With the splash of the water bucket, the Wicked Witch of the West melted in a shrieking mess in front of Dorothy, aghast at what had happened when she tried to extinguish the burning witch. But how did we get to this point? How did Elphaba end up defeated by the girl from Kansas?
Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is the tale of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz and how she came to her role as the villain of the classic film. From before her birth, to her time at Shiz University with Galinda and her work and activism for the Animals of Oz under the rule of the heinous Wizard of Oz. The book explores her journey and love, leading her up to that fateful encounter with Dorothy, and her doomed fate.
Most people will be aware of the musical adaptation of the same name, but the written tale is as in-depth as one could hope for. Its artful (and surprisingly raunchy!) telling of what we didn’t see of the classic character was difficult to put down. Its crafting and expansion of the unusual land we first saw in 1939, with the added addition of the political tensions, underlying story elements and the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda was fantastic to read more about, and completely redefines your interpretation of the film. Each section also began with a beautiful illustration of an upcoming scene, which were all incredibly detailed. My only critique would be the time jumps between sections (sometimes a decade or more) which I understand was required for the story, but definitely felt like a sudden break from the immersion.
Nevertheless, this book was a great read, and so entertaining. If you enjoyed Wicked and The Wizard of Oz, or can’t get to see the shows on stage, this book is a great supplementary read, or a further extension into the magic of Oz.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (ISBN: 978-0-06-098710-7) was published in 1995
