Well, I finished the book and I tried to read slowly. Although I needed to know if Elphaba lived, I wanted the book to last as long as it could. I am talking about the much anticipated last volume in the Wicked series, Out of Oz. If you have never read Wicked, Maguuire's first book in the series, you are really missing out. Maguire has taken the story of the Wizard of Oz, and twisted it into a rich tale of "good vs evil" with characters you won't soon forget. And like L Frank Baum, there is a message behind the fantastic tale. This book centers around Elphaba's (who just happenes to be the Wicked Witch of the West) granddaughter, nicknamed Rain and her struggles to come to terms with her past, present & future. The book deals with war, weapons of mass destruction ( they be dragons !!) , dysfunctional families...you name it !
Now, as much as I love the series, all of Maguire's books really, I found this last one a little slow. I realize I was anxious to hear about all the characters but even so, at times it was a labor to get through. Until the last few chapters, in which there was so much action and so may favorite characters coming & going, my head was spinning.
If you find my review alittle vague, it is purposly so. I do not want to spoil the ending for anyone reading the review. I will tell you that you really have to read all the books in the Wicked series to get this book, it is not a book you can pick up and read and have it make any sense. I totally recommend reading the whole series. You will NEVER be able to watch the movie, Wizard of Oz, without shaking your head and saying...there's no place like OZ.
Gregory Maguire's books in the Wicked series include: 1)Wicked, 2)Son of a Witch, 3)Lion Among Men and lastly
4)Out of Oz.
