Wicked
Gregory Maguire
Headline
Paperback, pages not given, R129.95
Reviewed by Gail Jamieson, on 31 January 2007
This eccentric novel chronicles the trials and tribulations of Elphabia,
"the wicked witch of the West" from birth until she is "murdered" by Dorothy,
who is desperate to get back to Kansas.
Yes, you're right, Dorothy who was sent by the Wizard of Oz to kill the
witch before he will give her any assistance.
From the moment of her birth as a grass-green coloured baby Elphabia is
different, and not only in her hue. She has a morbid fear of water and is
followed around by her armless but nevertheless beautiful sister, Nessa Rose,
and her physically normal but not quite "all there" brother, Shell.
Her absent preacher father and adulterous mother also contribute to a
difficult upbringing.
The Land of Oz is also in turmoil. Quadling Country has succeeded and the
wizard is trying to re-annex it. There is much religious upheaval as well as
the supporters of the Unknown God clash with the idolaters of the Clock of
the Time Dragon.
Somehow Elphie gets through adolescence and goes off to college. Here she
meets up with Galinda (who soon elides herself to Glinda), and becomes
politically active. She takes a lover and complicates her life further.
With the death of her lover in a political bombing she takes herself off
to a "nunnery" for want of a better word and spends seven years there. She
eventually learns that she is a witch and teaches herself to fly her
broomstick. The saga continues until she finally meets Dorothy.
This is a quirky and essentially tragic story. I guess it has to be as we
all know what is going to happen. But it is very well written and makes us
stop and think of how we see our world.
The blurb on the back tells us that the novel was the inspiration for a
Broadway musical. I can't imagine anything less likely, but such is life.
Highly recommended.
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