I did enjoy Elphie by Gregory Maguire.
I can’t say it was my favorite book for the Wicked universe. I did however enjoy seeing Elphabas life a bit more closely

Before reading this book, I decided to go back and read "Wicked" again, 30 years after I first read it. While I still enjoyed the writing style of the original book, I did not find the content as interesting as I did 30 years ago! With that in mind, I began to read "Elphie." I expected more than a re-hashing of the information presented in "Wicked." I found this book to be rather boring and not very informative about Elphaba. I would not recommend this book.

Elphaba Lives

[review will appear on Amazon later]

Thirty (!) years since the original publication of Wicked, Gregory Maguire's transformation of the Wicked Witch of the West occupies a far more significant and enduring place in popular culture than anyone could have imagined from what was then just another in his series of twisted adult-targeted takes on fairy tales. Besides the wildly popular stage and film musicals, Wicked spawned three book sequels and a follow-up trilogy. But absent a massive retcon of the original's pitch-perfect ending, none of those could star Elphaba. And since Maguire already explored her childhood and university years in depth in the original novel, all that was left was that gap of her childhood and adolescence.

In "Elphie," Maguire finally delves into those largely unexamined years with a light touch; avoiding the trap of sending Elphaba into some grand out-of-context adventure but appropriately putting her at the periphery of her parents' lives as they seek to locate and make amends with the family of a deceased friend. Along the way, we get more of a sense of the creation of the Elphaba who matriculates at Shiz -- but any reader recently entranced by the Hollywood film should know that this is the eighth in a series, a side story regarding the characters of the *books*, and will resonate far more with you if you have read the seven preceding volumes. (I read this having just finished a re-read of the original series as well as the follow-up trilogy, so I came in perfectly primed for it.)

“War in the air, and yet the air is soft.”

The oft ignored and misunderstood Elphaba Thropp is the focus of this origin story and bildungsroman. Though slow and plodding in much of the novel, Gregory Maquire’s lighthearted and clever cheek is present throughout as well as his characteristic onomatopoeia. Though he tries to meld the original novel with the film and stage show, there are inconsistencies. After all, “Memory and history codify perception.” Nonetheless, it was fun to travel back to Oz and reminisce.

Elphie, “delivering herself of the need to husband souvenirs of friendship, the vegetable pearl sinks back toward where it grew. She has no appetite for friendship and she wants no obligations of affection. The past promises us nothing but this: it will abandon us, leave us orphaned, unless we abandon it first.” I think this sums up Elphaba perfectly.

Thank you to William Morrow Publishing for providing an advanced review copy of this title for an honest review.

Maguire comes back to one of the periods of Elphie's life he's left deliberately vague in the wake of the massive success of the Wicked movie adaptation and decides to fill in some more details to make the books align more with the blander wildly successful Broadway adaptation and also get some tie in cash, which I will not begrudge him. Fairly solid novel that focuses on Elphie and Nessa's time growing up among the Quadlings.

DNFing at 29% - and that makes me so sad 🥲

I was so excited when I heard this book was coming out! I literally danced when I got the acceptance email for the ARC. My hopes were so high 😍
It really hurts to DNF this, but it is just so hard to read. I am so sorry; I just cannot finish this right now. I want to know more about Elphie, but it's like the writing is kind of circling around what it's trying to say instead of saying it out loud and using very small sentences at the same time 😕
It seems like this book was written just for the actresses of Elphaba to understand and no one else, which is amazing in its own way! I don't think it's easy to write, actually. Maybe one day I can try it again. I have to say, though, that I love the print job. The colours of the hardcover, including the sprayed edges and the maps inside, are so beautifully done ✨

We will meet again someday, Elphie 💚

Gregory Maguire is back in Oz—again!—and this time, he's taking us on a prequel journey with "Elphie: A Wicked Childhood," a companion to his now thirty-year-old breakout hit "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West."

