Dona's Books's Reviews > Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

I discovered Wicked before I had deviated away from my youthful literary tastes, when I still struggled to read anything that was not Stephen King. I liked Maguire because his style reminded me of King's (and certain elements that would eventually become my own, also). He used chunky diction, wrote tall, seemingly rickety syntax that spiraled up and trickled down into a splash. I could roll with his beautiful style and because of that, I stuck out Wicked, a brave, progressive reimagining of a well-known legend that centers disabled women. As a disabled reader, I identified greatly with the main character, who was judged constantly for her appearance and always expected to behave in certain ways based on that alone. I think this book was both well-written and addressed important issues. It is worth reading and discussing for any readers but particularly for young readers and readers struggling with image issues because of disability or mental illness.

Update 2024 - definitely due for a reread of this!