"Wicked" - The Book - Opinions?

[Diznygrl]

I see Wicked the musical as kind of the "Disneyfied" version of the book. It reminds me of how Disney took The Hunchback of Notre Dame and turned it into a kid-friendly musical. Only in that case, I love BOTH the book and movie and see them each as classic works of art.

Wicked.....love love LOVE the musical! The book...ehh. I didn't hate it, I just didn't think it was all that great. It was creepy, weird, and depressing. How they saw the potential for a light-hearted broadway musical in that thing, I'll never know. But I'm glad they did!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

You really have to wonder WHY this book is so popular and just about everyone thinks it's pretty awful????

I'm leaving the computer right now to dive in to this monstrosity - I'll let you know what I think.

Gregory Maguire spoke to the kids at my school just as the book was about to be published. The book is JUST what you would expect from him. He is one of those people who kind of live on a more intelectual plane.

 

[grinningghost]

Gregory Maguire spoke to the kids at my school just as the book was about to be published. The book is JUST what you would expect from him. He is one of those people who kind of live on a more intelectual plane.

In other words, he is "above" the rest of us and if we don't "get" it, that's the reason.

 

[helenabear]

In other words, he is "above" the rest of us and if we don't "get" it, that's the reason.

Right.... nothing to do with the idea that he could be full of himself and not realize that he can't write that well Not saying I am brilliant or anything, but if I can get through some of the books I have and loved them, I don't think I am lacking intelligence when it comes to reading his.

Missy thanks! I think sometime I'll go to the library and get them to read.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

In other words, he is "above" the rest of us and if we don't "get" it, that's the reason.

AUGHHH. Me no understand. Book-no pictures. Please splain it to me, Mr Maguire.

 

[Mocharilla]

AUGHHH. Me no understand. Book-no pictures. Please splain it to me, Mr Maguire.

Wait, there are pictures! At the beginning of chapters! Including a very suggestive one of Elphie.

I hate writers that are just "better than the rest of us" and that stupid people just "don't get".

 

[disneynutt1225]

I hated it. I tried reading it several times and I was never able to get past the first few chapters. I'm an avid reader, and I usually finish a book even when I hate it, but I had to walk away from this one.

 

[dizneenut]

It took me awhile to get through the book, but in the end, I did like it. I absolutely LOVED the musical. I had started the book before seeing the show, then after seeing the show, I finished it. Now I'd like to read Son Of A Witch.

 

[taheenee]

No, haven't read this one. I did read 'Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister' and loved it so his other books are on my 'to read' list but so are about 100 other books. It's kinda funny, a few people i know have read all of his stuff and everyone has reported that 'Wicked' was the best of his. Now i'm curious about it, might have to move it up the reading list!

 

[IloveDMB]

So, am I the only person here who absolutly loved the book?

I'm right there with you. I read the book a few years ago. I then went to see the musical a couple weeks ago and am now rereading the book.

I loved the book then and now. While I really enjoyed the musical, they really really changed the story. It should be called "loosely based on the novel Wicked".

 

[NorgeKathrine]

I liked the book although I have to agree the writing is poor.

What I liked was that he took what we knew about the Wizard of Oz and turned it upside down. I also liked seeing the origins of all the things in the story. I loved finding out why she was green, where she got her crystal ball, who her father was, how the winged monkeys came to be, etc.

I didn't care for all the unanswered questions and all the unnecessary crap. The whole scene at the sex club did nothing for the story so I'm not sure why he even put it in there. I also never figured out who the witch was that kept turning up all through the story.

And while I have you all here ... Did anyone else think that Elphaba and Dorothy were sisters? I think he alluded to that in the book but my friend disagreed.

 

[RUDisney]

In other words, he is "above" the rest of us and if we don't "get" it, that's the reason.

That just means that Wicked will become a classic that HS students are forced to read like Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man. To this day, I still purport that if a student wrote like James Joyce, they would get an F on their paper.

 

[silverarrowknits]

I read Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I finished both books and found them interesting, but I really didn't like either book that much. I am not really interested in reading another one of his books.

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

I liked it well enough to get the sequel, "Son of a Witch", and that's rare. They both were a good read to me.

 

[chobie]

So, am I the only person here who absolutly loved the book?

Nope. I love it too. Thought it was a wonderful political allegory. A book that really made me think. Love the musical too.