As the weather begins to cool and the leaves change, I am tempted to read this book for the fourth time. I don't even watch movies twice, but I have read this book three times.  I SWEAR each read is more fascinating than the one before. 

Wicked takes place in the Land of Oz and covers the years leading up to Dorothy’s house dropping arrival.  The story centers on the Wicked Witch of the West. You remember her.  She terrorized Dorothy throughout the WIzard of Oz, desperately trying to steal her sparkly red shoes that killed her sister?  That sister has a name, it's Nessarose and the two, as explained in Wicked, were very close.

In this BRILLIANTLY written novel by Gregory Maguire, we find out she wasn’t born wicked, just a product of her unusual upbringing, green skin and some very interesting characters she meets along the way.  Her real name is Elphaba, which Maquire created based on the initials of L. Frank Baum, the original creator of The Wizard of Oz.  The explanation of her green skin is fantastic.  And that fear of water?  Explained.

From a clock tower that goes town to town trying to sexually entice its people away from religion into perversion to talking animals that are fighting to be treated like first class citizens, this book is a page turner.  It takes current issues such as social class, politics and ethics and twists them into a fascinating tale of a land somewhere over the rainbow.

I read an article today and it said that this book isn’t for children.  It contains mild adult language and content.  MILD? If you consider sex in a sex club with a talking animal mild, then WOW what it must take to impress you.  This book is DEFINITELY not for kids.

It is for adults interested in intrigue, sex, politics, ethical arguments, religion and a study on social classes.  If you want to be transported far away from the life of a mom and into a fascinating land of talking animals and sexy men that have argyle skin then this is the book for you.  SERIOUSLY, argyle and YOU WILL think he is sexy. 

I LOVE THIS BOOK.