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

by Gregory Maguire

An astonishingly rich re-creation of the land of Oz, this book retells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Taking readers past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Gregory Maguire just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature.

• ISBN10: 0614207363
• ISBN13: 9780614207361
• Publish Date: 1 October 1996
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

We all know the story of The Wizard of Oz; if we haven’t read the 1900’s classic written by L. Frank Baum we probably saw the 1930’s film starring Judy Garland. What if was to tell you that the Wizard is not as sympathetic as he wants you to believe? In fact, the Wizard could be considered a classic example of a nutcase dictator. It is all about perspective; some may see the Wizard as great and powerful but in the eyes of Elphaba he is just an old fool.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire tells the untold story from the perspective of Elphaba (known to some as the Wicked Witch of the West) and is the basis of the award winning Musical. It is important to first state that unlike L. Frank Baum’s series of books, this is not directed at children. This is social and political commentary, full of sex and violence; it just so happens to use the world of Oz as its basis. As a nod to the world created, the Wicked Witch of the West was named using the initials of L. Frank Baum; Elphaba (L-F-B).

This novel works like an origin story for Elphaba, which gives the world a whole different perspective. In The Wizard of Oz everyone uses names like The Wicked Witch of the West and gossip about how evil she is but we never really hear the other side of the story. As a reader we tend to take what is written at face value; if someone is said to be evil we accept this fact without any consideration. Wicked also plays on the female archetype that seems to associate intelligent and age with witch-like characteristics.

What I enjoy about Wicked is the way the reader gets to explore these concepts of good and evil. I am reminded of Frankenstein with the approach to this topic. Elphaba is different, born with green skin and sharp teeth; a monster that society tries hard to reject. From her parents, to the world around her, we get to explore the harsh nature of society towards something outside the norm. Elphaba herself believes she is soulless and evil but I seem to view this as a projection of the ideas imposed on her by society.

We follow the life of Elphaba through this novel and this allows Gregory Maguire to give a critique of our society from the perspective of someone that is considered evil. Are people born evil, do they choose to be evil or are they pushed into evil by society? These are just some of the questions we have to ask ourselves when reading Wicked; the whole fate verse free will play heavily within the novel. There is also a critique on guilty verse blame, family life, religion and gender role that come across within Wicked as well.

My wife has been telling me I need to read this novel for a while now and for some reason I kept putting it off. Not because I don’t trust my wife’s opinion; she said it had a Frankenstein vibe to it but I kept getting distracted by other books. I finally picked this book up because I didn’t want to see the Broadway musical before reading the book. I am glad I was pushed into reading Wicked; it is definitely my type of novel. I wonder what the next book in the series is like.

This review originally appeared on my blog: http://literary-exploration.com/2014/08/28/wicked-by-gregory-maguire/

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I wasn't sure what to think of this book. It has been on my to-read list for years, and I've for whatever reason effectively avoided it in all that time. I saw the musical in Boston in 2006 and I think first it's imperative to understand that this book is not the musical. The only real following similarities are the setting - Oz - and the character names. The story plays out completely differently.

That said, I could not put it down.

The story follows Elphaba from before birth to the moment of her death. The life shown is uncensored and completely different than one may have expected. It is rough, sexual, and ruthless. And somehow, it is just right.

The main criticism I would have is that the ending seemed rushed, as though her insanity set in far too quickly, and in that, I would say I felt left unsatisfied.

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

Having fell in love with Wicked the musical, I have been so intrigued to read the book it was based on. Although I really enjoyed Wicked, it wasn't what I expected.

The musical doesn't have much in common with the book. It takes the basic plot, but twists so many things, and doesn't go into much details. The book is very political, and the witch - Elphaba - is mostly a political activist. She is called wicked by the other side, but both - though loosely for some - are doing what they feel is right. Right for Oz.

Being a witch, you would expect her to have some magic, but she doesn't have any at all. Everything she does is practical not magical. She ends up with a spell book, and does some experiments with it towards the end of the book, but there is no real magic from either wicked witch in Wicked at all. Glinda has some aptitude for magic, and we know she does well in the subject when studying it, but we never really see anything you would expect.

At it's heart, Wicked is a sad and tragic story of someone who had strong opinion and morals, fought for what she believed in, and paid for it at every turn. Elphaba is such a strong woman, someone I really admired. She didn't give up, no matter what happened, no matter how many times she was knocked down. They just made her more determined to do what was right.

Wicked is a very wordy book, and feels quite literary. A dictionary was very much required more times than I could count. The style took some getting used to, but it made the story feel more credible. The Wizard of Oz is a classic, and Wicked is a classic retelling - it definitely keeps the classic vibe. And it's amazing how Maguire took a children's story, and expanded it so much to make an intricate and believable adult story, while still sticking to what we know of The Wizard of Oz. Fantastic!

A really fantastic book! I'm so looking forward to reading the sequel, The Son of a Witch!

[angelarenea9]

This book took me forever to get through and I was very disappointed. I saw the Broadway musical and I loved it so when I heard it was a book I had to check it out. It was not at all what I expected in many different ways. When the book started it was just a lot more blunt about life, which is fine, but as it went on there were more chapters that were just unnecessary and frankly disturbing and had no place in the plot. And not in that 'Oh, good heavens to Betsy! Did that young man just engage in inappropriate sexual activities?' It seems when Maguire could not think of repugnant scenes to add, simply for shock value, he rattled on about politics for pages before abruptly, and without any explanation, jumping 5, 6, 9 years at a time. I found it hard to care about most of the characters and many of them did things that did not seem to fit with their character.
This book was quite a disappointment and I'll probably not read the rest of the series. I do not recommended reading this book.

