"Out of Oz" brings satisfaction, critics say
"Out of Oz," the fourth book in Gregory Maguire's "Oz" series, follows the granddaughter of the Witch of the West as she delves into political corruption.
One reviewer says 'Out of Oz' 'meanders,' but another calls Gregory Maguire's new book 'hilarious and heart-wrenching.'
Author Gregory Maguire forever changed the way the world viewed one of pop culture鈥檚 greatest villains with his book 鈥淲icked.鈥�
And now, millions of books and one Tony-winning musical later, Maguire鈥檚 "Oz" series finishes its romp through the fictive world created by L. Frank Baum in the original "Wizard of Oz" series, with a fourth and final book: 鈥淥ut of Oz.鈥�
The novel, in which Dorothy 鈥� the girl in blue gingham 鈥� stands trial for the murders of the witches of the East and West, follows the story of Rain, the granddaughter聽 of the Wicked Witch of the West (aka, Elphaba). Rain is the daughter of Liir, the hero of Maguire鈥檚 sequel to 鈥淲icked鈥� titled 鈥淪on of a Witch.鈥� Rain has been living at Glinda鈥檚 house as a servant when the book opens, but is soon forced to go on the run with a traveling minstrel show, the members of which include the Cowardly Lion.
Maguire鈥檚 new novel continues the dark and satirical take on Baum鈥檚 world. Washington Post writer Elizabeth Hand notes in that 鈥渢his is an Oz where torture, imprisonment and weapons of mass destruction come into play, even if the WMD are dragons.鈥�
Reviews of the book so far have been mostly positive, with writers calling it a satisfying finale to Maguire鈥檚 series. 鈥淣o summary could do justice to Maguire鈥檚 novel, which is hilarious, heart-wrenching and extremely poignant in its ending,鈥� Hand writes in her review. 鈥淩eaders familiar with Baum鈥檚 books will delight in how Maguire rings the changes upon them鈥� the greatest fantasy series make one want to read them again. That鈥檚 what I intend to do with this one.鈥�
Brian Truitt that the beginning of the novel was 鈥渙verlong鈥� and that the book 鈥渕eanders at times,鈥� but adds that 鈥淢aguire has expanded the mythology of Oz from L. Frank Baum's books and created a land that's just as rich as Middle-earth or Narnia, and balances the serious with the sublime... while it meanders at times, 'Out of Oz' is a satisfying finish to the 鈥榃icked Years鈥� saga.鈥�
And is it really the finish? Maguire it was the final book in the series, and in his acknowledgements in the book, the author calls it the series conclusion. So it seems Maguire is done with the land of Oz 鈥� although fans may want to keep an eye on future announcements, just in case.
Molly Driscoll is a Monitor contributor.
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