Now, before you assume you should read this because of your Wicked musical obsession, let me just say, the books and the musical are not the same thing. I feel like I need a neon sign every time I talk about this series. The musical is catchy, whimsical, and digestible for the masses (love it!); the books are a little more Oz by way of Dickens, packed with political and social commentary. Elphaba in the book is not belting "Defying Gravity"—she's navigating a gritty, layered world where "good" and "wicked" are more labels than truths.

That said, I do love both versions for what they are. I'll sing along to the Broadway soundtrack but also crack open a Maguire novel when I want to stew in something dense and darkly magical. Which brings me back to "Elphie."

This book fills in the mysterious gap between baby Elphaba and college-age Elphaba at Shiz University. In Wicked, we basically blink, and she's on campus; in Elphie we walk through her childhood and all the odd, turns that lead her to Shiz.

Some parts of Elphie are deeply engaging, but I found myself drifting through large sections of the book. The pacing meanders, and while I typically enjoy Maguire's style, this one didn't grip me the way Wicked did.

If you're new to Maguire's series, start with "Wicked." That novel set the tone for everything that followed. "Elphie" works better as a bonus for readers who are already invested in this twisted version of Oz. If you're even a little bit curious about Elphaba's younger years, give it a shot.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sadly this book seems to be experiencing a form of review bombing resulting from the very predictable fact that people who like the Wicked musical are not necessarily going to enjoy the books.

I personally am no great fan of musical theater but did enjoy Maguire’s original Wicked novel, so I thought this might be of interest.

I can’t say I think it was as enjoyable as the original novel, but I also think it’s important to remember that way back when that book was published, it was based on a pretty original concept. The fact that Wicked is pretty much everywhere now means this book isn’t going to be anything that feels especially unusual.

That said, I think if you liked the original novel, you’ll like this well enough. I love the tone of these books, and Maguire has stayed true to that here in his prequel that covers Elphaba’s childhood.

Please don’t ask this book to be a prequel to a musical that is somewhat loosely based on the original novel. Though it’s not Maguire’s most creative novel, it’s enjoyable and very much of a kind with his other Wicked books.

I love anything Wizard of Oz, and was so excited to read this after reading Wicked! Elphie is a character who is misunderstood by many, and reading her childhood story helps to answer a lot of questions. I enjoyed reading about where she came from, how she became who she was, and her family life. The writing style is different than most books, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the story!

As someone who is a fan of Wicked (the musical, I haven’t seen the movie yet), I was intrigued to read Elphie’s “origin” story. I have never read any of Maguire’s other books, but based on other reviews I’ve seen, most (if not all) of his books have this kind of quirky and lyrical writing style - something I had to get used to while reading. I was definitely confused for some parts of the book, but it was interesting to read more about Elphaba.

Elphie was an excellent read. The writing was propulsive and the character development was rich. I would read more from this author.

“Elphie” by Gregory Maguire is pure magic—a five-star return to Oz that had me absolutely spellbound!

Receiving this book as an ARC was the highlight of my year. I’ve been a longtime fan of Wicked, not just the book but the Broadway musical that has lived in my heart since I first saw it with my cousin at 16. That experience was unforgettable, and I honestly thought nothing could ever top that feeling—until Elphie came along.

Maguire once again proves his mastery in reimagining the world of Oz, bringing depth, heart, and a fresh perspective to a story that has captivated readers for decades. The writing is immersive, the characters are rich with complexity, and the themes resonate deeply. This book felt like coming home, yet with enough surprises to keep me hooked from start to finish.

If you’re a fan of Wicked, or if you just love a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking fantasy, Elphie is a must-read. It’s a love letter to Oz, to those who have ever felt misunderstood, and to the magic that books can bring into our lives. I can’t recommend it enough!

“Maybe it doesn’t matter how we’re made, in the end; it matters only who we are.” Gregory Maguire

This story closely follows Elphaba and her family during her childhood years. It details the family’s vagabond lifestyle as well as the lack of love, care, mothering, fathering, sisterhood, and kindness that she experienced through that time. There are flashes of who our girl comes to be through out this book.

