Anais' Annotations: "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire

Over the last few years, “Wicked” has overtaken the media, both in its Broadway and cinema forms. While the songs are catchy and the cast members are star-studded, much of the material for these productions comes from a 1995 novel of the same title by Gregory Maguire. Despite the popularity of the musical and films, readers may be surprised to find that the novel is a far cry from the Oz of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. 

“Wicked” is classified as a dark fantasy book. It lacks the somewhat immature slant of the recent films, which makes it both more dynamic and more disturbing. Although I had heard of the book, which I read between the first and second film adaptations, it was very different from other productions, and I was not expecting the changes to be so significant. 

Part of the difference in Maguire’s original material is the novel truly sticks to its roots as a political allegory. Between the songs and morals of friendship in the film, it can be easy to forget that the story is supposed to be about history and power. The book leaves no room for such trivial elements. Its serious nature casts a new light on the story of Elphaba, or the Wicked Witch of the West, but it can be a lot to take in. 

I would tell anyone interested in following up on the most recent film, “Wicked: For Good,” with a reading of the book, that it is not at all like the movies. The character names, a light plot sketch, and a few major plot points are lifted from the book. Otherwise, everything is different. Spoilers here, but Elphaba and Glinda are not even in contact with each other by the end. It is a vastly different outlook on Oz and the characters associated with this story, like the Witch herself. 

For myself, I had a difficult time seeing Elphaba as a sympathetic character. I understood throughout my reading that I was supposed to be rooting for her. While I was not rooting against her (not that I had to because we all know how the story ends), I just could not completely back her case.  

I attribute most of this issue to her somewhat flat portrayal. It is rare to see powerful emotions from Elphaba. She mostly tries to stay neutral, partly because of her relationship withpolitics, but this makes it difficult to connect with her. I want to see an Elphaba who feels passionately, yells when she is upset, grieves mightily and has great joy when something goes her way.  

These instances occur within the story, but they are few and far between. 

This novel includes copious death, sexual assault and some rather graphic depictions of violence against both people and animals. Readers should be prepared for these heavier themes and topics. Each one makes a significant contribution to how the story is read, but some of these issues are understandably sensitive. 

Musical theatre fans everywhere owe a great deal to Maguire and his original thoughts behind “Wicked.” Readers may be more divided. I was greatly enthused by the new perspective offered in this book, and I enjoyed much of the reading. For me, Elphaba’s flat affects just toned things down a little too much. All things considered, I rate “Wicked” a 6.5 out of 10.