Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Wicked Years, 1)

WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST by Gregory Maguire As much as I love and adore the stage musical, I have never read the book despite having it in my possession for the past two decades. While I’m well aware the musical (and movie) is different from the book I figure now was a good a time as any to finally read it. Unlike the musical, this was not lighthearted or saccharine. Themes of discrimination, racial tension, good vs. evil, political and religious violence/aggression, and systemic oppression. It felt too close to home/reality. Had I read this during less troubled times (ha, like when was that ever?), I might have liked it more. For a book that’s only a little over 300 pages, it felt *much* longer due to the world building and timeline. Even listening to the audiobook at 2.00x speed didn’t help as the chapters were long and dense. That said, while I did enjoy this as a whole and appreciate the message, I don’t feel the need to continue the series. Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️

Not good

A real page turner! Turning a fairy tale around without coming across as grasping at straws can be difficult. There is no difficulty here! I find this more enjoyable than the original, which should come as no surprise given the author's other works. This is a book you buy in hardcover so you can read and reread it. Subtleties will hit you at every read. I cannot possibly recommend it higher!

Typically these books have really good, accurate descriptions but this one did not have a dust jacket and did not indicate as such. The book is in great condition but I wish it had the cover.

I ordered this in hardcover and have now been sent the softcover, twice!!!

Could not put this one down! Read it in two days. Rich with layers of turmoil and perspective. Well done, sir. Well done

I ordered hard cover for my collection and received paperback.

I ordered a hardback and received a paperback. Disappointed.

I read these books from my library a few years ago, and wanted to own my own collection. I ordered a hardback with a different style cover (original, illustrated), and I received a paperback copy with the wrong picture (Broadway cover) to match my other titles. The book is great. The format isn't. Not happy!

I bought this "like new" but the cover was missing. That is NOT "like new" in my opinion. This book is "acceptable" at best.

I bought this book for fun and got totally hooked and have been obsessing over the series, musical and wizard of oz in general! Highly recommend for any fan of the movie, original WOO book series or just the wicked witch in general (she was always my favorite) Gregory Maguire’s take on the story is interesting and such a satisfying read that lead me to order the entire Wicked series!!

This is a book I think about when there are two characters who are the complete opposite in every way but are friends. This book will always be a favorite.

Enjoy the book completely read at twice there's always a twist in a turn when you don't expect it strongly recommend reading it.

They were able to address my concern on the book immediately. Im excited to read this and add it to my collection as I've always been a fan of Wicked.

Meet Elfaba, aka The Wicked Witch of the West. "Wicked" is all about how Elfaba turned from schoolgirl witch to meeting Dorothy. With twists you wouldn't believe and a spin of the known, this book will certainly be a great read.

YALL DONT EVEN KNOW. just read it. thats all I can say. I'm in despair just thinking about this book, how great and insightful it is, as well as SAD. Wicked is very eye-opening and I hope you all take the time to read it. I read this about a year ago but I want to reread it. :'(

i receive the tracking number next day and then the book on time super good service!

Loved this book! I was never a big Oz fan but since reading this book I have a renewed interest in the story. I think Maguire did a very good job portraying The wicked Witch of the West. He made me fall in love with a character that I had feared when I was a child.

Ever since I was a child(and I am 61 now), we gathered around the tv to watch 'The Wizard of OZ' at its once-a-year showing. It was wonderful! I purchased the vhs tape...then the dvd. How could I have been so taken in by Hollywood? Dear Elphaba,"...I am too green to walk into a public place and do something bad. It's all too expected." ARE we born wicked? ? hmmmmm.

I must start this review by saying that it is certainly not a book you can take lightly. It takes some serious effort to stick with it, particularly once you get about half way through and the more light-hearted experiences of Elphaba, the wicked witch, at Shiz fade into her darker, secretive experiences at the Emerald City. After two failed attempts to tackle to book, fascinated by the subject matter both times, I finally got through it, inspired to read it because of the Broadway musical based on the book that I found myself mesmerized by (go see it, despite how different it is).The book is a richly textured account of the life of the Wicked Witch of the West, here given an actual name, Elphaba, as she moves from student at Shiz University, an outcast and roommate to G(a)linda, to secretive activist in the Emerald City, to maunt (nun), to Auntie Witch, later to become The Wicked Witch of the West. Throughout, the detailed religion, culture, and government of Oz supplement the narrative beautifully, adding depth to what could have been simply an unfounded story of what could happen to some flatly portrayed green girl from Oz. This story really makes you care for the witch and understand that even the most evil of people could simply be the victims of chance. I thought the book began and ended very strongly, but the narrative sagged a bit in the middle, particularly as Elphaba becomes a nun and travels rather boringly across the desert to the Winkie stronghold of Kiamo Ko. The story stays rather low-key for a while, but picks up when some more familiar characters, such as Nessarose, Elphaba's sister, Elphaba's father, Frexspar, and Glinda, reenter the novel. From this point out, the novel receives its well-deserved finale, in which it goes out with a bold glory rarely seen in novels.Of course, no life is without its dull moments, and even these are not completely flat. The prose is witty and never becomes to boorish. What really mesmerized me was fitting together the story in this novel into the context of the original Oz book and movie of the same (revised) name. I would reccomend this to someone who has quite a bit of undistracted time. It's important not to take very long breaks in reading this novel, as the details become more important toward the end, when the witch begins looking back upon her life. The novel should be a very interesting read for anyone familiar with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum or the movie from MGM. Its richly detailed characters and interesting plot choices make for a wonderful read that you're surely not soon to forget. Tough it out through the middle so you can finish this great book.

I've always been a fan of traditional stories retold from the point of view of a character other than the protagonist. And "The Wizard of Oz" has long been one of my favorite stories. This book forever changed the way I see it. Using elegant, eloquent prose, Geoffrey Maguire weaves the tale of Elphaba, the little green girl who will one day grow up to be the much-maligned Wicked Witch of the West. After reading this, the Witch became my favorite character of "The Wizard of Oz." See if she doesn't win your heart as well. Born to a religious father and an upper-class mother, Elphaba becomes a surprisingly sympathetic character. Her life is traced from birth to death, and along the way we see her development, from horrific baby, to idealistic student and activist, to reclusive wisewoman. She isn't perfect. She loves, and hates, and plots. Her long association with Glinda is a treat to discover, through Elphaba's eyes. The animal rights (or Animal rights) and political issues of the book were of particular interest to me. This book draws more in inspiration from Frank Baum's classic fantasy series than from the movie. A finely crafted read, a change of perspective, a tragedy, a love story, and a moral tale all wrapped up in some of the best writing I've ever experienced.