"It's not a retelling of 'The Wizard of Oz,' and it's not really a prequel," Gregory Maguire likes to say to correct people when they suggest this his novel is that closely tied to L. Frank Baum's work. "It's another story of another life." The musical is much more of a prequel than the novel.
Maguire, in his 400+ page work, created a universe we're more likely to associate with J. R. R. Tolkien, or J.K. Rowlins, than with L. Frank Baum. He populated his dark fantasy Oz with 38 speaking characters and other background characters that don't speak. It's complex, nuanced, psychological -- taking readers inside the head of Elphaba and Glinda in unexpected ways.
Buy or read more about: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
New European edition
Wicked
Called "Masterfully imaginative...an enchating fable," the sequel follows Elphaba's son Lur in his struggles to find himself and deal with the sorry state that Oz has evolved into.
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Read more about Gregory Maguire
Read about the roles of Elphaba, Glinda, Madame Morrible, Dr. Dillamond, Nessarose and more. Wicked Characters covers characters in the novel and musical.
Copyright © 2006–2007 Carol de Giere, webmaster for this independent site for the musical theatre show Wicked West End London
wickedwestend.co.uk
Carol's Wicked UK Site. Carol is also webmaster for the official fan site for Wicked's composer Stephen Schwartz
Who's Who in Wicked? Read about the roles of Elphaba, Glinda, Madame Morrible, Dr. Dillamond, Nessarose and more. Wicked Characters
