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Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die, 1) Paperback – March 31, 2015

by Danielle Paige (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 3,711 ratings
Goodreads Choice Award nominee
See all formats and editions
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The New York Times bestselling first book in a dark series that reimagines the Oz saga, from debut author Danielle Paige. Start at the beginning and discover your new series to binge!

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. And—Dorothy must die.

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 a road of yellow brick—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.

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Dorothy Must Die
  2. Print length
    480 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    HarperCollins
  5. Publication date
    March 31, 2015
  6. Grade level
    9 and up
  7. Reading age
    14 - 17 years
  8. Dimensions
    5.31 x 1.08 x 8 inches
  9. ISBN-10
    0062280686
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0062280688
  11. Lexile measure
    HL720L
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Readers of Baum’s books will take special delight in seeing new twists on the old characters, and they will greet the surprise climactic turnabout with the smugness of insiders.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Dorothy Must Die is kind of the ultimate in girl-powered literature. You’ve got empowered heroines, sure, but Paige also conjures a formidable villainess in Dorothy and some manipulative lady revolutionaries. Here, women and girls are allowed to be anything. This really is a woman’s world.” — Nerdist.com

“Gone are the days of rainbows, Lollipop Guilds and pretty much anything to sing about in a major key. For those willing to go on a quest with a heroine more attuned to our times than the Dust Bowl era, there’s no place like it.” — USA Today

“Debut author Paige doesn’t hold back in this fast-paced action novel. Give this cinematic upper-YA novel to fans of A. G. Howard’s Splintered, Frank Beddor’s Looking Glass Wars, and TV shows such as Once Upon a Time and Grimm.” — School Library Journal

“Paige delivers a solid, intense, and strange narrative that draws deeply on its source material.” — Publishers Weekly

“[Dorothy Must Die] strikes a similar tone to Marisa Meyer’s Cinder series, with its blend of fantasy, humor, and horror, and it will likely inspire fans of that series to make their way to the Emerald City.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Paige has spirited readers back to The Wizard of Oz. It’s a classic made more sinister.” — ALA Booklist

“For anyone who likes a good story turned on its head, Dorothy Must Die is a must-read.” — Huffington Post

“The Wizard of Oz as you’ve never seen it.” — Teen Vogue

“Paige’s world building is intriguing and effectively augments the original world created by L. Frank Baum.” — ALA Booklist

From the Back Cover

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. But I never expected Oz to look like this. A place where Good Witches can't be trusted and Wicked Witches just might be the good guys. A place where even the yellow brick road is crumbling. What happened? Dorothy.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and I've been given a mission:

Remove
the Tin Woodman's heart,

Steal
the Scarecrow's brain,

Take
the Lion's courage,

And then—
Dorothy must die.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Reprint edition (March 31, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062280686
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062280688
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 17 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL720L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 1.08 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 3,711 ratings

About the author

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Danielle Paige

Danielle Paige

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Danielle Paige is the New York Times bestselling author of the Dorothy Must Die series, Stealing Snow, and the upcoming Mera book with DC Entertainment. In addition to writing young adult books, she works in the television industry, where she's received a Writers Guild of America Award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She is a graduate of Columbia University and currently lives in New York City. You can find her on daniellepaigebooks.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
3,711 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book entertaining, with plot twists and adventure. They describe it as a great, thrilling read that holds their interest. Readers praise the prose as stunning, descriptive, and easy to read. They also find the characters vibrant, engaging, and three-dimensional. Customers find the idea behind the book clever, imaginative, and intriguing. They mention the pacing is fast and immediate.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
Entertainment valueReadabilityWriting qualityPacingCharacter developmentCreativityImageryExecution
220 customers mention "Entertainment value"183 positive37 negative

Customers find the book entertaining. They mention it's a good twist on a classic fairy tale, with lots of magic and adventure. Readers also say the plot is strong and easy to understand.

