Customer Reviews

The Wonder City of Oz

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The product of longtime Oz illustrator John R. Neill's first attempt at authoring a title in the series, the Wonder City Of Oz (1940) has historically been dogged by bad press and negative criticism. General readers and Oz devotees alike should dismiss these criticisms utterly, for the Wonder City Of Oz is not only a delight but in many ways an improvement over Baum's own titles in the series. The tone of the Wonder City Of Oz is less exact, less prim, and less formal than that found in the classic Oz titles; the underlining seriousness in Baum's writing is missing altogether. Neill's Oz is a wackier, looser, and more gregarious place. Simply put, Neill's Oz is a land where fun predominates; all threats are only paper tigers, something the characters seem to appreciate. Small details, moods, and the 'rules' of the Baum titles are colorfully and imaginatively exaggerated, often greatly so. Neill's Oz, for instance, is completely anthropomorphic: the houses move, fight, and clean themselves; the kitchen utensils work together to prepare meals and then wash up; the rivers and streams respond to requests for favors. If Scraps the Patchwork Girl had tried her hand at writing an Oz title, the Wonder City Of Oz might have been the result. Her motto, "I Hate Dignity," captures the mood of the book perfectly.

Far from losing touch with the Oz established by Baum, Neill's Oz expands the land's horizons considerably. Fans of the early titles may find Neill's Candy Land - like approach somewhat gushing and literally and figuratively syrupy, but Neill establishes the elements of his narrative precisely, writes with a fully confident tone, and has clearly enjoyed stretching Oz's rules, regulations, and boundaries. Neill, unlike Baum, exploits every scene and character to their fullest potential. In the Wonder City Of Oz, every facet of the narrative sparkles continuously without ever becoming overly familiar, tiresome, or repetitive. Baum's Oz was ultimately a land that was romantic in conception, but Neill's Oz is a boisterous, slightly vulgar, happy circus that never closes, one to which admission is always free.

Little Red Riding Hood, Alice, Pinocchio and the Blue Fairy, Peter Rabbit, Mr. Toad, Pooh and Christopher Robin, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Brer Rabbit, Raggedy Anne, the Snow Queen, and the Cat in the Hat would not only feel at home in Neill's Oz, but could be smoothly folded into the story with ease and without the slightest ripple of discontinuity. While enjoying the Wonder City Of Oz, readers will almost expect these classic characters to make at least a brief appearance in the Emerald City, the 'Wonder City' of the title. Neill's Oz is an all - inclusive fairyland.

The fast - moving plot is better than any found in the Baum titles, and lacks the repetitious elements often found among the classics. Jenny Jump, a teenager living in New Jersey, catches a Leprechaun stealing her pepper cheese and demands a wish in return for his freedom. The leprechaun, Sico Pompus ('psychopomp'), agrees to transform her into a fairy, but thinks better of it half way through the process, leaving Jenny with some fairy body parts while the rest remain stubbornly human. Jumping out the window in pursuit of the escaping Sico, Jenny finds herself uncontrollably able to jump great distances on her one fairy foot, and lands, after days of traveling through the air, in the Emerald City.

Jenny is a well - intentioned girl, but also somewhat spoiled, ill - tempered, headstrong, and thoughtless. When Princess Ozma politely introduces herself as the ruler of Oz, Jenny immediately questions the voting practices of the kingdom. Ozma realizes that in fact there has never been an election, and decides it might be entertaining for everyone if one were held. The book's main plot revolves around the resulting 'ozlection,' with the irritable Jenny running as Ozma's competition. When Jenny discovers a magic 'turn - style' which completely transforms the appearance of those who pass through it, she opens a business, and rapidly gains popularity among the city's inhabitants, who are thrilled with the turnstile's never - before - seen, fairly avant garde designs. Thus votes for Jenny rapidly accumulate.

