And a review of Gregory Maguire's Wicked
It's true that no one mourns the wicked.
But what makes a person wicked?
Gregory Maguire has made a name for himself by turning fairy tales around and telling the story from a lesser known point of view. With this book he tackles The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and tells the story of Elphaba (a name that came from Mr. Maguire phonetically reading aloud the original author's initials, L. F. B...) the Wicked Witch of the West.
Why is exactly is she so wicked, though? Is it because she thinks for herself? Is it because she chooses to do what is right, rather than what is popular? Is it because she considers herself the sworn enemy of those in power, (the Wizard) even though he runs a vicious dictatorship? Is it because she seeks the truth and tries to protect the rights of others, like the Animals?
With his novel, Maguire presents an interesting take on good and evil, and lets the reader draw their own conclusions. He lays out all the facts, but doesn't concretely answer all the questions, which would ordinarily be annoying. The way he does it though, the answers are there, but first the reader has to decide for themselves exactly who IS good and evil, right and wrong. He guides you in the direction that he thinks you should go, but doesn't force you to choose his side.
So read it, and decide for yourself. Is the Wicked Witch of the West really wicked?
I'm off to read the sequel now.
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