(07/11/2013)
*page 324*
I mostly liked this book so far but it's started to get a bit boring and slow. Also there are a lot of really unnecessary and frankly disturbing parts. No one want's a page long description of someone having diarrhea, or a threesome with a tiger, or a creation story about a goddess's urine. Sorry but no, you're not being edgy you're just being gross. This is defiantly not what I thought it was going to be.

(07/11/2013)
*page 325*
I noticed that my numbering is off because my edition is not listed and a typo. But I had to post an update of this book's continued disturbing unnecessary existence. I'm not sure what I am even reading anymore because it keeps skipping around in years without warning, and then just slaps some horrible scene in just for shock effect. Why is it necessary to put a 9 year old playing with her mother's nipple? It's not.

(07/11/2013)
*page 500*
This book went from trying to be too intelligent to being a painfully corny madhouse.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

Everyone knows the story of the Wizard of Oz or at least we think we do, but in truth the reader has a very one sided version from the innocent girl from Kansas, Dorothy Gale but what of the Wicked Witch? Was she just a misunderstood green girl or did she truly deserve and live up to her famed title of the Wicked Witch of the West?

Gregory Maguire magics up a vivid portrait of The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba Thorrp {Pronounced EL-fa-ba derived from the initials of the author of The Wizard of Oz, Lyman Frank Baum, L-F-B}. Beginning at her mysterious birth and her strange birth defect or is it a gift hidden in disguise, of the green hue to the color of her skin. There are many therories on this strange issue but all seem to end at the Clock of the Time Dragon a mysterious carnival like attraction and its operator, Mother Yackle.


Her father Frexspar is a very active unionist traveling around the lands of Oz to convert Ozians to trust in the Unnamed God using his disfigured daughters Elphaba and Nessarose {aka the Wicked Witch of the East} who has no arms as mechanisms to convert others to his believes.

After a short look at her childhood we are transported to Shiz University in the Gilikins where Elphaba unwilling rooms with a girl named Galinda and under unlikely circumstances become best friends. Later the two are joined by Nessarose who is holyer than now and clings to her religious believes. Galinda, who later drops the "Ga" in respect after the death of a Goat teacher who always mispronounced her name Glinda. Glinda takes the more glamorous route and studies Sorcery and Elphaba, after doing strenuous work with Doctor Dillamund about animals and Animals, {Animals being able to talk and have more human characteristics} gravities towards the Life Sciences.

After Doctor Dillamund's controversial death the Witch leaves university and goes underground in the Emerald City to become an Animal Rights Activist and also defies her father's religious beliefs by practicing atheistism, refusing to believe in souls. But no matter whether her heart is in the right place or not her aims always turn into failures, i.e. death of her lover and "espionage" plans turning sour.

After years of living secretiveley in the Emerald City trying to dash the Wizard of Oz's conniving ways into a Monarchy leaves to make amends with her lover Fiyero's family in the Vinkus and for unknown reasons takes along a boy named Liir. The Wicked Witch stays in the Vinkus castle for several years still trying to promote Animal Rights even going so far as to teach a flying monkey to talk.

Eventually, Elphaba returns to Munchkin Land to visit her sister who is now Ruler there but has sunk deeper into her faith earning her the Title of the Wicked Witch of the East {religion can be a very powerful and scary thing}. So while Nessarose is know for Wickedness do to the Unnamed God Elphie dubs the title Wicked Witch of the West do to opinions on politics
"That's why I call myself a witch now: the Wicked Witch of the West, if you want the full glory of it. As long as people are going to call you a lunatic anyway, why not get the benefit of it? It liberates you from convention." states Elphaba

And thanks to L. Frank Baum we all know what happens next, a house was dropped on the Wicked Witch of the East, who was giving out awards for perfect attendance at a Sunday School, {needless to say there was also perfect attendance at her memorial}. Glinda was first on the scene and because of stylish entrance and dress earned her the title of Glinda the Good Witch from the North. When Elphaba hears of her sister death she is devastated but not because of the loss of her sibling, but because Glinda has so generously given Dorothy the so called "murderer" {or saint depending which way you want to look at it}. her sister's Silver Slippers which are believed to have magical powers. Of course Auntie Witch doesn't have to wait long as the Wizard has sent Dorothy to destroy her in order to go home to Auntie Em and Uncle Henry and of course to no avale the Wicked Witch of the West can not remove those slippers from the Kansas girl's feet and well you know the rest, the witch's broom catches fire spreading to her horribly out of fashion black dress and Dorothy, being the good Samaritan that she is throws a bucket of water on her to put the fire out. Elphaba's life long aversion to water takes into effect and her soul {or lack of soul} melts away.

And that is the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West turning the Land of Oz we knew up side down into a horse of different color.

[tamc]

Excellent book - hard to imagine turning this into a musical. Quite a lot was left out and several characters/events combined. Have never read Wizard of Oz or seen the movie (it terrified me when I was 6), but I may just have to do both.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Maguire can be a bit hard to read and this novel is no exception. Deep concepts tied together in beloved and well known fairy tale that many of us are so familiar with that we could recite the movie line for line. It's a dense novel, but I feel the rewards are great when get to the end and learn what really happened up there on the castle walls when the Witch and Dorothy faced off.

Not every good book should be or will be easy to read.

[ibeforem]

I thought this book was really interesting. It certainly makes you think of the Wizard of Oz in a completely different way. I have to give it a thumbs up, and I would love to see the musical someday.

[Eve1972]

Enjoyed this book a lot!

[Beth C.]

Very creative take on the classic "Wizard of Oz" story. What happens when things are thrown on their ears and the previously assumed "bad" character is shown to be different than presumed? This is the best of his books - I read this one first and rushed to get the others and ended up disappointed. This one, however, is terrific!