[Maguire's] brilliant reimagining of Oz as a cohesive world, replete with diverse cultures, religions and histories, enables him to explore contemporary social and political issues alongside perennial questions of morality and spirituality ... Biting yet empathetic humor.
The perfect escape into the world of Oz ... As Elphaba starts her journey of discovery the novel’s pace is slow and steady. But as she begins to understand herself and the joy and wonders of Oz, the novel’s becomes a tad more lively ... The rhythm Maguire create also make the book easy one to breeze through.
Readers who enjoy the musical or who have only read Wicked will be able to appreciate this as a stand-alone prequel, while fans of the series will eat up the Easter eggs and origin stories ... An emotional coming-of-age story that thrums with injustice, regret, and the complicated characters who made a young girl into the serious, stubborn witch destined to take on all of Oz.
Not much happens in Maguire’s talky pages, certainly as compared to the previous Wicked books ... A bit of a slog and a bit of a downer, but essential for Elphaba fans.
