R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 6/16/2010 + 1438 more book reviews

This is the story of a woman born with green skin whose life is driven by that color. She is last in the eyes of her beloved father and seems to fail at many things that she attempts. Elphaba is intelligent, sensitive, and thoughtful but life directs her into becoming the Wicked Witch of the West. She attends a school to be educated but when her favorite professor is murdered (a political act) she leaves the school disillusioned and unhappy, leaving several good friends and a sister behind. Elphie becomes a revolutionist and during that period falls deeply in love with a former schoolmate. She and her lover find happiness together but when he is killed as a result of her revolutionary actions, she temporarily loses her mind. Slowly, she recovers in a convent. When she leaves it, she is accompanied by a small boy, Liir, and she doesn't really know why. The reader discovers when Elphie does that Liir is her son born of the great love of her life. Life gets rather complicated when Elphie decide that she must seek forgiveness from her lover's wife. The story is heart rending and depressing at times but life sometimes hands good people raw deals. So it is with Elphie. I find the author's tie-in with Dorothy and her friends a bit contrived. Nevertheless, I'm glad I read this book.

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