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A review by goblinhearted
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
5.0
This is one of my favorite books. I thought I had read this book before but it seems I must have given up halfway through. That was back in high school. I’m into my thirties now and read it again - and it’s been a completely different experience.
The first impression I got from this book was the gay undertones between Elphie and Glinda (both times reading it). This is a huge highlight for me. The first time around, when this arc ended, I was so sad; this most likely led to me losing interest back then.
Elphaba is such a cool character. She’s highly intelligent and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She values her independence and resists conforming to societal expectations (queeen). Most of all, she has deep compassion and empathy for the marginalized and oppressed. Her decisions may be controversial, but she acts on strong ideals and a sense of justice, even when that alienates her from the rest of the people in her life.
I think what really makes this book great is the political undertones/intrigue - which completely went over my head as a 10th grader, but now make so much sense as an adult. When I realized thatThe Wizard is a fascist oppressing the minorities of Oz, and Elphaba is essentially a revolutionary, my respect for and admiration of her exploded. Above all, she is brave and resilient.
The writing style is incredibly witty, with little bits thrown in here and there which keep everything from feeling too serious or dry. I had such a fun time reading this. Long live Elphaba!
The first impression I got from this book was the gay undertones between Elphie and Glinda (both times reading it). This is a huge highlight for me. The first time around, when this arc ended, I was so sad; this most likely led to me losing interest back then.
Elphaba is such a cool character. She’s highly intelligent and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She values her independence and resists conforming to societal expectations (queeen). Most of all, she has deep compassion and empathy for the marginalized and oppressed. Her decisions may be controversial, but she acts on strong ideals and a sense of justice, even when that alienates her from the rest of the people in her life.
I think what really makes this book great is the political undertones/intrigue - which completely went over my head as a 10th grader, but now make so much sense as an adult. When I realized that
The writing style is incredibly witty, with little bits thrown in here and there which keep everything from feeling too serious or dry. I had such a fun time reading this. Long live Elphaba!