From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (The Wicked Years, #1)

Gregory Maguire

Start date: March 2, 2015

Finish date: March 31, 2015

Discussion: Books of the Month

Why we're reading this: March Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy. to get to the discussion …more
[close] March Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy. to get to the discussion

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 167 topics — 23,694 comments total

Books of the Month

* Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez - Nov 25 Theme BOM - South America (starts 16 Nov)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 21 posts · 72 views

last updated Nov 08, 2025 01:33PM

* A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett - Nov 25 Adult / Non-Fiction BOM (starts 2 Nov)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 88 posts · 90 views

last updated 13 hours, 32 min ago

showing 10 of 99 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 16, 2008 Catsalive rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2006

I really enjoyed this book too, although I hadn't really expected to. Elphaba is an extremely strong character and is written with a skill that makes it difficult not to empathise with her. It got to a point where I didn't really want to finish the book as I knew the outcome was inevitable thanks to L. Frank Baum & his Dorothy.

I enjoyed it so much that I lashed out and bought Son of a Witch. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 25, 2013 Kelly rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: library, randomizer-2015-challenge

Having read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, and while I only gave it a 3 star rating, I definitely liked it better than Wicked. Because while it was dark and intriguing it examined topics that at least lent themselves to an interesting story - different types of beauty, etc. Wicked read more as a political agenda piece than a story. It got a little better at the end, but for the most part I found it to be a slog, and couldn't wait to be done. Disappointing. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2010 Jenn rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction, 2010-finished

I have to say that if I read this book before I went to see Wicked I would of thought twice on seeing the musical. The beginning of the book didn't start that bad but as I progressed through the book it just became twisted, dark and vulgar (at times).

I found that the story line at times was hard to follow and the gaps in time left a lot unanswered.

I pretty much had to force my way to the end. ...more

Like · see review

Jun 02, 2008 Neila rated it it was amazing

This is one of my favorite books. I loved the political nature of the book and discovering just what caused the Wicked Witch to evolve from a person of low self esteem and discrimination and how others saw her deep hurt as wicked. Only a few actually saw the deep love within her.

Like · see review