Interesting enough I think that the play overrode the storyline from the book I read so long ago. I had to look up quite a few questions I had that differed from stage to page. I forgot how sad this story is… Elphaba’s childhood isn’t any different.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for this #advancedreaderscopy - book is out now!

#2025bookchallengebook24of100
#netgalley
#stillteamelphaba

I found this one rather slow moving, but did a pre-appreciate the closer look into her childhood and upbringing before she went to Oz. The writing style is sometimes hard to follow but subject matter is good.

It has been a long time since I first read Wicked. Wicked for me was an incredible world unlike anything I had read up to that point in my life. It was a deliciously interesting twist on a classic that tackled so many essential themes that parallel our world which made it relatable. The writing was poetic and immersive, and I just fell in love with the entire world and the characters. I quickly read the books that followed and still to this day, think it’s one of the best series I’ve ever read.

Reading Elphie not only brought me back into that world, but brought me back to the unique experience of reading Maguire‘s writing. Granted, it takes a minute to get back into because it’s so different and immersive, but once I did, it was like coming home again. I loved the story and I loved getting reacquainted with some old friends and meeting some new characters as well. It definitely makes me want to go back and read the whole series again.

But that being said, I’m really not sure why this book had to be made. With all the hype surrounding Wicked recently (which, by the way, as a lover of the series, hate how different the movie is and how it is not made clear enough that although the movie is kid friendly, the books are definitely definitely not) it’s hard for this not to feel like a cash grab. The original stories felt complete and I don’t feel like this book was needed. And therein lies my problem because as much as I loved the story and loved being brought back into this world, I can also recognize that there wasn’t a need for it and hate that it seems the author fell into this trap of trying to resurrect something because it’s become popular again. Therefore, I will settle on a 3.5 as my rating.

***Thank you NetGalley, Gregory Maguire, and William Marrow for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.***

3.5*

The writing in Elphie was more palatable to me than Wicked. It's still a very pretentious style. While I felt there was a lot of repetition, the underlying story of how Elpheba grew up was interesting. I think this is a good read for Wicked fans.

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the chance to review this ARC.

Although I enjoyed the nostalgia of Elphie and other classic characters like Nessa Rose, this book was a bit slow. For superfans, it’s a must read. I enjoyed watching Elphie come into her own. I couldn’t help but laugh every time I read her mother’s name “Melena”. Melena is the medical term for bloody poop so….. But actually, the name fits for that cold hearted woman 😂

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to William Morrow for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am such a big Greg Maguire fan! Both as an author and a person. I was so excited to be able to read Elphie.

As someone who often reads rom-com style stories, it’s always a treat to pick up one of Greg’s books. His writing style is so unique and always feels like reading a nostalgic story tale book, with some dark humor of course.

For example: “What’s. Wrong. With. Her. Arms?” “Nothing,” replies Elphie. “She doesn’t have any. On the plus side, she never worries about hitting her funny bone. On the minus side, she doesn’t have much of a sense of humor to begin with.”

The story definitely starts off slow and there’s a lot of focus on the characters surrounding Elphie, however, it was such a treat to be able to see her grow and evolve as she ages. Her relationship with animals in this book was one of my favorite parts. I also found it interesting to see the complicated dynamic between Elphie and Nessa as well as her relationship with Nanny.

Thank you again to NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading Elphie!

I really wanted to love this book but it felt a bit unnecessary. You get a lot more Oz politics and some more time with Elphie and Nessa but there wasn’t a a plot really. Lots of wicked Easter eggs that were fun to spot.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“A green girl in a green, green world”.
We go back in time and see how the Wicked Witch of the West- Ephaba was raised and her childhood. Before she was known as the Wicked Witch herself and her powers took over. What was her childhood like? Did she have one that was so different than ones of normal kids?