A very interesting book about the Wizard of Oz story from the point of view of the Wicked Witch... I enjoyed it.
Promised to magicwritinggal.

Received in the mail a couple of days ago. Started it yesterday, and I'm already mostly through it.

It's a good read--a little different than I expected, but I'm quite into it!

Thanks, andersor!

I'm giving this one a seven only because I felt it a bit uneven and parts of it were maddeningly didactic. In exploring the question of evil, the author is not content to let the reader draw conclusions from the narrative; rather, the question of evil is asked directly, over and over (as in "What is the nature of evil?" "I think it is such and such...", "No, I think it is like this..."). Time after time, the characters engage in these philosophical and philological debates that distracted me from the storyline, integral as they may have been to the theme. I think he could have integrated those questions more gracefully.

Other than that, though, this book is highly imaginative with wonderful characters (particularly the women) who are cursed with the futility of really understanding each other. Fun to find the classic Wizard of Oz references and see the land through an insider's very honest perspective. I definitely want to read some of his later books.

This one is now available for trade, or whatever. I'd recommend it.

Sending to GrizzlyGirl in trade for "Lost".

Received in the mail today as part of a trade! Can't wait to read it! Its next on my TBR pile :)

Well, I think I'm giving up on this one. I read over half of it, and I'm just not getting into it. So, I figure I will spend my time reading something that interests me more. Can't really place why I didn't like it, science fiction is just not my thing.

Trading with flashgirl. Will get out in the mail soon!

Received today. Wow, that was quick. Thanks, GrizzlyGirl!

Last week I visited New York City and, to my surprise, discovered that the hottest new Broadway show is... Wicked. "There's no chance of getting tickets to that," said our concierge. "Sold out until July," said the guy at the box office. Lucky for us there were a few cancellations 1/2 hour before showtime! Wow, it was a great show. It literally made me cry. Now I can't wait to read this book, and I think others in my family will want to read it after I do.

It has been sitting near the top of my TBR pile for a while, getting bumped again and again by bookrays and things I've promised to others... but now I'm really fired up about it.

This book has been claimed by Zmrzlina in a BookRelay. To be read after I finish my current book, and sent on ASAP!

Dr. Dillamond MURDERED!?! That didn't happen in the Broadway show! Nessarose armless? Even though I thought I knew this story, the book keeps surprising me with its depth and nuance to the characters and plot. (In the play Dr. Dillamond just packs his bag and leaves when Animals are no longer allowed to teach at the University, and Nessarose is in a wheelchair but does have arms.)

I am on page 140 of 400-something, and am really enjoying this.

Fiyero comes from a nomadic tribe where they marry as children, has dark skin and tattoos on his face and hands? Wow, I have to say I'm glad I saw the Broadway show FIRST and then read the book, because this way I could enjoy both. If I read the book first and THEN saw the play, on the other hand, I would definitely have been annoyed at the way the story was Hollywood-ized to make room for song and dance numbers.

On Broadway, Fiyero was your typical heartthrob hunk, more like Glinda's type than Elphaba's. Maybe they based him on Boc's roommate to simplify things.

OK, this is the last time I will post my surprise and outrage over the differences between the book and the show I saw. I will now confine my comments to the book's merits on its own. On page 165 of 400.

Well. I have to say I completely agree with magicwritinggal about the discussions of the nature of evil. I had to skim several sections of this. Please, don't TELL us what you want to say about evil, just SHOW us.

That said, one thing I really liked was the feeling that nothing was black and white. This wasn't just a reversal of the story we all know (bad = good and vice versa), it was much more nuanced. The characters might seem ignorant, misguided or ineffective, but none of them was inherently evil.

The writing style, especially the point-of-view, made me feel very distant from Elphaba's character. We never know what she's thinking or feeling, and we rarely get many details about what she's actually doing, either. And the fact that the narrator seemingly ramdomly refers to her as Elphaba, Elphie, or just the Witch made me feel even more detached. Maybe that was the point: as the novel progresses, the Witch gets further and further from any kind of humanity or meaningful connection with others, loses her sense of self and even her name, and thus has less and less to lose.

Mailed to zmrzlina.

I've been so looking forward to reading this! It will continue its travels as soon as I've read it. And thank you for the fantastic VOTE tattoos! I'm going to wear one to work tomorrow.

Enjoyable read, though it does get a bit too preachy at times. Politics and religion, two of my favorite subjects to get all riled up about. Sadly, in the US religion is politics, but that is neither here nor there... or maybe it is. Maguire is an amazing scene setter, and I am always drawn into books that take me away from the real world.

RELEASE NOTES:

This is an experiment. I am going to leave books at work for people to pick up. I don't expect anyone to create an account, but an anonymous journal entry would be wonderful.