I read this book before it became a play, mostly because of all the hype around it. It was awful. The plot dragged, the author barely went into the issues (political oppression, racism, etc.) that Oz was supposed to have, and the unnecessary and vulgar sexual references distracted and ruined the story (eg: mountain passes likened to a very vivid description of a woman).

I think the book's downfall came from the fact that I saw the Broadway play first (which was absolutely magical)...this story is only remotely similar to the play that was based upon it. I found the book to be much darker, much slower, much more convoluted and slightly boring

This is my second book by Maguire, and I have to say it was a wonderful, exciting and yet exploring story. By inventing a 'back story' for the infamous Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz, Maguire tells an epic tale of a bizarre and fantastical land and a woman who struggles to find her place in it. Elphaba (a homage to L. Frank Baum) is born with green skin -- marked as different in a land where Animals can speak and magic is taught in schools. As she struggles to both fit in and stand out, Elphie (as she is known to her friends) struggles with questions of religion, with politics and with loyalties to friends and family. Obviously we know how the story ends... but its the getting there that is so fantastic. And the ending is, somehow, a wee bit different now. Not quite so black and white...

I was entranced by this novel as soon as I started reading it. Just to be able to see their world in a different light was amazing to me. But it started getting into politics which I didn’t find very interesting. I loved how the book followed The Wicked Witch of the West’s life and it was great to see the relationships that she made and how they came together to build the story behind the Wizard of Oz musical. The book did contradict the musical a little but I think that was the point the author was trying to make when he wrote this book. We had been seeing the story through one set of eyes when in reality there were many more people involved in the story. Overall I would recommend it but it did get a bit boring in the middle to the end of the book.

The beginning of this book was really creative and instantly drew me in. After a while though, I realized I didn't like the direction it was taking. The underlying political messages were something I didn't care to analyze, and the characters were not very relatable. A few parts did come to life thanks to the colorful settings and witty dialogue, but it just wasn't enough to keep me totally interested. Try Mirror, Mirror, or Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister for more excitement.

I absolutely adored this book. Gregory Maguire wonderfully retells the story of The Wizard Of Oz. Poor Elphaba. She isn’t made out to be wicked in this story or innocent. She is just a person trying to get through life as best she can. The book examines evil. Is Elphaba born evil? I think evil things just happen to and around her. Though from birth, from conception, she seemed destined to play an important role in the history of her country. Of course she wanted the shoes, the ruby slippers. They were her sister’s shoes and The Good Witch Of The North had no right to give them away. Both Glinda and Elphaba were only trying to do what they thought was right. After all, Dorothy was sent to the castle with the purpose of killing the Witch. I’m sad that a horrible accident, a happenstance of circumstance, cost Elphaba her life.

growing up as a huge fan of wizard of oz, it was so enjoyable to see the other side of it. a great read

The concept of this book is brillian. I loved the musical and have watched it many times. So what a great idea to explore the life of one of the characters before the arrival of Dorothy. Sadly, after a tremendous beginning, the book slows down and it ultimately became a slog for me to continue on. It could have been so much more.

Sometimes classical children's literature and fairy tales might seem a bit boring after a million repetition and retelling. Wicked is an ingenious creation that leads us to revisit the good old "Wizard of Oz" story from a totally different angle. What if nothing is as it seems? As the bookcover intro said, "challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil." While getting to love the Wicked Witch of the West, I won't be surprised that the same kind of mis-stereotyped good or evil might be occurring in our so-called reality all the time. An amazing must read.

I have never felt the urge to write a review until reading this book. If you are taken away by the original Wizard of Oz, you will feel insulted by this book. It is nothing in resemblance to the magically and wonderfully crafted work of Mr. Baum. However, what it turned out to be was a cheap modern day slew of infidelity and politics linked to the infamous Wicked Witch to sell copies. Poorly written and extremely upsetting. I was in love with the musical but this book was a let down. If you were in love with the Wizard of Oz, don't read this book or you'll end up feeling like you could have spent your time reading something that was more than a mere "hype" and an actual work of literature.