The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige: Review

Synopsis:

In this dark, high-octane sequel to the New York Times bestsellingDorothy Must Die, Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to kill Dorothy and free Oz.


To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die....

But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn't wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked?

***

Have you ever looked at the American state of Kansas on a map?

The Wicked Will Rise picks up immediately after Dorothy Must Die, with Amy on the run with a trophy in her pocket, but still does not manage to kill Dorothy. While I love the turn of events in the first book, and the fact that not everything is what it seems, this book just doesn't do that for me. I feel like things kind of fall flat. There are a few parts that I really enjoy, but it's nowhere as compelling as the first book.

Amy struggles a lot in this book. Desperate to find the Order, battling with her own darkness, and trying to help Ozma regain her sanity, she's faced a lot of mental challenges. I like how Amy has evolved into her own self. While still a little bit annoying, she has come into her own power and has faced her personal obstacles. This is is one of the best parts of the book, because I can't wait to see who and what she will become in the future. I also like the constant appearance of Queen Lulu in the first half of the book. She's snarky and a bit of a bitch, but she's also cool. There are a lot of times when her logic doesn't make sense, and it manages to make me laugh. I kinda want to see more of her in the next book, just to provide a sort of relief.

However, as I've said before, The Wicked Will Rise doesn't have that kind of hold on me like the first book did. The plot barely develops. I like Amy's internal struggle because her character is more complex than before. But there's no time for other important things like, well, plot development. I'd like to see more historical stuff about Oz or even Kansas, but all I get is some vague answers. It's hardly more than what I learned in the first book. Not exactly a good sign. Sometimes I have to reread the chapters again to decipher the plot and the answers, because it's confusing. The characters that I've grown to like in the first book do not make much of an impact in the book either. I was eager to see them in this book, but my wish is clearly not granted. I also wanted to see more of Ozma. She's, after all, the rightful ruler of Oz. But she has proved herself to be of little use to the situation. In fact, there are times when she (unintentionally?) messed up things. That annoys the hell out of me. Speaking of annoyance, a lot of characters piss me off. They are either too petty or silly. The only mature thing in this book is Amy. The Wicked Will Rise is her book, but that's it. 

I hope the last book will be better, and provide more excitement.

Rating: 5.5/10

The Witch Must Burn: Review

Synopsis:

There’s a new Wicked Witch in Oz—and her name is Dorothy. This digital original novella is the second installment in the prequel arc to the edgy and exciting New York Times bestseller Dorothy Must Die.

Dorothy Gale is back . . . and she’s not the sweet little heroine of Oz anymore. She’s power-hungry and vicious, and she leaves a trail of destruction beneath her spike-heeled, magical shoes. But behind the scenes, there’s someone else pulling the strings. Someone who doesn’t want fame or glory—just control.

Glinda of the North brought Dorothy back to Oz for a reason. And in The Witch Must Burn, a young maid is about to discover that a witch who says she’s Good might be the most dangerous kind of Wicked.

The Witch Must Burn, by debut author Danielle Paige, is a dark and compelling reimagining of a beloved classic and is perfect for fans of Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Beastly by Alex Flinn, and Wicked by Gregory Maguire.

***

The Witch Must Burn is Jellia's story, one of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I'm a little surprised that it will be her story. I like her a lot in Dorothy Must Die. As much as she deserves a prequel, I can't believe she actually gets one. I'm all about it. 

Jellia is as I'm expected: composed and smart and patient. I do believe most people (or creatures in Oz) will die in her unfortunate circumstance. But of course, she's a survivor. An expert until, well, another girl shows up and puts her in peril (no offense to that girl. It's a fact). I'm so sad that I won't be seeing more of her in The Wicked Will Rise. 

This book also gives us a view of Oz after Dorothy's return before Amy shows up. Of course, things are masterfully screwed up. But the awful relationship between the "Good" witch Glinda and Dorothy is more sinister and more awful (or less, depending on what you think). It might be a foreshadowing of what will happen in the second book. Since, well, the relationship between Dorothy and Glinda is not exactly well-established.

The Witch Must Burn is a good re-taste of the world in Dorothy Must Die, and I'm excited for The Wicked Will Rise.

Rating: 8/10

Dorothy Must Die: Review

Synopsis:

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

***

Those who have sacrificed always have the most to lose.

Somebody should've warned me about the awesomeness of this book before I actually picked it up and read it! This is just completely crazy and jaw-dropping. If you don't read this book, you will miss out a lot of fun.

So... the book is called Dorothy Must Die. And anyone who has read The Wizard of Oz before must have a face of WTF?! Dorothy is the ultimate good girl in the original story! Yeah, but this is not The Wizard of Oz. And no, she's far from perfect. And she returns (yes, returns) to Oz, things get crazy, and everything is upside down. Oz is almost destroyed by her hands. And then there's another girl from Kansas, another girl brought to Oz by a tornado called Amy Gumm. She might just be the savior of this place... and the killer of Dorothy.

Everything is upside down in Dorothy Must Die. Oz is destroyed, no longer the haven for magic. Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, is the penultimate bad guy (because Dorothy is the ultimate one). Glamora, however, may just be the good guy. Good and Wicked can't be clearly divided anymore. Good is Wicked, and Wicked is Good (no this is not The Maze Runner). Oz is no longer a place where you know exactly where you stand anymore. It's completely mind-blowing, because you will try very hard to identify which is Good and which is Wicked, but the harder you try, the more difficult it will be. That's the most twisted part of the story, and possibly the best part of it.

Amy Gumm is the protagonist of the story. How I love that girl. She's very smart and intelligent. She can think of ways to dodge the dangers setting right in front her at the very last possible second. I'm so very envious of her because I can never seem to do that. Her wits and sarcasm makes me smile. I always love a snarky girl, and who knows she can outsnark a lot of guys out there? I actually want to be friends with her, just because she's brave and naturally sarcastic.

There are no exact words to describe just how dark this book is. You just have to read it.

Rating: 8.5/10