"Good read, very interesting." Read more

"...Dorothy Must Die is an absorbing, thoroughly entertaining, if flawed, debut, one that's left me incredibly eager for the next installment of this..." Read more

"...Dorothy Must Die is a horrific, bloody new twist on Oz.- 2.5/5 Stars -" Read more

"...Lots of fight scenes, described in much detail.Blood and Gore: *****The gore in this book is extremely graphic in description...." Read more

194 customers mention "Readability"191 positive3 negative

Customers find the book thrilling, fast, and fun. They say it's a wonderful read for young adults and a must-read for fans of Oz. Readers also mention the pauses are brief and the book is largely a page-turner. Overall, they say it's worth their time and money.

"Good read, very interesting." Read more

"...Dorothy Must Die is an absorbing, thoroughly entertaining, if flawed, debut, one that's left me incredibly eager for the next installment of this..." Read more

"Good book" Read more

"...Dorothy Must Die is a horrific, bloody new twist on Oz.- 2.5/5 Stars -" Read more

76 customers mention "Writing quality"59 positive17 negative

Customers find the prose stunning, descriptive, and imaginative. They also say the book is easy to read and has a good temp. Readers appreciate the author's great job of giving full details and character development.

"...She can write tense scenes and kept me on the edge of my seat, but it just didn't mesh with Oz...." Read more

"...The author has so much promise and I look forward to her next book and news on the series.Don't keep us waiting too long!!..." Read more

"...Writing style. I did enjoy Paige’s writing style. It came across as fresh and immediate and really brought me into the story...." Read more

"...However, her writing took away from the idea and left a bad taste in my mouth. Some of the lines made me just want to roll my eyes...." Read more

59 customers mention "Pacing"44 positive15 negative

Customers find the book fast-paced, immediate, and a quick read. They also say the story is fantastic and well-developed. Readers mention the series is amazing and highly recommended.

"...The pacing of the book is excellent, it goes between some excellent action scenes and some deep character moments that left me wanting more...." Read more

"...I did enjoy Paige’s writing style. It came across as fresh and immediate and really brought me into the story...." Read more

"...Once Amy arrived in Oz, the action quickly picked up. I could not take my eyes away from the interesting developments...." Read more

"This is a fairly fast read, considering it's almost 500 pages, and the characters and events play well off of all of the preconceived notions that..." Read more

55 customers mention "Character development"39 positive16 negative

Customers find the characters vibrant, engaging, and complicated. They say the book is a great character study of the original source. Readers also appreciate that the main character grows. They mention the author did a fabulous and believable portrayal of Dorothy.

"...excellent, it goes between some excellent action scenes and some deep character moments that left me wanting more...." Read more

"...She is a strong, kick-ass heroine, yet is dealing with her own internal demons and has her own buttons that can be pressed...." Read more

"...There were some inconsistencies in character behavior, but I am willing to write those off as rookie mistakes...." Read more

"...I would say that this book is a great character study of the original source rather than an evil misrepresentation of beloved icons...." Read more

55 customers mention "Creativity"55 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's creativity fascinating, clever, and imaginative. They appreciate the fresh, unique twist to the original Dorothy. Readers also say the book enforces a more structured version of magic and creates an alternate universe.

"...Amy Gumm, the main character, had a lot of potential...." Read more

"...The way Paige wrote this new Oz was equal parts captivating, sad and just down right creepy weird, and I loved every second of it...." Read more

"...This book enforces a more structured version of magic so you don't feel like the characters are so overpowered that there isn't any real danger...." Read more

"...I loved the unique world the author created and how she spun the Oz tale on it’s head and made it her own...." Read more

27 customers mention "Imagery"22 positive5 negative

Customers find the imagery brilliant, vibrant, and full of magical fantasy. They also appreciate the colorful descriptions of the Oz world. Readers describe the book as a cute little read with an excellent job of reimagining Oz, Dorothy, and the Tin Man.

