Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 1995
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Type: Fiction ~ Library Book
Read: 2/9/2012

The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

After developing a taste for Gregory Maguire’s writing style I decided to tackle the Wicked series. Wicked is the story of the witch from the story of Oz. Maguire blends elements of the original Wizard of Oz, not the movie, with his own imagination, providing a ‘background’ for not only the witch, Elphaba born with a green skin and sharp teeth, but also for the Lion and Tin Man, weaving their stories into Elphaba’s. From her birth to her death we see Oz through her eyes, giving us a completely different view of good and evil. Was the witch evil or merely misunderstood?

The continues along through Elphaba’s early childhood, then jumps to her going to school. A sort of university, we learn of what happened in between by conversations Elphaba has with her new friends and later in the form of flashbacks and comments by Nanny. A woman who took care of Elphaba’s mother, then Elphaba and her siblings. The end is written in such a way to convey Elphaba’s frustration with how her life has turned out. I also thought the ending was really well done, arranging the ‘murder’ of Elphaba to fit with Dorothy’s personality.

Overall I found this to be a compelling read. I gave it 4 stars and recommend it.

Posted by on February 10, 2012 in 2012, Fantasy, Novel and tagged , , , , , , .

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About Belleza

I got the name Bella because my grandfather called me Suzabell. I use that as a username and my friends on the site started calling me Bella. Thus was born: Bella Foxx's Life, now known as "just a city girl" since I have made the big jump from the country and am now living in the City, UES. I like to make jewelry (check out my blog "Bella is creative" started April 17, 2008) and write. I like to do cross stitch and knit. I sew, I don't really enjoy it, but I enjoy the clothes. I like to read the Bible, books, magazines, online newspaper articles, blogs, jokes on candy wrappers, ads on the subway, billboards, backs of food boxes, lists of ingredients and recipes, cleaning directions, sayings on shirts. I post my reviews on "Just a girl, living, reading, watching, and writing", on Shelfari, Library Thing and Goodreads.. I am allergic to practically everything: grass, trees, weeds, animal dander, dust, mold, wheat, apples, nuts, fish and coconut. The fish and coconut are so serious I carry an Epi-pen and wear a Medic-Alert bracelet. And last but not least. I love the Yankees.

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