Wicked cover art

Wicked

The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

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Wicked

By: Gregory Maguire
Narrated by: John McDonough
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About this listen

 Heralded as an instant classic of fantasy literature, Maguire has written a wonderfully imaginative retelling of The Wizard of Oz told from the Wicked Witch's point of view. More than just a fairy tale for adults, Wicked is a meditation on the nature of good and evil.

Elphaba is born with green skin, a precocious mind, and a talent for magic. An outcast throughout her childhood in Munchkinland, she finally begins to feel as though she fits in when she enters the University in the Emerald City. While she hones her skills, she discovers that Oz isn't the Utopia it seems. She sets out to protect its unwanted creatures, becoming known as the Wicked Witch along the way.

Narrator John McDonough draws you in to Maguire's magical world of witches and talking animals, making it possible to believe in a land somewhere over the rainbow.

©1995 Gregory Maguire (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC Classics Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Users Thought-Provoking Funny Scary Witchcraft

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Critic reviews

"A staggering feat of wordcraft." ( Los Angeles Times)
"McDonough's excellent portrayals of Elphaba's outspoken, gravel-voiced nanny, Glinda's snobbish friends, and the wide-eyed, soft-spoken Dorothy make this excursion to Oz worthwhile." ( Publishers Weekly)
All stars
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Not at all what I expected, but a detailed, shocking story of Oz.
I haven’t seen the musical but I imagine there’s not a lot of this book in a family show.

Definitely not for children

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Surprisingly darker, different to what the musical shows and makes me want to explore the rest of the series, at least the sequel.

Not as expected - which is a good thing!

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Puts a totally different light on the original story, just begs the question" who was really Wicked ?????? " it's up to you to decide !!!!!!

Great listen

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Wonderful story, well performed. Creates a better understanding of what makes one wicked. Highly recommend a listen

A fascinating insight into Elphaba’s history

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I've listened more times than I can remember now and each time I spot something I've missed. the narration is fab. the storyline speaks to my soul. Just brilliant 👏

Still one of my absolute faves.

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Great story. I had forgotten how cruel and nasty it is but how exciting and different too. I love it.

Wicked wonderful

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As a fan of the film and musical, I didn't expect much from Wicked (the book) when I first began reading it, because I had only seen negative reviews, so pretty much just started reading it so I could criticise it.

However, I found that I actually enjoyed the book. There are certain parts in the book that can be very off putting and difficult to listen to but that's the nature of the world the characters live in. The musical is great but it doesn't manage to maintain the tone or messages that the book does. The book is primarily a discussion about what makes a person wicked and if anyone is truly wicked. I think the characters are well developed and I enjoyed the overall plot.

In places it reads like a fanfiction but that's because it is, and I feel like people going into reading it should already be aware of that. I don't necessarily think thats a bad thing though (other than one grammatical error that made it through editing and really bothered me).

The musical also doesn't have the time to go into as much detail as the book (regarding the characters and overall world building), and I feel it is definitely noticeable, whereas the book is paced differently (due to it being a book) and fills in all the gaps the musical has. I feel like despite them being so different, the book and musical go hand in hand and neither would be as good without the other imo.

Overall, I would definitely reccommend Wicked.

Pleasantly Suprised

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Having never seen the show or film, I cannot compare.. However this narrated story was entertaining and moving.

Fabulous

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The story is so deep and somehow realistic. The emotions and human carapace that Elphaba experiences and builds throughout her live, the traumatic events, Madame Morrible's murder (made me laugh out loud). It's such a personal story. I really enjoyed it and i loved how the narrator read it too although listening to it at night, i fell asleep pretty fast because of his soothing voice.

I loved this

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The narration is great if a little slow but the book itself is very mediocre. There is no need to compare it with the musical as the musical is just a really loose adaptation of the book, a fanfiction even. The world is purely built as a vessel for the authors political commentary. It has dark themes and gets really creepy at times. Even though the protagonist is a female character, the author can't seem to be able to write women (nor their relationships) as three dimensional, interesting and complex beings. Fiyero was better written and had more character development than Elphaba.... It's an ok book, nothing groundbreaking. Do not recommend anyone under 14 to read it.

Perfect narration, mid book

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