"...It was so enchanting, so descriptive so utterly imaginative. I was very quickly obsessed...." Read more

"...Ms. Paige has done an excellent job of reimagining Oz, Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow. Oz is no longer a happy place...." Read more

"...so hoped for this book to turn out being an awesome read; it had a gorgeous cover, capturing premise, lots of hype from other book readers......." Read more

"This book is a wonderful sequel to the world of Oz. It beautifully illustrates a “what could of happened “ and I love following Amy Gumm’s journey..." Read more

49 customers mention "Execution"17 positive32 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the execution of the book. Some mention it's a solid start to a series, while others say the execution lacks a little bit and the plot drags in the beginning.

"...Oz is not a nice place in this book. Twisted creatures, failed experiments and a sense of dread in many places.Sexual themes: **..." Read more

"...Dorothy Must Die is an absorbing, thoroughly entertaining, if flawed, debut, one that's left me incredibly eager for the next installment of this..." Read more

"...Like The Wizard of Oz, this book was not perfect in any way...." Read more

"...The plot is complex, but easy to follow. The plot seems to drag in the beginning when Amy is still in her boring hometown in Kansas...." Read more

Fun read
5 out of 5 stars
Fun read
Loved reading this book years ago so I ordered it for my daughter. Kinda bummed that it arrived damaged. Possibly happened during shipping (sent in brown envelope type package). But I will tape it up and I am sure she will enjoy the read.
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Top reviews from the United States

LaLita
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2024
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Good read, very interesting.
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Ruth Anderson
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and wildly inventive!
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2014
Verified Purchase
One year after Amy Gumm's father abandoned his family and four years before the accident that robbed Amy of her mother, leaving her addicted to pain pills, she learned the difference between the haves and the have-nots. She was Salvation Amy, trailer trash and social pariah -- a status underscored by her mother's subsequent emotional abandonment. Tears weren't worth the effort, and if she was ever going to escape her hardscrabble Kansas existence, the only one she could rely on was herself. After getting expelled and fighting with her mother, Amy makes a fateful wish: "There's no place like anywhere but here." When a tornado threat materializes, striking her trailer park, the unthinkable happens -- drawn into the storm's furious power, she awakens on the edge of a steep ravine, saved from tumbling to her death in the only home she knows by a boy with emerald green eyes. A boy who tells her that she's not in Kansas anymore...she's in Oz.

But this is no hallucination. The story Amy grew up with is true, but the reality of Oz is a far cry from the Technicolor-splendor that fed her childish imaginings. Oz's emerald-green, poppy-strewn countryside has been leeched of color, turned into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with all of its resources, the magic that makes up the land's very essence, being mined and pulled to one central location: Emerald City, where Dorothy Gale sits on the throne. Amy quickly learns that the story didn't end with Dorothy's return to Kansas -- the gingham-clad heroine returned, attached herself to Ozma, and with the help of her allies the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and not-so-cowardly Lion, began to lay claim to Oz's magical resources. Can one outcast girl from Kansas undo another's unspeakable crimes? For joining the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has a cost, for if Dorothy must die, Amy must find the power within to seize her fate, or risk falling prey to the various factions within Oz locked in a bitter power struggle.

At the beginning of the year I devoured Paige's prequel novella, No Place Like Oz, and fell in love with her deliciously subversive continuation of The Wizard of Oz. The original story and film are undeniable classics, but I've always gravitated towards retellings that turned the original story on its head -- Wicked the musical, SyFy's Tin Man miniseries, and most recently the Oz-centric arc on ABC's Once Upon a Time. In No Place Like Oz, Paige hit all the right notes when transforming Dorothy the innocent into a selfish, would-be princess. Paige's Dorothy is a study in teenage immaturity run amok, and with her full-length debut she delves into the resultant fallout of Dorothy's fateful choices through Amy's eyes, a girl more like her tornado-traveling predecessor than she'd like to believe.

And so it was with great anticipation that I delved into the pages of Paige's full-length debut, and Amy's decidedly modern, 21st-century take on her beloved childhood classic gone very, very wrong. I've read some reviews commenting on their disappointment that this is the first of a series, and not a self-contained story. Somewhere between reading the prequel novella and this book's release, I read about the proposed sequels, so I was prepared for this to be the first installment in a longer, epic journey. However, I will say that as such, the headline-grabbing title is a bit misleading -- for while Dorothy's death may be the desired endgame for Amy and her rebel friends, it is far from resolved in this installment.

