Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

DOROTHY MUST DIE. Obviously a very catchy title for a Wizard of Oz retelling/sequel and it’s the main reason I purchased this book when it came out a few months back. To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of the famous movie and I've never even read the books. But knowing the general story line, I can honestly say, DOROTHY MUST DIE is definitely not like the classic and we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.

I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed this book. Full of gore, angst, sarcasm, and dramatic scenes, it’s a bold undertaking to continue a story so many people know. This author’s debut is courageous because there’s always the risk of insulting the true fans of the classic story. Personally, I think the continuation of The Wizard of Oz couldn't have come at a better moment because one, retellings seem to be a fad at the moment, and two, the 75^th anniversary of the movie definitely encourages readers to pick up this book about the newly imagined world of Oz.

The world of Oz is completely different now that Dorothy is one of its princesses. Actually nothing is going right for its citizens because while Dorothy believes what’s she’s doing is spreading happiness across Oz, she is in fact literally sucking the magic out of the ground and being cruel to everyone that’s not on her side. Killing and unfair punishment seems to be the norm of her rule and every citizen is trying to avoid the wrath of Dorothy in fear of being found guilty of very stupid crimes like sass or fictitious treason. Amy Gumm is Dorothy’s latest target because, like Dorothy, Amy was swept into Oz from Kansas via a tornado. The only major difference is, instead of a farmhouse, Amy arrived in a trailer, as in a motorized home on blocks. Dorothy, wanting to be the only one that’s “special,” is jealous of Amy and will stop at nothing to see Amy gone. The battle between the two Kansas girls is riveting and I love how the protagonist of the classic becomes the antagonist of this newly imagined story. Dorothy, power hungry and obviously a little mad with magic, must die in order to return Oz to its original glory, and Amy is believed to be the only one that can kill her. Trained by The Revolutionary Order of the Wicked and entrusted with this task, Amy isn't really sure she can actually kill someone...

In a world where Good doesn't really mean doing the right thing and where the Wicked might just mean fighting for the right reasons, everything is turned upside down. Personally I’m really glad so many of the original characters made an appearance but I’m even more ecstatic about the huge amount of new characters. I haven’t read the prequel NO PLACE LIKE OZ yet, and even if I really believe it’s not necessary to do so in order to understand this first full-length novel of the series, it might just explain why Dorothy is the way she is. Jon was a little bit disappointed with the prequel novella and called it "overly ambitious."

I can honestly say I loved DOROTHY MUST DIE. The humour in the book is so similar to mine, the writing is easy to follow and the story itself truly engaging. However I’m a little bit disappointed that I purchased this book on a whim because of this. It’s the only reason I hesitate to recommend the book. Individual boycotting doesn't usually make a huge difference, but if everyone does it, then it can have a huge impact. It’s sad that such a great, new and upcoming author is associated with such a bad name.

Posted by Tynga at 02:23

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fables, Harper Collins, Legends, Magic, Myths, Purchased, Retelling, Review, Wizard of Oz, young adult  4 People left their mark

Tynga is a 32 years old mom of two, from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and photography.

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