Wicked

The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

By: Gregory Maguire

Narrated by: John McDonough

Heralded as an instant classic of fantasy literature, Maguire has written a wonderfully imaginative retelling of The Wizard of Oz told from the Wicked Witch's point of view. More than just a fairy tale for adults, Wicked is a meditation on the nature of good and evil.

Elphaba is born with green skin, a precocious mind, and a talent for magic. An outcast throughout her childhood in Munchkinland, she finally begins to feel as though she fits in when she enters the University in the Emerald City. While she hones her skills, she discovers that Oz isn't the Utopia it seems. She sets out to protect its unwanted creatures, becoming known as the Wicked Witch along the way.

Narrator John McDonough draws you in to Maguire's magical world of witches and talking animals, making it possible to believe in a land somewhere over the rainbow.

©1995 Gregory Maguire (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A staggering feat of wordcraft." (Los Angeles Times)
"McDonough's excellent portrayals of Elphaba's outspoken, gravel-voiced nanny, Glinda's snobbish friends, and the wide-eyed, soft-spoken Dorothy make this excursion to Oz worthwhile." (Publishers Weekly)

Decent, but not great

The concept for this book intrigued me - what an original idea! The moral and ethical questions raised are thought provoking and this should be a great book. However, I found that it didn't keep my attention. It was one of those "reads" where you suddenly realize that you haven't been listening for several minutes. I found myself constantly rewinding and relistening to parts because my mind wandered off. The narrator is good, so that wasn't the issue. I think part of the problem is that the writing is a little stiff, or, as the author would say, "the prose is a tad stilted".

Still, I listened to the whole book and probably got my credit's worth, so I rate it a 3.

Loved It!

If you are a fan of the Wizard of Oz, please read this book - it won't change the story for you, rather, it enhances MANY levels & characters seen in it. The narrator did a wonderful job. I loved the way that all 19 hours are relevant - people who come & go in the beginning revisit later on, and make for a fantastic story. Be prepared to think with an open mind, and to become enamored by the little green girl!

Need More *'s

I've listened to, and read, this book about 5 times now. Wow. One of my favorite books of all time, and Gregory Maguire is now one of my favorite authors of all time! What I like is that he does not do a hack-job of changing the tales that he writes about (also in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc.), he writes a full and complete novel which would be as enjoyable to anybody who had never even heard of the Wizard of Oz, and then makes it all that much more enjoyable for everybody who is able to relate to all the happenings. What an incredible "point of view" game he plays! And Elpheba really comes across as more interesting BY FAR than Dorothy (if not more "good"). Note - if you like this, immediately get Son of a Witch and listen to that. And GM, come on out with the third one, please!

So Entertaining!

I loved this Audiobook! The characters are delightful, and the story is extremely engrossing.

Nice spin on this classic..

I found this "grown-up" tale of the Wizard Of Oz characters very engrossing.Now I can't wait to see the play!

The book is better than the play

I absolutely enjoyed every page of (or second of listening to) this book. As a child, I read every single book in L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz series, and I enjoyed the parallel reality created by Gregory Maguire. He talks about Tik Tok, Osma and other Oz beings, creating a wonderful alternative explanation for all that I enjoyed as a child. What a great way to enjoy Oz again as an adult!

Moral lesson on forgiveness.

"Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." By forgiving, one is forgiven.

good story with reservations.

while I did enjoy reading about the evolution of the witch and what drove her to become the Wicked Witch of the West, and of course her end was a foregone conclusion, I can't help but feel that this was a shaggy dog story with no resolution from the reader's point of view. I kept hoping for a payoff after the rich development of the characters in new and interesting ways. but in the end it was just an abrupt end with no real payoff, I gave it 4 stars because the story was so well thought out and read, but it lost the final star due to the ending. perhaps it will take reading the other three books to bring things into focus but I find myself with very little interested in pursuing more.

Ding dong - the wicked witch had a bad childhood!

The book was very good. It was a unique view of the story of Oz. The ending left me wanting more. (there are two more books) My only real complaint is that it seems to say the was only bad because everyone picked on her and she was an outsider. I think she liked being the odd one.

I wish you could half star as I would give it 3.4 stars. (I round down not up hence 3 Stars)

emotional

i loved most of this story but by the end it begins to ware on my emotions it got harder by the end to want to know what comes next.