Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West

I absolutely adored this book. Gregory Maguire wonderfully retells the story of The Wizard Of Oz. Poor Elphaba. She isn’t made out to be wicked in this story or innocent. She is just a person trying to get through life as best she can. The book examines evil. Is Elphaba born evil? I think evil things just happen to and around her. Though from birth, from conception, she seemed destined to play an important role in the history of her country.

Of course she wanted the shoes, the ruby slippers. They were her sister’s shoes and The Good Witch Of The North had no right to give them away. Both Glinda and Elphaba were only trying to do what they thought was right. After all, Dorothy was sent to the castle with the purpose of killing the Witch. I’m sad that a horrible accident, a happenstance of circumstance, cost Elphaba her life.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

What a great novel! I could barely put it down. I probably could have sat and taken in the whole thing in a day if I had the time. It is just so interesting. So fanciful and real at the same time.

I loved the characters! I loved the step-sisters. They weren’t so evil after all. Cinderella wasn’t the perfect maiden either. The step-mother was a little evil though, not totally. Her goal was always to create a better life for herself and her daughters. She just did not always abide by her own moral preachings.

The reader sees how reality can create a fairytale. If these actions are passed into history, if words are misconstrued, it can evolve into a magical story. I love the twists at the end. I love the epilogue. I love that the real ending to this tale isn’t tied pretty with a bow. There is love and hate, life and death.