The “Wicked” series by Gregory Maguire

 

💚 Buckle up, friends! Having just seen the movie, I’m in the mood to do a deep dive into the fabulous “Wicked” series by Gregory Maguire. 

💚 For those new to the books,  part I of the movie takes us through a portion of Part III of the novel (“The City of Emeralds”). As he is wont to do, Maguire brilliantly subverts L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” and imbues his version with themes of justice, morality, and power. Maguire’s tale aligns with the events that transpire in “The Wizard of Oz” in Part V (“The Murder and Its Afterlife”).

💚 “Wicked” was by far my favorite novel in the series; it was complex and gripping on every level. I enjoyed “Son of a Witch” and “Out of Oz” for the closure both provide on the legacy of Elphaba. I didn’t enjoy “A Lion Among Men” overmuch, but I do recognize its importance as it gives us the necessary perspective of the marginalized Animals in Ozian society.

💚 In an interview with the BBC, Maguire reflected on how he came up with the concept for “Wicked” telling the backstory of Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship. You can listen to the interview here. Additionally, Maguire weaves a beautiful tribute to L. Frank Baum into his stories. You can listen to the interview clip where he talks about the origin of the name “Elphaba” here. I recently started Maguire’s “Wicked” spin-off, the “Another Day” trilogy featuring Elphie’s granddaughter Rain.

💚 “Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” (1995)

Before Dorothy and the yellow brick road, Oz was a politically and socially charged land marked by class struggle and religious tensions. 

Maguire takes us to the childhood of Elphaba Thropp, the future Wicked Witch of the West. Born in Munchkinland, with unexpectedly green skin, she immediately struggles with familial and societal rejection. At Shiz University, she meets such characters as Dr. Dillamond, Glinda, and Fiyero, and embarks on a path of political rebellion by questioning the oppressive rule of the Wizard. Her character arc is a transformation from idealistic activist to a figure both misunderstood and feared.

Themes: the effect of personal choices on identity, societal norms, power dynamics, and traditional notions of good and evil.

💚 “Son of a Witch” (2005)

Maguire picks up the tale with Liir, a young man recovering in the care of monks. He may or may not be Elphaba’s son. He must uncover his past to learn where he belongs in Oz. He is inexorably embroiled in the political upheaval in Oz, eventually joining the resistance against the Wizard’s regime.

Themes: identity and legacy, the moral ambiguity of political resistance, and costs of fighting oppression.

💚 “A Lion Among Men” (2008)

Brrr is rather more famous to us as the Cowardly Lion. I believe the purpose of this story is to give readers a deeper understanding of the political conflict in Oz. Maguire connects Brrr to the resistance and to Elphaba’s legacy.

Themes: courage, guilt, and redemption.

💚 “Out of Oz” (2011)

The final book in the Wicked series focuses on Rain, Elphaba’s granddaughter. By this point, Oz has been torn apart by civil war. Rain must confront Elphaba’s legacy and the truth behind the turmoil in Oz. But will she make the same choices as her legendary grandmother?

Themes: inheritance, reconciliation, cyclical nature of history, moral complexity of political conflict