It's the enthralling novel that inspired a broadway musical. It's a wickedly fun read, and will change the way you think about Oz for evermore. Ever more. One of those. It turns out that Elphaba, who became The Wicked Witch of the West, was actually a very sympathetic, sad woman who was very much misunderstood. This is a surprisingly philosophical tale, which I most recommend to adults--ADULTS--who miss the Harry Potter series. I stressed that previous word because Maguire has written a decidedly R-rated tale, and at 406 pages, it's a bit of a time investment, as well. I thoroughly enjoyed that time.