- Interesting reflection on evilWhile this novel takes the traditional Wizard of Oz tale, the interesting thing about is not the alterations to the story line, but the questions raised by the author. Is Elphaba doomed to be "evil" by nature, her green skin, sharp teeth and aversion to water, or is it the lack of nurturing from her parents that cause her self absorption and anti-social behavior. Is the fact that her mother never paid her attention and is that any excuse for the way she treats her son? Is her killing of her old teacher, though most probably guilty of murdering the professor, the meeting out of long due justice or the killing of a poor old lady? With the blatant correlation to the wizard and his practices to Germany in the 1940s, it is asked of the reader to ponder about several things, correct governance, family responsibility and most importantly, do people have the ability to self determine or is it rather the situations that form us.
Evaluación:
- Gregory Maguire's Magnum OpusA century after its publication, "The Wizard of Oz" remains an American classic and perhaps the quintessential American fairy tale. This is due in large part to the eclectic cast of characters, from Dorothy and Toto to the titular Wizard. And then of course there is the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy's bête noir and one of the most iconic villains of American literature and cinema. She is an absolute, the terror of Oz and readers didn't question it. If you were to examine the Witch in greater detail, however, certain questions might emerge. How did the Wicked With take over Winkie Country? Why did she and her sister never array their forces against the Emerald City? And why was her skin green?
"Wicked" begins 38 years before the Witch's fateful encounter with Dorothy. Oz is a land of peace, if not stagnation. It is the end of an age as in the heart of Munchkinland, the birth of a young girl named Elphaba Thropp will change the course of Oz's history forever. The book is alternate reinterpretation of the Oz mythology, where the movie and book and melded together to produce a far darker Oz than Baum had envisioned. It is an Oz where the Wizard is a despot, where the Animals are a minority class, and where the Wicked Witch is the heroine of her own story.
Maguire succeeds in transforming one of the most iconic antagonists of all time into a tragic character and his crisp, ironic style is perfectly suited to this alternate tale. By revealing the Witch's back-story, he challenges not only our preconceptions of her, but of the nature of evil. John Mcdonough's narration perfectly compliments Maguire's work and brings it to life. Finally, the book can stand alone on its own, but seeds are also planted for the later installments.
Evaluación:
- DissapointingIt was with much anticipation that I settled down to begin Wicked. It seemed to be exactly my kinda thing - a retelling of a classic, from the "bad guy's" point of view.
I wasn't sure what to think at first. There were some overly crude sexual referrances which were a bit too much and the writing was... wordy. But the characters were interesting, and the concept alone kept me hooked, hoping to be impressed.
It's just that not really all that much seems to happen in this book. Many of the major events actually happen off-stage, even though they concern the main characters. Whole chunks of time are skipped, often leaving me feeling like I've missed out after discovering what happened during those gaps. I was left with too many questions unanswered, and feeling like I'd been cheated out of a few hours of my time: the book could have been told in half the pages. There were a lot of events that just seemed... pointless, never to really go anywhere or be resolved or explained. Perhaps that's just meant to be a reflection of how life really is, - not everything ever gets resolved or makes that much sense - but I don't read books to put up with yet more of "real life".
I'm of the opinion this might be one of those love it or hate it things. I will not go so far as to say I hated it, because I was at least able to find it interesting enough to read through to the end. But I didn't find the whole effort very rewarding. And I won't be reading this book again.
Evaluación:
- How did he do that?The author pulls off an amazing story. Throughout the book you find the innocent Elphaba slowly gathering around herself the things that make her a terrible witch, but they are all explained with perfect logic so that when Dorothy finally shows up an increadible thing happens: You the reader can actually switch back and forth, like looking at a clever optical illusion of a 2-D cube, between Dorothy's perspective and the Witch's. Dorothy sees a dark castle, an army of familiars attacking her on her way to see the witch, an old crone living with the witch, a terrifying talking monkey who blabbers disterbing comments, and a dark green witch who goes on about strange people and events that Dorothy has never heard of. But with the Witch, we see instead just an old waterworks building she is forced to live in, the wonderful creatures she has befriended, her loving nanny now too old to speak coherently but still willing to help, a small monkey with whom Elphie has explored the possiblity of the existence of souls, and the witch's references to all the private and public trials the she has endured for 40 years.
When the Witch looked through the telescope and saw the tin woodman chopping off the heads of her dogs, I wanted to cry. I would have taken that axe and cut off Dorothy's feet and delivered the shoes to Elphie with a pretty christmas bow...now explain how the author did that??? He actually got me to root for the witch to the point that I was hoping some wicked thing like that would happen to the innocent Dorothy? I don't think i'm evil, but just what IS evil then? That must be his whole point.
The last few pages of denourment spin one of the greatest tradgeties i've ever read or heard of. When he explains the wizard's armies were rallying in the passes and the Scrow and Arjiki tribesmen were drinking the Witch of the West's health and sending envoys to her for guidance and advice not an hour after her death, I was so sad.
If you can stop whining about the vocabulary (maybe buy a dictionary) and truly give this book a chance I believe you will be rewarded in the last 20 pages in a way you will rarely find in another book. If you can't read the book, consider that the problem may not be with the book and it's difficult vocabulary, but with YOU and your inadequate education.
Now am I just challenging you to better yourself by reading the book or just being wicked?
andy.peters.email@gmail.com
Evaluación:
- very satisified customerI received this item it was well packaged and arrive within days of ordering. I am very satisified with my purchase. AAA+++