Day One Hundred and Thirty-Nine

8/19

The Book: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

ISBN: 978-0-06-135096-2

Suggested By: Sissy Vaughn

Where: Home

When:12-12:30P

Music: None

Company: The Cable Guy, Marco

Pages: 234-289 (55)

The Lead In: I started thinking about this concept of writing a book using characters and setting designed by another author. Does that require just as much thought or skill? We don’t give much credit to cover bands, no matter how skilled they are in their performances. How is this any different? Maguire took characters from Baum and wrote a book using them and their setting. Yeah, so its a little different, they have sex and curse and try to kill the Wizard of Oz, but why should Maguire get so much credit? Something to consider while reading this book, no doubt.

The 411 on the 55: Elphaba now lives in the Emerald City and has a shadowy network of friends with whom she plans shadowy misdeeds against the government. After 5 years of solitary living, single-mindedly chasing after her unstated goals, she runs into an old friend from her college years.

Fiyero is a prince in his own country, with a wife and children, and a kingdom to rule. He runs into Elphaba and decides to have an affair with her. He pries information from her concerning her plans, but no dice, she won’t budge. Eventually he follows her to what he assumes is her big day.

Madame Morrible (the dean of her old school) steps out of a car and just before Elphaba does something (its not defined in the book), a bunch of school children come rushing around and she cannot complete her assignment. She gives up. Firyero loses her in the crowd, returns to her apartment and gets the snot beat out of him by government agents.

Line of the Day: “My father chases hopeless causes. It gives his failure at life some legitimacy.” pg 251

Fact on the Fiction: Baum’s Wizard of Oz was the best-selling children's book for two years after its initial publication. Baum went on to write thirteen more novels based on the places and people of the Land of Oz. Wikipedia