Fairy Tales With a Twist

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

This book is an alternate story of The Wicked Witch of the West. It is the story of her birth, life and death. The author tells the story with great passion and believability.

The book tells of the birth of Elphaba (the witch) and how she is green at birth. It tells of her growing up years and the trials she must endure. Trials such as a mother who cannot stand her, a father who believes the child is his punishment, and people who make fun of her as a small child. It tells us of her siblings, Elphaba's sister, who is known as The Wicked Witch of the East, and her brother. The story also tells of her college years, her friends, and her enemies. It tells of her years after college and how she became known as The Wicked Witch of the West along with her death.

The book explains how the wizard came to be in Oz and who the rulers of Oz were before he came along. It gives the geography of the Land of Oz and the many different people who live in each region. The book also tells of Glinda and how she became known as the Good Witch of the North.

The book is very well written and holds the reader's attention all through the story. The story is told in such a way that the reader finds himself/herself believing it is true. This is the story of an underdog and how she tried to overcome all the trials in her life.

This is a great read!