasy and “real life” essences of the story. I liked that we got an actual account of both the reconstruction after the tornado by the townsfolk and Dorothy’s origin background. I even liked that we get a perspective from an anonymous townsperson who we never get to identify which added a bit of fun to the mystery. I respected the nod to the original creator (L. Frank Baum) that McAlpine gave by making him a brief secondary character, albeit off-page.
I didn’t really mind the over-religious references and scripture quoted throughout but it felt so out of place in a story born out of fantasy. I didn’t care for the depressing turn of the characters of Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. The climax and ending were just a bit of a letdown. Dorothy’s origin story was depressing and disturbing and felt very out of context for her character.
I’m giving this a neutral 3 stars as I’m just too torn over which way to go with rating this. My advice before reading this: do not go into this with obvious expectations.