The cast of the book is spectacular: beloved characters the Patchwork Girl, Jack Pumpkinhead, Ozma, Dorothy, the Little Wizard, and the Sawhorse actively participate in the narrative, in addition to new characters Jenny Jump, Sico Pompus, and requisite Munchkin boy hero Number Nine. Tik - Tok, Professor Wooglebug, Ojo, Kabumpo, and the Scarecrow make brief appearances, but are believably always just around the corner or down the street.

As critics have noted, the characterizations of the classic Oz inhabitants are not exact, but this is a positive rather than a negative factor, as the restraint with which Baum portrayed his creations in book after book often numbed and hobbled them. Loyalists to Baum and Thompson tend to ignore the fact that several of their titles are boring, formulaic, and completely uneventful. The continuous stream of quips, puns, and jokes in the Wonder City Of Oz are delightful even when not particularly clever, since it is clear Neill is playing with and teasing his audience, a game readers will appreciate. If Neill's puns are not always funny, the fact that he continues to make them is. But successful humor does run through the Wonder City Of Oz like an electric current.

Readers familiar with second Oz title, The Marvelous Land Of Oz, and all the books that followed know that Neill was one of the greatest, most imaginative American illustrators of the 20th century, capable of simultaneously integrating both innovative and traditional elements into his drawings. Thus it should be no surprise that such creativity also found an outlet in several of his four Oz novels. The abundant illustrations in the Wonder City Of Oz are suitably less romantic than his illustrations the Baum - penned entries, but, while looser, are just as otherworldly.

John R. Neill's Oz books are some of the most controversial in the series. On the negative side, people often argue that the books are too cartoonish, pun-filled, and weak on plot. The positive arguments are often along the lines of Neill having created interesting characters, and given the Emerald City some character of its own. I think both points are true to an extent. Although many usually inanimate items are alive in Oz, Baum and Thompson usually give explanations as to why. Neill, on the other hand, had Oz filled with living shoes and houses, the latter of which fought with each other. He also wasn't an especially good writer, and his books tended to have no plot (or no main unifying plot, anyway). Probably largely because of this, WONDER CITY was largely rewritten by an editor. This was apparently done without Neill's consent, and the editor introduced some elements even weirder and more disturbing than the ones Neill had created himself.

On the plus side, this book introduces two excellent characters: the headstrong half-fairy Jenny Jump, and the infatuated Munchkin boy Number Nine. Neill also does a better job at describing the Emerald City than Baum or Thompson did. The streets finally have names, and there are many more parks and businesses than before. In a way, Neill makes the Emerald City into an actual city, rather than just a set of under-described buildings surrounding Ozma's palace.

Overall, I would say this book is definitely worth reading, but keep in mind that Neill's Oz is quite different from Baum's or Thompson's.

This book is as delightful today as when written....and a young girl (me) was fascinated by Jenny Jump....full of spice and vinegar, adventurous and resourceful, smart and funny, and absolutely a heroine to be admired. She is learning how to get along in a world just opening up to her...and, of course, that is the story of every little girl of 7 or 8 or 9, or any age, for that matter. There is nothing like the turn-style that really "turned styles" for true delight for a little girl. The characters are marvelous. I can read it today, and still find it a great read. John R. Neill became involved with Oz through his illustrating of Baum's stories, and in The Wonder City of Oz, he actually made Oz more real. Captivating, amusing, and full of lessons for young people today, especially young girls! (As a little girl, I was disappointed by the ending, but I will let the new reader discover why...doesn't at all detract from the book, just made me certain I would celebrate myself!)

I wasnt very happy with this book. True, the characetrs are really cool and the daventures are just as good, but it was not 'ozzy'. If your looking for 'Ozzy' books, I recommend L. Frank Baum's or Ruth PLumly Thompson's books....or even Eloise and Lauren McGraw's 'Merry-Go-Round in Oz'. You can also try a few unofficial Oz books, such as 'Queen Ann in Oz', 'The Magic Chest of Oz' 'The Amber Flute of Oz' 'How the Wizard Came to Oz' 'How teh Wizard Saved Oz' e.t.c......