Pacing is an issue here, as our introduction to this deliciously twisted take on Oz spans over four hundred pages and succeeds in barely scratching the surface of what is necessary for Amy to learn in order to bring Dorothy down. Nearly sixty percent of the novel covers Amy's introduction to Oz, her commission by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and training. In that respect it ticks all the boxes necessary to be classified as dystopian YA -- spunky heroine with untapped potential, brooding love interest (Nox! *swoon*), eccentric supporting players, and a level of action and violence reminiscent in its intensity of The Hunger Games (or, I presume, Divergent, based on having seen that film). While there's far too much time spent prepping Amy for her mission into Dorothy's palace, I can't complain too much because I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Having read several of the original Baum novels as a child, I loved seeing Paige twist the source material into something new, capable of spine-tingling chills and surprises by virtue of turning classic characters and their world on its head.

If Dorothy's original journey was about finding home, and getting the Tin Man a heart, the Cowardly Lion his courage, and the Scarecrow a brain, then Dorothy Must Die is a study in consequences. How those consequences play out remain to be seen, as this first volume only hints at Paige's ultimate narrative arc. However, I'm fascinated by the concept of Amy as a "new Dorothy" being tasked with undoing a grave wrong. For while the items they valued - heart, brain, courage -- are in and of themselves good, Amy's experiences call into question whether or not those gifts should ever have been granted. Did the gifts change the recipients? Or did what each individual in question most value subsequently change, and in doing so unleash havoc beyond imagining on Oz and its people? Therefore, if Amy's ultimate mission is to undo everything her predecessor put into motion, that begs the question -- how will Oz impact her, and vice-versa? It's a conceit I cannot wait to see play out in subsequent volumes!

While Oz's traditional heroes are find themselves transformed into villains within the pages of this volume -- to horrifying effect -- the lesser known, or new supporting characters that Paige crafts to flesh out her world are among the story's highlights. I particularly loved Ollie the one-time flying monkey, and his quest to free his imprisoned sister. The flying monkeys TERRIFIED me as a child, and Paige's spin on their powers and motivation adds a welcome layer of depth and poignancy to these previously nameless terrors. I also LOVED how Glinda, Oz's traditional "good" witch, is transformed into a villain and contrasted with her dark-magic twin Glamora. Glamora is hilariously snarky, but her harsh demeanor masks a heart-breaking history with her sister, a relationship that perfectly underscores the fact that nothing -- and no one -- is as it seems in this new Oz.

Dorothy Must Die is an absorbing, thoroughly entertaining, if flawed, debut, one that's left me incredibly eager for the next installment of this dark, twisted re-imagining of the classic Oz. The first third is incredibly exposition-heavy, but on balance I found Paige's decision to slowly and carefully dole out Oz's backstory wholly absorbing, as fascinating and appalling in turns as it must've seemed to the newly-arrived Amy. This is an Oz living in terror of being convicted of the Crime of Sass and sentenced to one of Dorothy's Official Attitude Adjustments, one where everything that was once good has gone horribly wrong -- and most terrifying of all, no one is immune to evil's seductive siren call. Despite its arguably excessive length and almost leisurely introduction to Amy and her mission, I absolutely devoured this book. By the final fourth, when Amy's mission kicks into high gear and the Wizard is introduced -- but his status as friend or foe remains to be seen -- the pages flew by, and the revelation of what exactly it will take to defeat Dorothy unfolds with a positively cinematic flair. Now that the exposition and set-up are complete, with a tighter narrative I have high hopes that subsequent installments will positively shine -- and I cannot wait to see where Paige's wonderfully twisted sense of humor and inventive imagination takes readers next!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2024
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Good book
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kayla.the.librarian
3.0 out of 5 stars Horrific, Bloody New Twist on Oz
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2014
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Dorothy Must Die is one of those books that I was aware of but never really intended to read because of my insane schedule. However, I read the first few chapters on Epic Reads back in March, and I was hooked. I loved Amy's sass and snark, and I wanted to see how she would fare in Oz with her attitude. Sadly, Dorothy Must Die was not the book that I assumed it would be based on the excerpt. (I only read the first three chapters - I never went to the other sites.) It lacked the sarcasm and self-deprecation that was hinted at in the beginning of the book. I'm not saying that Dorothy Must Die was a bad book - it wasn't - it was just not what I was anticipating or wanted to read. There were some inconsistencies in character behavior, but I am willing to write those off as rookie mistakes. (Just so you know I'm being fair and not just going by an unfinished copy, I bought and read the finished version.)

