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lingualibri 's review for:
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
by Gregory Maguire
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I first read this book about 20 years ago, and the only part that stuck with me from that first read was the description of Elphaba's pubes having a purple shine in the moonlight. Upon the reread of my original copy, it seems I even circled that page number. I didn't even know the book was becoming a musical until shortly after I finished it.
I decided to refresh my memory ahead of the movie. I only got about 100 pages in before seeing the 2024 movie, but it was far enough in to get a preliminary comparison between the book, stage show, and movie. I'm hopeful that I'll take away a little more from this read than the color of the main character's pubes.
I think the first thing that struck me was how much of the story was *not* from Elphaba's perspective. Much of the first half is through the lens of her family and friends (or adversaries). The Witch seems to remain isolated and aloof even in her own story. More is told from her perspective in the second half, but even then, her solitary nature is palpable. Only in the last few pages, in her madness as she confronts Dorothy, do you get a sense of how she may truly be feeling. Elphaba isn't inherently evil - she is a champion of Animal rights, she cares greatly for her familiars - but she claims repeatedly to not have a soul. I think Maguire does an incredible job of convincing the reader that this could be true.
In the musical and movie, Glinda is an important figure in Elphaba's life as the only woman in her life that she *chooses* to let into her life - she is not a familial obligation. I suppose I understand why the plotline about Sarima and her family was cut from the musical (Fiyero's background and Arjiki cultural norms might be a bit bulky to explain if you want to keep within the standard run time of a show), but it's unfortunate this part of the story is missed in the more mainstream version. Elphaba's time in the Vinkus is huge part of the book, and her actions thereafter are primarily driven by her desire for forgiveness. While the musical focuses on Elphaba's conflict with the world around her, the source material emphasizes her internal conflict and the tragedy of irresolution.
I also enjoyed that the book was accompanied by a reader's guide so I could reflect on a few questions before writing this. Some of my favorite questions were about whether the book is a tragedy (which I believe it is) and the meaning behind the Clock of the Time Dragon. What does it mean that Elphaba is born in it? What does it mean that Turtle Heart is killed by it? (Or sacrificed to it? I'm not sure.)
Speaking of Turtle Heart - he's a character who is severely overlooked in all mediums of the story. Even the plot of this book as listed on Wikipedia fails to mention him. Turtle Heart is the embodiment of love, intimacy, and possibility. He is a herald of things to come, and in a way, his fate is linked to Elphaba's. With his death, so dies Elphaba's capacity for emotional intimacy, for who else in the family could possibly teach her those things?
After I finish a couple of other books I'm currently reading, I'm planning on reading L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz as my at-work book and Son of a Witch as my at-home book. I'm excited to continue the story and to dissect the development of this universe over the course of over a century.
I decided to refresh my memory ahead of the movie. I only got about 100 pages in before seeing the 2024 movie, but it was far enough in to get a preliminary comparison between the book, stage show, and movie. I'm hopeful that I'll take away a little more from this read than the color of the main character's pubes.
I think the first thing that struck me was how much of the story was *not* from Elphaba's perspective. Much of the first half is through the lens of her family and friends (or adversaries). The Witch seems to remain isolated and aloof even in her own story. More is told from her perspective in the second half, but even then, her solitary nature is palpable. Only in the last few pages, in her madness as she confronts Dorothy, do you get a sense of how she may truly be feeling. Elphaba isn't inherently evil - she is a champion of Animal rights, she cares greatly for her familiars - but she claims repeatedly to not have a soul. I think Maguire does an incredible job of convincing the reader that this could be true.
In the musical and movie, Glinda is an important figure in Elphaba's life as the only woman in her life that she *chooses* to let into her life - she is not a familial obligation. I suppose I understand why the plotline about Sarima and her family was cut from the musical (Fiyero's background and Arjiki cultural norms might be a bit bulky to explain if you want to keep within the standard run time of a show), but it's unfortunate this part of the story is missed in the more mainstream version. Elphaba's time in the Vinkus is huge part of the book, and her actions thereafter are primarily driven by her desire for forgiveness. While the musical focuses on Elphaba's conflict with the world around her, the source material emphasizes her internal conflict and the tragedy of irresolution.
I also enjoyed that the book was accompanied by a reader's guide so I could reflect on a few questions before writing this. Some of my favorite questions were about whether the book is a tragedy (which I believe it is) and the meaning behind the Clock of the Time Dragon. What does it mean that Elphaba is born in it? What does it mean that Turtle Heart is killed by it? (Or sacrificed to it? I'm not sure.)
Speaking of Turtle Heart - he's a character who is severely overlooked in all mediums of the story. Even the plot of this book as listed on Wikipedia fails to mention him. Turtle Heart is the embodiment of love, intimacy, and possibility. He is a herald of things to come, and in a way, his fate is linked to Elphaba's. With his death, so dies Elphaba's capacity for emotional intimacy, for who else in the family could possibly teach her those things?
After I finish a couple of other books I'm currently reading, I'm planning on reading L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz as my at-work book and Son of a Witch as my at-home book. I'm excited to continue the story and to dissect the development of this universe over the course of over a century.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual content, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Genocide, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent