Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

I read this many years ago…or perhaps I should say I tried to read this many years ago. I couldn’t do it. It was like going to the dentist. I knew it was time but the constant scrape, scrape, scrape was more than my poor teeth could bear.

This Christmas past I attended a jewelry exchange party. Nice way to get rid of all the ugly crap in your jewelry box that crazy Great-Aunt Agnes left you in her will. Anyway-at any party mention you review books for a living and everyone wants to tell you about their favorite book. This one was no different. A small but lovely Asian woman cornered me in a back corner, going on and on about how she just finished Wicked and how utterly fabulous it was, how she was going to read everything else Gregory Maguire ever read and then she was going to see the play.

Wow- I thought. Maybe I missed something the first time around. I don’t remember this book being that great. I allowed her to convince me to give it another go. Plus I picked up a great set of earrings-blue sapphire. This time I was smarter, I picked up the audio.

This is a book that needs to be listened to…only through listening do you pick up the small phrases that make this book wonderful. Yes, Yes I admit it. I’m a convert. Loved it.

After all with quotes such as “…it was your typical funeral, a love-her-and-shove-her-type affair.” What else can I even say?

Many will argue the musical is so much better than the book- and you know what? It is. They're right. If you see the musical and then read the book, you will be disappointed.

I finished the book several days ago yet certain phrases still circle the brain. A sign of a truly talented author. Part of the fun I believe, is the constant feeling of being in on the joke. Makes you feel as though Gregory is presently constantly elbowing you in the ribs. For example....

GLINDA: "Well,I'm a public figure now! People expect me to--"

ELPHABA: "Lie?"

GLINDA: (fiercely) "Be encouraging! And what exactly have you been doing? Besides riding on around on that filthy thing!"

ELPHABA: "Well, we can't all come and go by bubble."

I have a confession- I hate the Wizard of Oz. Freaked me out as a kid and freaks me out now. Wicked actually made me want to watch the movie again.