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Wicked

The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

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Wicked

By: Gregory Maguire
Narrated by: John McDonough
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About this listen

 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 Classics Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Magic Users Witchcraft Funny Witty Wizardry

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)
All stars
Most relevant  
Loved this book many years ago and reading it as an adult, has been a trip, talks of philosophy and spirituality that completely flew over my head blew my mind this second time around. Brace yourself for it is triggering and explicit.

The classic story with a twist

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After watching Wicked at the cinema and rewatching The Wizard of Oz, I decided to listen to the audiobook—and I’m so glad I did! Hearing Elphaba’s story brought Oz to life in such a vivid and captivating way.

I listened with intent and awe, completely drawn into the twists and turns of the tale. I loved it so much, and now I can’t wait to listen to the rest of the series! Perfect for fans of Wicked or The Wizard of Oz.

wasn't a fan of the narrator but I still enjoyed the book

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A very hard book to listen to. Very disjointed and out there. Not sure if it is because of the common Disney version we are familiar with but definitely not what I expected. So may questions arise from this book.

Not what I expected

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One of the most thematically complex and nuanced pieces of fantasy ever written in English. The plot lays so many trails, traps and tantalising possibilities and answers about as many of them as life does - very few. The character of Elfaba is a wonderfully real and imperfect creation.
The musical and now movie this book inspired is a wonder in its own way, but don’t expect the neat endings and sappy stories of love and sisterhood found there. This is far more “Tolkien But Full of Ironic Humour” than “Frozen’s Precursor, Set In Oz” as the musical is.

The negative reviews here seem to entirely understand the novel’s intention: it sets out not just to give up more two dimensional OZ, but to make OZ a world as dark and complex as our own, and to lovingly cast The Wizard Of Oz itself as lovely but cruelly simplified propaganda.

For those inclined to look at it through a particular lens it’s also a complex queer and gender-queer text. For those for whom this isn’t of interest, don’t worry, if you’re not looking for it you won’t notice it.

Complex, brilliant, misunderstood - just like it heroine.

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To start with I thought this was about Rain but think it's about her wiccan family iam enjoying Gregory's books this is my third one thank you Gregory Maguire and thank you John McDonough for reading to me 💖💖💖

Wickard by Gregory Maguire 💜🖤

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Before I watched the 2024 Wicked film, I wanted to explore the source material. Firstly I read ' The Wizard of Oz' and found it was written as a child's tale. This felt so jarring as I'd already seen Wicked the Musical and was used to more defined characters with backstories. Reading this book filled in the gaps that the original take couldn't provide me. The question explored in this novel is, How does someone become evil? The corruption in this story reminds me of the propoganda news of our own time and wartimes past. With an almost 1984 or Animal Farm vibe to it, it seems sad to be left with an ending we all knew was coming (if you've seen the original Wizard of Oz film).

A thoughtful spin on a classic tale which brings so much more humanity to the characters and their arcs.

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I love the world in this book, the creatures, the uncertainty of magic throughout. I did find it a bit long, but once you're over halfway there's no going back. Would read again.

Originality of writing

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Gloomy long story with no redeeming features. The narator did a good job. Was hoping it would get better and then it ended.

Not for fans of the cheerful, uplifting musical

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Far darker than anything I expected, I was absolutely gripped by Wicked right from the very beginning.

I have never seen the theatrical version, but cultural osmosis had given me some preconceived ideas about the contents of the book. I was surprised to find that my expectations were immediately contradicted by a surprising amount of grittiness within the first few chapters. For a revisionist story based on a fairy tale, Wicked is incredibly ‘adult’; covering topics like adultery, racism and radicalisation.

The book explores the question of whether evil is inherent or learnt, and blurs the lines between good and bad. I was glad to discover that Maguire doesn’t simply make The Wicked Witch a victim and Dorothy a menace. Maguire could have easily garnered readers sympathy by simply making the witch a helpless victim, but instead he makes her powerfully independent and smart. She is certainly not devoid of all blame, but when viewed with the perspective of her lived experiences, the Wicked Witch’s actions seem reasonable.

The novel is long, but the words are not wasted. Characters continue to grow and evolve through the entire book and despite knowing the outcome of the tale, one never experiences predictability. A very enjoyable read if you are open to its dark tone.

Fantastic, dark and gritty.

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Wicked is a wonderful book. Very well written and I enjoyed listening to the audio book just as much as I enjoyed reading it several years ago. I would have preferred a female narrator though, considering this is from the Witches pov!

Fantastic

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