givebacknlivehappy 's review for:

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

4.25

adventurous challenging slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Wicked is one of those retellings that I’m not quite sure about in all honesty. I love the Oz tales, don’t get me wrong, but I do think the way this story was written was too much. Perhaps it’s because there’s so many details about different characters, or the fact that I’ve seen the musical adaptation too many times, but I found myself very distracted while reading. I will say, though, the points that Gregory Maguire brings up in this retelling of The Wizard of Oz are incredibly interesting. I really enjoyed the - while not new as of my reading in 2025 - different takes on the characters and found their motivations complex and intriguing. I do think that this is a worthwhile read, even if one only reads it once.