December 14, 2013

Wicked by Gregory Maguire (Review)

Title: Wicked
Author: Gregory Maguire
First published: 1995
Add it: Goodreads, The Book Depository
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I tried Grammarly's plagiarism detector free of charge because they are giving me a 10$ Amazon gift card, and if I'm to lose my Amazon virginity, I'd rather not pay for it :)

The full title actually sounds like Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, but it would be more honest to rename it like this: Wicked: Violence, Sex, Racism, Terrorism, Dirty Politics, Disfigurement, Murder and Religious Confrontation in Times of the Wicked Witch of the West! I have probably even forgotten something, but you get the idea.

I was a bit shocked in the beginning of the book because the country described in it is nothing like the magic and wonderful Oz from the original books. In time, though, I started to enjoy the complex world Maguire created, his character studies and wonderful inventions. The University part was great, because there is student life, first love, forging friendships and idealism of youth. However, then things got complicated, and Maguire started losing me. I stopped understanding the motivations of the characters and was in a more or less confused state all the time. Then it dragged, and then came mysticism, and then I was wishing the book to end soon.

It's a very interesting thought that everything must have been a bit different than the perceptions of a little girl from Kansas, and I wish the book stayed what it can so well be - a speculation. Instead, it became philosophical, moralistic and complicated. In the end, nothing was really explained, and I was left with a lot of "WTF" questions. I know there are sequels, but I don't think it's fair to the reader to leave everything unclear until he reads more. At least I am not going to read more because I suspect more tricks like this :) I am also not a fan of his writing as it's rather abrupt and obscure.

All this said, I rather liked the characters in the book. They felt real, and were so much more than the labels they wore. The Wicked Witches were actually aiming for good causes, and the Good Witch is quite a shallow and trifling rich girl. Another thing I enjoyed was the politics. The Wizard is such a regular usurper and tyrant, and he knows how to maintain his power. Animal rights question plays a very important role in the life of the country, and it resonates with some of the most painful recent moments in our own history.

In my book:
Not really my kind of thing, although quite engaging and thought-provoking in the beginning.

8 comments:

  1. I love the musical, but everything I've heard about the book sounds a lot like this. Very disappointing since I would instantly love the book if it were more like the musical (yes, I know the book came first, but still). I probably won't read it because I don't want it to ruin the story for me...

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    1. I should probably try to watch some recording of the musical now :) Which one do you like best?

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  2. I've avoided this book although it's been recommended to me because I know that books that typically become best sellers are rarely ones I'll enjoy. I've never read a book review that made me think this book would be an exception to that rule. I can honestly say, if you had enjoyed this, I might have wanted to read it.

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    1. Thanks for your trust :) But honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. It's not a pleasant read per se, and you can well live without knowing the story. I didn't know it was a bestseller, and I'm quite surprised at it. It's not an easy and accessible book at all!

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  3. I've always been curious about this book, but never picked it up. I assumed it would have been as magical and sweet as the Wizard of Oz. I had a friend who raved about it being really good, but we do have different taste in a lot of things. :)

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    1. I also expected it to be sweet... And this expectation was destroyed after first pages :)) When certain friends recommend a book to me, I know I will avoid it... Blogging friends are so much better in terms of recommendations! :))

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  4. I was surprised how many people hated the new Oz movie because it changed the background story created by Maguire. Personally, I haven't found time to read Wicked yet (I will someday), but I am prepared for a book which purposely changes the background story for a "fresh view" of the world. I read his retelling of Cinderella a while back, and it was quite enjoyable. But I think it WOULD be disappointing if you expect it to be the same world Baum created.

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    1. Well, strictly speaking, it IS the same world, just from another point of view, and that's what I love about the book. What could a little girl understand about things happening around her? Not much :) So this is kind of a grown-up version of the same world. Although if I were a REAL fan of OZ books, I'd probably also feel a bit frustrated, I don't know.

      Cinderella retelling? Nice, I need to check it out.

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