Awesomely Wicked

I know it is already a very popular musical, but the original book is quite different and many shades darker than the musical. Wicked The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire is a story of the life of the future wicked witch of the west named Elphaba. Based on The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum, Wicked tries to explain why Elphaba became so wicked and how everything was not as it seemed.
The writing style of Maguire seems often times confusing and I got lost in some descriptions, but he had a knack for making this wonderland of Oz a reality, with real people and real problems such as puberty, infidelity, love, and hate. It seemed as if we all are originated in this world. This book will clearly surprise you and confuse you at the same time, for most of the plot will be revealed in the end, so keep reading. I also loved the book design. It had the same cover as the musical and the pages were gilded in green.

Excerpt from Wicked:
She was hunched forward over a book, as usual, and her hair hung down like brackets on either side of her face. She looked to Galinda like one of those etchings-the natural history of books were full of them-of odd Winkie mountain women who hide their strangeness with a shawl over the head. Elphaba was munching on the pip of an apple, having eaten all the rest of it. “Well, you look cozy enough, Miss Elphaba,” said Galinda, challengingly. In three months it was her first social remark she had managed to make to her roomie.
“Looks are only looks,” said Elphaba, not looking up.
“Will it break your concentration if I sit in front of the fire?”
“You cast a shadow if you sit just there.”
“Oh, sorry,” said Galinda, and moved. “Mustn’t cast shadows, must we, when urgent words are waiting to be read?”