Wicked (Wicked Years, #1)

by Gregory Maguire

[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.