Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
by Gregory Maguire
Summary
When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?
Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.
Having sold three-quarters of a million copies since its 1995 publication, Wicked is enjoying a second life as a big-budget Broadway musical directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. Millions of readers have discovered Gregory Maguire's fantastically encyclopedic Oz, a world filled with characters both familiar and new, darkly conceived and daringly reimagined. The story continues in Son of a Witch and in A Lion Among Men, where we return to Oz, seen now through the eyes of the Cowardly Lion-the once tiny cub defended by Elphaba in Wicked.
Praise
"Amazing novel" — John Updike, in The New Yorker
"Save a place on the shelf between Alice and The Hobbit-that spot is well deserved." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A captivating, funny, and perceptive look at destiny, personal responsibility, and the not-always-clashing beliefs of faith and magic." — Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Gregory Maguire is the bestselling author of Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Lost, Mirror, Mirror, and the Wicked Years series, which includes Wicked, Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men. Wicked, now a beloved classic, is the basis for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical of the same name. Maguire has lectured on art, literature, and culture both at home and abroad. He lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.
Visit Gregory Maguire's Web Site
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