Amy Gumm, the main character, had a lot of potential. She stood up for herself, even when she knew that it would only make things worse, and had a fairly decent moral compass. Amy also asked a lot of questions, which is good when witches are telling you to do crazy s***. Unfortunately, she got whiny and irritating after a while. I expected her to be kicking ass and taking names, but all I saw was her saying "why me" on repeat. I know it will blow your mind to read this, but I would've liked to have had a love triangle in Dorothy Must Die. Yes, you read that correctly. I was not on board for the Amy/Nox interactions, and I felt more chemistry between Amy and Pete, despite the shortness of their scenes.

As for the world-building of Dorothy Must Die, I really wish it had been set anywhere but Oz. I read nearly every book in the Oz series by L. Frank Baum as a child and grew up loving the movies. (Yes, even the horribly wonderful Return to Oz with Fairuza Balk.) I get that the Oz in Dorothy Must Die is supposed to be a darker place, but using some of the characters and settings does not necessarily capture the essence of the beloved classic. I feel that's something important that a retelling should do. I understand that Paige is attempting to make this book her own, but her Oz could have been any land in any other novel just by switching the names, species, places, etc. Dorothy Must Die just never screamed "Oz".

The story was also way darker than what I thought it would be. Yes, Oz had its own scariness in the original books and the aforementioned movies, but Dorothy Must Die was gory and brutal. To be honest, if Paige would have created her own world and history, this could have easily been a five-star read for me. She can write tense scenes and kept me on the edge of my seat, but it just didn't mesh with Oz.

Dorothy Must Die was also nearly a DNF for me about halfway through it. Something about Amy drove me nuts, and the seesawing argument of essentially "the end justifies the means" and "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions" (it never uses those phrases, that's just what I gathered) got tiresome. Yes, Amy, I know that you don't want to be wicked. So does everyone else. Also, I needed more flying monkeys. Flying monkeys are always the best.

Despite the issues that I had with Dorothy Must Die, I'll probably read the next book in the series. Paige is a writer with a lot of potential, and I'm willing to give her and her Oz another chance. Just because I'm a book snob does not mean YOU shouldn't give the book a chance. Dorothy Must Die is a horrific, bloody new twist on Oz.

- 2.5/5 Stars -
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Top reviews from other countries

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Karla
5.0 out of 5 stars Buen libro!
Reviewed in Mexico on March 27, 2022
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Respecto a la entrega, todo bien. Sin defectos.
Y el libro está muy interesante. Lo recomiendo!
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Chantal Allard
5.0 out of 5 stars PERFECT
Reviewed in Canada on March 5, 2015
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shipping was AMAZING, took less than 5 days for it to arrive! book had no damage what so ever and it's such an amazing story. I'm for sure recommending this book to all the book lovers i know
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro para niños de 12 años aproximadamente
Reviewed in Spain on August 10, 2016
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Libre entretenido para niños y especialmente niñas de alrededor de 12 años.
Mi hija de 12 lo buscaba hace tiempo.
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Jamie Hewett
5.0 out of 5 stars A cutthroat and fast paced adventure filled with magic, double crossing and murder.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2015
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A cutthroat and fast paced adventure filled with magic, double crossing and murder, Dorothy Must Die is the new what-if of the Oz universe in which another Kansas girl allies herself against THE Kansas girl who went on to become the she bitch from Munchkin hell. The Land of Oz is enslaved, the Yellow Brick is all but ruined and the only place where you can find magic is at the feet of Dorothy and her inner circle of tyrants.

