Without taking itself too seriously, Gregory Maguire’s famous novel takes Frank L. Baum’s original work decidedly seriously, using reverential satire, witty wordplay and rich and complex worldbuilding to tell the backstory of the Wicked Witch of The West. He fleshes out the world, giving meaning and significance to things that are mentioned briefly in the original text (ever wonder who digs the emerald mines to finance the Emerald City?). It works, though, in a very Maguire-flavoured way.

The plot hinges on the character of Elphaba and her descent into madness and moral relativity, and asks the question of whether the ends really justify the means? We see key moments in Elphaba’s life that eventually transform her from a little girl with green skin to a monster; perceived or otherwise. She becomes weighed down by her own sense of self that had been thrust upon her since birth, and by her political cause that eventually consumes her.

I’m a fan of the original source material, a fan of the movie version of “The Wizard of Oz” and a fan of the hit Broadway musical “Wicked”, which is based on Maguire’s novel. Many reviews from readers who’ve read the book after watching the musical seem to be negative – the musical was indeed very different to the book. I, however, loved that I got to delve deeper (especially politically) into a world I already cherished so much. The darker fairy-tale tone, the poetic prose and the likeable but flawed protagonist all made this book a joy to read.