ReganBooks/ An Imprint of HarperCollins PublishersNew York - ©1995 - 406pp
ISBN: 0-06-039144-8
Illustrations by Douglas Smith
Elphaba, born green and of questionable gender at birth to an emotionally unstable and sexually rampant mother and a narrow-focused, religious leader father, grows up to become the infamous "Wicked Witch of the West." This tale of politics, sex, and treachery is her "side" of the story.
This really is an incredible weaving of L. Frank Baum's tale and an original piece of work to shed new light on the Wicked Witch's story. Though at times uneven, the story is full of duplicity and complexity that requires the reader to keep a sharp eye out for what has happened and what might be coming still ahead.
I think that I enjoyed this all the more because while reading this book I have read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz twice -- once to my daughter and once to my sons. By becoming much more intimately acquainted with the original source for this book, I much more appreciated the way Maguire was able to make connections, and I certainly looked at the original story in a new light.
I would recommend this book, but I also would recommend first reading L. Frank Baum's original series (or at the very least, the first book) set Oz.
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