Dorothy Must Die paints a saccharin sweet picture of the Emerald City all too reminiscent of that imminent feeling when you see a lion smiling at you and you know you’re done for. It is no longer a place somewhere over the rainbow where dreams really do come true; it is a land of misery and suffering where magic is mined so that the few can remain powerful while the majority are forced to suffer, barely managing to live. Thematically, the novel is strong and takes the reader on a journey that dabbles in slavery, tyranny and murder. While it does have a few small sections that focus on love, it does not have the epic love story that many expect from teenage fantasy fiction. It could be argued on the contrary that a starting novel should not be littered with overly soppy romance though and I am inclined to agree that less is sometimes more. It does link in with one of the recurring ideas in the book and that is that nobody seems to get a happy ending anymore and that life is more realistic. The way in which she deals with magic is also interesting. While some books would bombard you with it and the capabilities of those who are destined to be magically great, this one does not. While certain characters do explore magic, the book is not littered with it which I often think is better because a story can become saturated with magic.

The characters in the novel are what made it especially fascinating for me because they are all so angry. They each have their own unique quirks and twists that make us love them and hate them. Though each reader will take something different from the novel as an experience I enjoyed seeing glimpses of the threat each of the characters could pose and then realising that none of them were going to be the main player in the power struggle with Dorothy and her forces. Paige didn’t take the easy route with the story here because it would be a cop out to make Gert or Mombi the key to the plan as they are already established characters with a phenomenal amount of magic. Instead, she took the otherworldliness away and made it a girl on girl fight with the two Kansas girls going head to head.

What is horrifyingly beautiful about the most of the characters is how damaged they mostly are and how they’ve been written to masquerade how truly wicked they once were and now simply can’t be. There was a delicious moment when one character remarks that they cannot be wicked anymore and have somehow switched sides fighting for the good of Oz because the good became evil. They haven’t changed in nature but instead in motivation: are they truly good or are they fighting for survival much like everyone else? I’ve not seen as many poker faces since I read Game of Thrones and I must admit some of the characters still have me questioning the reality of it all. The two characters that I felt were truly spectacular were Gert and Melindra. Though I’m sure Melindra has a tough life, I couldn’t help but want Amy to smack ten bells out of her just because she has one hell of a chip on her shoulder and she reminded me of a playground bully that needs a shovel to the face. I tip my hat to you Ms Paige. Gert exemplifies the masquerading of evilness as a good character because we know that she must’ve been wicked but we’re not sure what was so wicked about her. We get glimpses as I said earlier but we never really see the truly evil character that she is meant to be and it makes me wonder if she was written to be a character that has a questionable evil status rather than those that were damn right evil. Teenagers reading the book would likely find her invasive and side with Amy at certain points whereas the adults know that while it isn’t fair, sometimes that’s the reality of a situation. Once again, a masterful move from DP.

It would be utterly ridiculous to write this review without mentioning Gregory Maguire’s utterly epic series also based in Oz that began with Wicked. It is Wicked that Dorothy Must Die has the most similarities to in that they both take iconic characters from the classic MGM film Wizard of Oz and twist them to question who or what evil is and by what standard it must be held accountable. Whereas Wicked focuses on the Wizard, Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda, this book creates a protagonist and utilises the more familiar faces of Oz including Mombi, Dorothy and The Wizard. Wicked deals with Oz in a more adult context utilising philosophy and religion as well as murder, intrigue and the sexual frustration between Fiyero and Elphaba to create a protagonist that is truly punished by fate. Dorothy Must Die takes a more teenage approach to Oz in that it does not feature overt sexualisation but at the same time does not shy away from the experimentation on the people of Oz and Dorothy’s cruel manipulations; both of course feature murder and sabotage as well as revolution and subservience dabbling in some very intense subject matter. There was though something very fun about Amy’s adventures in comparison to the trials of Elphaba though perhaps Elphaba’s magic kept us on tender hooks because we wanted it to explode though it never did. Both though keep the reader hooked and I would recommend Dorothy Must Die before Wicked so that you can adapt to the Land of Oz and its people before hurling yourself into the political maelstrom that Elphaba’s world holds.

