Cover of Wicked
Epic FantasyFairy Tale RetellingsMyth & Legend Fiction

Wicked

by

  • 1995 first published
  • 461 pages
  • ★ 4.1 (16 ratings)
  • 54 editions
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Published in 1995, Wicked is an epic fantasy and fairy-tale retelling novel by Gregory Maguire. Key subjects include love, witches, brujas and good and evil.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.1 out of 5 from 16 ratings, and 552 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 54 editions across 5 languages. It appeared on the New York Times E-Book Fiction bestseller list in 2013.

It runs to roughly 461 pages — 8–9 hours of reading at an average pace.

About Wicked

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil? Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.
Description from Open Library

Awards & lists

  • 📰New York Times bestseller list — E-Book Fiction, 2013
  • 📰New York Times bestseller list — Trade Fiction Paperback, 2008

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Subjects

  • Love
  • Witches
  • Oz, Imaginary place
  • Brujas
  • Novela
  • Oz, Lugar imaginario
  • Novela fantástica
  • Fantasy
  • Fantasy fiction
  • Occult fiction
  • Classic Literature
  • Good and evil
  • Legends & mythology folk tales fairy tales
  • Epic fantasy
  • Contemporary fantasy
  • Feminist retelling

Quick answers

Who wrote Wicked?

Wicked was written by Gregory Maguire and first published in 1995.

What genre is Wicked?

It is usually shelved as Epic Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retellings, Myth & Legend Fiction and Witch Fiction.

How long is Wicked?

The median edition has 461 pages, about 8–9 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to Wicked?

Readers who like it often enjoy Circe, The Silmarillion and Heartless.

More by Gregory Maguire

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