Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
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Summary
Maguire travels back to Frank L. Baum's land of Oz for this absorbing fantasy that delves into the background if the famed Wicked Witch of the West, a misunderstood creature who challenges the preconceived notions of good and evil.
I was intrigued by the unique concept of this book. The moral and ethical dilemmas it explores are truly thought-provoking, which made me anticipate a great read. However, my attention was not captivated throughout the entire book. It was one of those moments where you suddenly realize you haven't been engaged for several minutes. I constantly found myself rewinding and relistening to sections because my mind had wandered off. The narrator did a good job, so that wasn't the issue. I believe part of the problem lies in the writing, which felt a bit rigid, or as the author would put it, "the prose is a tad stilted".
Nevertheless, I persevered and completed the entire book, feeling like I got my money's worth. Thus, I give it a rating of 3.
First and foremost, this book is incredibly well written. The language used throughout is absolutely stunning. The story itself is intricate and captivating, with fully developed characters that are incredibly believable in their own world. If you enjoy high-quality fantasy literature like Tolkien or if you're interested in delving deeper into the world of The Wizard of Oz, then this book is an excellent choice.
However, my only gripe with this book is that the ending felt a bit forced. Towards the end, there was a point where the narrative seemed to lose its way, almost as if the writer had become so engrossed in their own story that they struggled to find a seamless path back to The Wizard of Oz storyline. This resulted in the plot feeling somewhat contrived, and I found the ending to be a bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the book. It's a minor flaw in the grand scheme of things, considering the remarkable accomplishment of the overall story.
One thing to note is that I made the mistake of listening to this book with my kids. I would advise against it. It is definitely not kid-friendly, as there are quite a few sexual innuendos and even some explicit scenes. While it's not inappropriate for adults, you might find yourself blushing and wondering how much of it your child actually understood.
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