My last point must go to Ray Shapell, the designer of the cover art. While it is of course true to say don’t just a book by its cover and all of that drivel, a collector of books like me DOES judge a book by its cover initially and I actively seek out the covers that I like the look of most in a book series. Had the cover been different, I would not have been as quick to buy it. The cover is quirky but lethal looking at the same time and I liked the colours. I liked that it changed even more when you took the outer sleeve off! It is all very well and good to say that we should not appreciate the beauty of the cover and instead focus on the words but what am I to show off to people if the cover were to look shabby and plain? Either way, the words truly inside the cover were supported by a simple but mesmerising cover that I thought worthy of a mention!

Overall, Dorothy Must Die is a coming of age tale that questions what it means to be wicked and the cost of every action, good or bad. It is an absolutely enthralling read that hurls you into the revolution and has you rushing to sign up yourself. Her characters are well formed and dynamic and her plot twists are something that George R R Martin would be proud to have written. I class myself as an avid reader of fantasy fiction and I must admit Paige has clawed her way into my top 10 among the ranks of Garth Nix, Deborah Harkness and Trudi Canavan. It is not unsurprising that Dorothy Must Die is currently being worked into a TV show by The CW. I thoroughly look forward to The Wicked Will Rise, due for release on March 30th, 2015.
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TR
5.0 out of 5 stars Einfallsreiche und geniale Neuauflage von „Oz“ :)
Reviewed in Germany on May 14, 2014
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Buchgestaltung

Ich weiß nicht, wie es mit dem Taschenbuch aussieht, aber die Aufmachung des Hardcovers ist wirklich richtig cool. Unter dem Schutzumschlag befindet sich nämlich ein abweichendes Motiv zum Cover, welches mit glänzender Folie dort eingearbeitet ist – sieht einfach richtig cool aus. Der Titel ist zudem richtig super gewählt, auch, wenn ich nicht weiß, wie der Folgeband nun heißen soll xD

Meinung

Der Zauberer von OZ bzw. die Geschichten von Frank L. Baum gehören seit meiner Kindheit zu meinen Lieblingsgeschichten. Deshalb bin ich immer total neugierig auf Menschen, die versuchen etwas Neues aus seinen Büchern zu machen. Erst gab es da ja diesen Film, der eine neue Geschichte erzählen sollte und für mich ein Flopp war und daher war ich umso gespannter, ob es in Buchform vielleicht besser gelingt aus den phantastischen Figuren und dem wundersamen Setting etwas zu machen. Danielle Paige ist so gesehen meine Heldin, denn ihr Debütroman gefiel mir trotz so einiger, kleiner Schwächen außerordentlich gut und kommt ins Lieblingsbuchregal.

Die Autorin hat meiner Meinung nach so ziemlich alles richtig gemacht: Wesentliche Elemente aus den Geschichten, wie die Leser die kennen sind hier an jeder Ecke vorhanden, aber was die Ideen und den Plot betrifft nimmt alles andere Wende, wodurch das Abenteuer, welches einem hier geboten wird spannend ohne Ende ist. Zunächst einmal ist es in diesem Oz so, dass Dorothy, welche eigentlich die gute Retterin des Landes ist, irgendwann zurückkehrte, weil ihr die normale Welt nicht mehr gefiel. Kurz darauf riss sie die Macht in Oz an sich und die Figuren wie der Löwe oder der Zinnmann sind ihre bösen Gefolgsleute. Die Protagonistin Amy wird wie Dorothy einst durch einen Tornado nach Oz gezogen und soll sich dort der „Order of Wicked“ anschließen, um Dorothy ein für alle Mal zu Fall zu bringen.

