leapingloris 's review for:

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

4.0

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Felt really unnecessarily freaky at some points. I was hoping for a little more fan service with references to the movie but not a big deal. Sometimes I didn’t really understand the point of some of the characters, especially Shell, and I was a little frustrated that the tin man and scarecrow didn’t even come into Kiamo Ko. Also, the axe is supposed to chop off his arm, and it makes him metal instead? don’t get it. The ending was maybe the most frustrating part, obviously intentionally, but it just seemed like such a disappointing end for Elphaba… moral of the story: don’t crash out. All of that being said, I really enjoyed the read. Elphaba is a really cool character and giving her life beyond her original pure wickedness is a treat. Loved all of the politics behind everything too. Everything that happens is for a reason, and giving those reasons so much context and seeing all of the motivations of the different parties was a treat. Bad people work behind the scenes, mounting campaigns for absolute power, snuffing out the voices of those who may stand in the way, spinning narratives against the just, even - or especially- in a sweet, joyful, technicolor world like Oz. As relevant today as the day it was written, maybe more so. Excited for the second movie.