Eversince our HS class' production of Wicked, the story of L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz has held a special place in my list of favorite books. Anything that tells and deconstructs Oz easily get my attention. I find delight in looking at Oz through different vantage points, allowing the characters more room to be understood why they've been who they've become, and who else they can possibly be. Such is the case why I bought Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die the moment I saw it in the bookstore.
If Gregory Maguire's Wicked wasn't enough to paint a different underlying truth behind the Wicked Witch of the West's circumstances thereby eradicating her once perceived wickedness into a form of sacrifice, having read Paige's Dorothy Must Die completely erased every hero-worship I bestowed upon the girl with the shiny magical red shoes. Oz became so much more than the fantasy world that captivated us with its yellow brick road and the grandiose Emerald City. It has become a corrupted territory that can be a metaphorical representation of where we live in.
Consumed by the power she has been awarded for for killing the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy thirsted for more. She wanted to be the most powerful ruler Oz ever had. To ensure that all the Ozians would abide by her imposed rules, she assigned key leaders to oversee all operations in all of Oz. The Tin Woodman, the Lion, and the Scarecrow mutated into scary beings who was made of objects so sharp that they easily amputate their subjects upon contact, fed on the fear of the Ozians, and medically experimented on all of Dorothy's sentenced enemies, respectively. Glinda, known as the Good Witch of the South, still with her majestic ball gown and too sweet smile, aided the new ruler as well. Other Witches who were notorious in being wicked formed the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked which aims to bring back Oz to its former glory. The story shatters all our notions that just because one seems to be good (probably because she's physically beautiful, dresses impeccably, and all other shallow reasons we form based on outward appearances), it doesn't follow that she's good through and through. Just the same, those who are wicked may not be straight-laced wicked. They may be wicked in some ways but at second glance, there might be something deeper and selfless in who they truly are.
Sweater: Zara | Flats: Alexander McQueen | Shorts: Zara | Bag: Coach | Watch: Anne Klein
To cut my storytelling short, the protagonist of the story - Amy Gumm - is tasked to kill Dorothy since she's believed to be capable of being as powerful, having come from Kansas and brought to Oz by a tornado as what happened to her predecessor. To cut the story even shorter, the book ended with the latter still freely roaming around along with her loyal subjects except for the Tin Woodman whose heart has been cut off in the last 5 pages. How can a book that offers so promising a plot, so disturbing in its comparison to the real world, so clever in its dialogues and so riveting in structure end without fulfilling what its synopsis promised?
To be fair to the entirety of what's left in the story, I was ignorant to not know that this book is a part of a series. So much more is going to happen. Still, I was annoyed at how crafty the other supporting villains had been. I just finished an entire book without having so much as stumbling upon death coming to any of them. I'm vengeful, am I not? Haha! Oh well. My bad for not knowing this is just a part of a series.
This is what I wore when I attended my goddaughter Paris' first birthday. I still don't have the luxury of time to visit her whenever I'd want to (which is pretty often) so for now, I'd spoil her with lots of gifts. Had I a choice and had their home be in close proximity to mine, I'd always stop by and play with her. Grow up faster, baby Paris, so that I can kidnap you and take you shopping!!
Sweater: Zara | Flats: Alexander McQueen | Shorts: Zara | Bag: Coach | Watch: Anne Klein
To cut my storytelling short, the protagonist of the story - Amy Gumm - is tasked to kill Dorothy since she's believed to be capable of being as powerful, having come from Kansas and brought to Oz by a tornado as what happened to her predecessor. To cut the story even shorter, the book ended with the latter still freely roaming around along with her loyal subjects except for the Tin Woodman whose heart has been cut off in the last 5 pages. How can a book that offers so promising a plot, so disturbing in its comparison to the real world, so clever in its dialogues and so riveting in structure end without fulfilling what its synopsis promised?
To be fair to the entirety of what's left in the story, I was ignorant to not know that this book is a part of a series. So much more is going to happen. Still, I was annoyed at how crafty the other supporting villains had been. I just finished an entire book without having so much as stumbling upon death coming to any of them. I'm vengeful, am I not? Haha! Oh well. My bad for not knowing this is just a part of a series.
This is what I wore when I attended my goddaughter Paris' first birthday. I still don't have the luxury of time to visit her whenever I'd want to (which is pretty often) so for now, I'd spoil her with lots of gifts. Had I a choice and had their home be in close proximity to mine, I'd always stop by and play with her. Grow up faster, baby Paris, so that I can kidnap you and take you shopping!!
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