Maguire, Gregory (1996). Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. New York, New York: Regan Books
ISBN: 9780739468975
409 pages
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 17-19
Stars: 5 stars
Subjects: Fairy-tale, Love, Deception, War, Relationships, Family
Reader's Annotation
Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, is not necessarily the evil woman portrayed in The Wizard of Oz, but perhaps a misunderstood witch who cares too much as she tries to right the ills in her world.
Summary
Elphaba is the product of her mother's illicit relationship with a traveling salesman and owes her green skin to her mother's use of an elixir sold by the same man. Her deformity makes her hideous to those around her, and when her beautiful younger sister is born without the use of her legs, Elphaba becomes responsible for her as well. She eventually goes off to college and becomes the roommate of Galinda, a popular young witch desperate to be successful and well-liked by everyone. Galinda is both drawn to and jealous of the power Elphaba has. When Elphaba learns that the Wizard of Oz is a corrupt man changing talking, intelligent Animals into mindless beasts, she sets herself in opposition to him and the mainstream, but despite her best efforts, everything seems to go wrong. Characters from The Wizard of Oz make brief appearances, but the focus is on social issues, religion, and politics. It often is very dark and not all readers will find satisfaction with the ending.
Notes
Fans of the musical Wicked seeking the same happy, inverted fairy tale, might be disappointed by the dark tone of this book. Just to be clear, although the musical was adapted from this book, the two are very different in tone and treatment of characters. This is also not a children's book- it handles adult subjects of sex, love, and politics in a somewhat unforgiving manner that doesn't shy away from the darkness. I would recommend this more strongly for older teens.
Awards
Other Information
This is part of the Wicked Years Series, as of yet including Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men. Readers who enjoy Wicked may enjoy following the aftermath of Elphaba's actions. Other reimagined fairy tales include Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Mirror Mirror, and Lost.
Author Information
