Novel Title: Wicked-The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Author: Gergory Maguire
Date of Publication: 1996
Number of Pages: 406

2. The reason I chose this book is because I have always wanted to see the actual play, Wicked. So, I decided that until I get the chance to see the play I could read the book and get to know the story more in depth. Also, I have heard reviews from different people and some are good and some are bad so I would like to make a decision for myself to see how much I enjoy or dislike the book. In addition, I enjoy reading books in which I already know some of the plot so it is easier to read and I know I am actually going to be interested in it. I am looking forward to reading this book and hopefully in the future I will also be able to see the play.

3. So far, I am enjoying this book even though I have not gotten very far into it. But, some of the words are confusing and sometimes I have to re-read some sections in order to fully understand what the author/characters are saying. Also, it is giving a lot of background information but I have not found out why Elphaba was born green but I am hoping that I will find out later in the book. In addition, I am finding it very interesting to learn about the story that happened before the Wizard of Oz, and finding out why Glinda and Elphaba do not like each other. I am also excited to learn how they ended up being the ‘wicked witch of the west’ and the ‘good witch of the north’.

4. I have read four chapters of this book and I am learning more about Elphaba when she was a baby and her parents. I am looking forward to reading and getting more in depth with my novel.

5. So far, I have met Elphaba, her mother Melena and her father Frex. The setting in the prologue of the book is the same time period as the Wizard of Oz. The Wicked Witch is spying on Dorothy and her three companions and she hears them talking about the rumours they have heard about her. The witch is hurt and wants to hurt them, but a storm is coming so she must leave them.

            Then it goes into the first chapter where I meet Frex and a very pregnant Melena. They live in Rush Margins, Munchkinland. In the first chapter she is expecting to have her child that day but, her husband has to leave to give a sermon, for he is a priest. Melena is very upset with him and thinks he should be more excited for their first baby ‘boy’.

 In the second chapter I learn about the “Clock of the Time Dragon”, which is a circus sideshow that predicts peoples futures. Frex learns from other priests that the clock is predicting horrible futures so when it comes to Frex’s town he is determined to stop it. But, when the clock comes into town it shows a little toy Frex being beaten up and eaten by his town’s people, and once the people see this they decide it is time to make the prediction happen. Frex escapes but he then gets worried about the life of Melena and his unborn child. Some women help Melena escape from a drunk mob while she is almost in labour and Melena ends up having her child in the `Clock of the Time Dragon` and she bears a green baby girl with razor sharp teeth, whom bites off the finger of one of the women who helped Melena give birth. Melena and Frex do not know how to love their `deformed` child, and Frex`s nanny comes by and starts to question Melena and Frex in order to find out why their child is green. Nanny suspects that Melena was raped by some man who had a skin colouring disease. She then hopes that Elphaba`s parents will be able to learn to love their child and look past her green skin.

6. A theme that is beginning to evolve so far in the beginning of the book is religion. The theme has been reoccurring ever since Elphaba was born. Frex, her father, is a priest and he went to perform a sermon to the people of his town in order to get them away from the `Clock of the Time Dragon`. Also, since Elphaba was born green her father kept saying how heaven would not approve of her because of her green skin, and he also said that before the baby was born he said the devil was coming, so he predicted that Elphaba was the devil. In addition, when Elphaba was a few months old, Frex performed an exorcism in hopes of turning her green skin back to a normal colour but, he failed to do so. Another theme that is presented is good vs. evil.  

7. One secondary source I have found is a book review by a blog that goes by ìnscrawl`. This review helped me make my decision in reading this book since I could not decide between two books but, this review made me more excited to read the book. The review can be found here: http://inkscrawl.blogspot.com/2005/10/book-review-wicked-by-gregory-maguire.html

8. The quote that stood out to me the most was:

`Perhaps, thought Nanny, little green Elphaba chose her own sex, and her own colour, and to hell with her parents. ` (Maguire, 31).

This line stood out to me because the author is saying that Elphaba would have to stand up for herself and learn that she can be whatever she wants to be, and she does not have to listen to anyone who would make fun of her about her skin colour. Also, this stood out to me because it makes me think about my own life and the society that we all live in now, and how we all need to have clear skin and we all have to be skinny in order to be considered `beautiful`. But, maybe if we said to hell with society, everyone would be more confident and their self esteem would go up and maybe people would be happier with their selves.

I am hoping to finish my book by either the end of October or the end of November would be the latest. My book is divided into five parts so I will try to read each part in two or three weeks. If I get really into the book I will most likely read it a lot faster.