Book Review: Wicked

Set in the Land of Oz with all of your favorite characters, Wicked by Gregory MaGuire is one for the books. Despite not having written the original book, McGuire is able to captivate the same feelings in his prequel to The Wizard of Oz. Instead of following around Dorthy, we get to see the intriguing side of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The story follows her life from birth to the end of The Wizard of Oz. In the middle, we see her life and what lead her to be the way that she ended up being. Her struggles and hardships are demonstrated to the reader in almost an attempt to justify her actions. The book details her relationships and experiences with all of the people who have come into her life. The book gradually turns into a book about self-acceptance and ignorance is not always bliss, rather than just a life narrative.
Gregory MaGuire, is one of a kind. He is able to make his audience view one of the most classic books (The Wizard of Oz) in a completely new way. He stays true to the original story, yet changes the whole context that the Wicked Witch is put in. I initially picked up this book because it was recommended to me by a Broadway fanatic, and I will definitely be picking up the next few in the series very soon. The book is addicting and leaves you needing more. It is definitely one of the top three books that I have read this year.