Saturday, January 16, 2016

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Publication Date:  May 17, 1900
Publisher:  Penguin
Pages:  156
Series:  Oz #1
Genre:  Fantasy
Synopsis:  Follow the yellow brick road!

Dorothy thinks she's lost forever when a tornado whirls her and her dog, Toto, into a magical world. To get home, she must find the wonderful wizard in the Emerald City of Oz. On the way she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. But the Wicked Witch of the West has her own plans for the new arrival - will Dorothy ever see Kansas again?




Review:  Ask someone on the offhand about The Wizard of Oz and they will most likely mention Judy Garland and ruby red slippers, in regards to the famous classic film.  It is lesser known that those iconic red heels are in fact silver, and that there is a distinct absence of song in the novel.  However, the misplaced music in no way detracts from the wonder of the story.


Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.

In one word, The Wizard of Oz is imaginative, charming, and a simple but unique story. Okay, so not quite one word, but still enjoyable for everyone.  It is a book written purely to bring joy, with no overarching theme or moral.  What would seem to detract from the depth of the story in actuality adds to it.  It spells out the splendid and often perilous adventure, not to prove a point, but simply to provide the experience.

The modesty of the novel is not invariably a plus.  As a children's story, the plot is stripped down.  Events progress quickly without any substantial suspense.  A conflict presented in one chapter is solved in the next.  Except, of course, the search for a way back to Kansas.



Each character has a goal.  For Dorothy, it is her return home.  The scarecrow, a brain. The tin man, a heart.  The cowardly lion, courage.  My favorite thing about this is that, although they think themselves missing an essential piece, they find that they have always had what they had been searching for inside of them all along.  

The Wizard of Oz is one of those few stories I hope to last the test of time.  It certainly has so far.




8 comments:

  1. Yeah I always think of the movie. But I LOVE the movie. I should totally pick this up too. Great review!!

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    1. I love the movie, too ❤ The book is just as wonderful. Thanks for commenting!

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  2. The Wizard of Oz is a good movie. I'm not called it a favorite but meh. Me and Dorothy just didn't click. But, there's this book called Dorothy Must Die (written by Danielle Paige) and I really loved that book. Dorothy is basically evil and wants power. It's awesome! Anyway, great review! Have a great day, Erin.

    anna

    p.s: Dorothy's ruby red slippers are really silver??? Wow. Who knew?

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    1. I really love the movie, especially as a child. Although, I can agree that Dorothy is a bit one dimensional. And I have heard of that book, but haven't picked it up yet. Thanks for commenting, Anna, and, yes, her shoes ARE silver. In the movie they're red because that showed up better on the screen then with new color ❤

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  3. Aw, this is such a sweet review! The book sounds far more innocent than the film - the film terrified five year old me! I like the way each character has one simple goal - it reminds you that to be happy, you only need the simplest of things, that we should all work towards being better people and making new friends. Aw (again!). Silver slippers sound way more elegant although I'm worried they might clash with the yellow brick road. As always, brilliant review, Erin! <3

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    1. Aww, thanks, Rebekah! The book isn't more innocent, I would say... A LOT of bad things happen, even more so, but they are certainly resolved much more quickly. I love your interpretation of the book, it is so sweet and genuine. And they actually chose red instead of silver for the film because it showed up better! Thanks for commenting! ❤

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  4. I definitely have to reread The Wonderful Wizard of Oz! It's been ages since I read it - and my only memories of it now are the film, and the other various productions of the world (Oz the Great and Powerful, Wicked...). Haha but I can't believe those iconic ruby red shoes are actually silver - definitely time to re read!

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    1. You totally should! I had a lot of fun rereading it. I loved the movie(s), but nothing can beat the Judy Garland version! And the shoes are actually red in the film because it showed up better on the screen. Thanks for commenting ❤

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