Wicked
 

Wicked is a story about the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, otherwise known as Elphaba. From the minute she was born, Elphaba was different. For one, she was born with green skin and razor sharp teeth. Her parents, one a minister, were disappointed for various reasons. She eventually grows up and goes to college, meeting her new roommate, whose name is Galinda. No, that's not a misspelling. This book explains how the witch became wicked, how she came to live in the castle, who the Witch of the East is, and many other things that the original book left out.

Wicked is a good story about the roots of evil, religion, and a misunderstood girl trying to make something of herself. There are many adult themes and words, though, and children might not understand the plot. It is, after all, an adult book, not written for people under their freshman year in college. Many kids might be lured into reading it by seeing or listening to the soundtrack of the "Popular" musical, but the musical strays from the book in many ways. The relationship between Elphaba and Galinda is the primary focus of the musical, and this book centers on Elphaba.

Aside from that, I enjoyed Wicked because of it's humor and Elphie's sarcasm, and because it was about a world sort of like our own. Ozians have a Lurlinemas, just like we have a Christmas, they have colleges and metropolises and nightclubs, and above all, they have people like us. Although they differ from us in appearance (Quadlings, Munchkins, Winkies), we share the same feelings: love, disappointment, jealousy, friendship, and belonging. For me, it's interesting that people in a land so far away from home can be like us in so many ways.

I recommend Wicked to adults who are looking for a satisfying, humorous, and gripping read. And if you still haven't had enough of Oz, read Gregory Maguire's 2005 sequel, Son of a Witch.
 

Mickey Walsh
8th Grade