Amy war eine Hauptfigur, die mal wieder anders als die typischen Heldinnen war. Sie lebt zusammen mit ihrer Mutter in armen Verhältnissen in einem Trailerpark, hasst die Schule, hat kaum Freunde und will nur raus aus Kansas. Als das geschieht – aber so ganz anders als erhofft – hat sie zunächst nur Ablehnung gegen Oz und seine Bewohner übrig und tritt diesem kleinen Albtraum mit einer Menge Sarkasmus und Humor entgegen, was bei mir Unmengen an Pluspunkten sammeln konnte. Die Ankunft in Oz ist genauso fesselnd wie spätere Kämpfe und allgemein war das so eine Sache, die ich unheimlich mochte: Durch die vielen Details wurde das Buch nie langweilig. Amy begegnet rasch den ersten Bewohnern aus Oz, die ihr helfen wollen, aber alles kommt anders als gedacht. Kaum sind die ersten Freundschaften geschlossen, folgen Mord, Verrat und Schocker...und ich muss ganz ehrlich sagen, dass ich nicht erwartet habe, dass die Autorin so gnadenlos vorgeht.

Die Gegenspieler, von Dorothy bis hin zu ihren Anhänger waren alle ziemlich brutal und grausam und mir haben teilweise genauso die Knie geschlottert wie Amy! Normalerweise ist es in Jugendbüchern auch so, dass hier viele Charaktere verschont werden oder es erst gar nicht so kalt und düster zugeht, aber hier geschieht das einfach immer wieder und als Leser sieht man das Unheil unaufhaltsam auf sich zukommen, ohne, dass man etwas dagegen tun kann. Gerade durch diese Art von Spannung und Unvorhersehbarkeit will man die Story nicht mehr aus der Hand legen. Wie erwähnt werden hier auch viele Details des Originals mit eingebunden und das mochte ich sehr, sehr gerne. So konnte man sich teilweise an Orten oder Figuren orientieren, auch, wenn die Autorin uns oft an der Nase herumführt.

Ich würde sagen, man kann das Buch gut in zwei Teile spalten. Der erste Hälfte beschäftigt sich mit Oz selbst, den Veränderungen und Schrecken, die dort stattgefunden haben, wir lernen Amy sehr gut kennen und erleben, wie sie sich immer wieder in Schwierigkeiten bringt. Die zweite Hälfte zeigt dann die Entwicklung des Plots und der Charaktere, weil wir auf der Seite der „Order of Wicked“ stehen und einen anderen Blickwinkel kennenlernen. Amy lernt dort zu kämpfen und wird auf ihre Aufgabe vorbereitet. Die Ansichten, die Danielle Paige hier über Gut und Böse beschreibt, fand ich dazu richtig clever. Immer wieder erlebt man solche AHA- Momente und muss sich selber fragen: Was bedeutet es überhaupt Gut oder Böse zu sein, wo verschwimmen die Definitionen oder wo liegen bei Handlungen, die anderen schaden, überhaupt die Grenzen? Das gefiel mir richtig gut. Auch die ganze Sache mit den „bösen“ Hexen fand ich total gelungen.

Jeder Charakter, der in DOROTHY MUST DIE auftaucht hinterlässt seine Spuren und sei sein Auftritt noch so kurz. Dazu kommt, dass es hier keine richtige Liebesgeschichte gibt und man sich einfach zurücklehnen und das alles als durchweg unterhaltsame Fantasygeschichte sehen kann. Zwar gab es schon den ein oder anderen Moment, in denen Andeutungen gemacht wurden oder es eben einen Kuss gab, aber die Protagonistin lässt sich von so etwas nicht verändern oder ablenken. Je mehr es dem Ende entgegen geht, umso mehr spitzt sich alles zu. Vorweg kann ich euch sagen, dass Amy es noch nicht ganz schafft ihre Aufgabe zu bewältigen, aber dank der vielen durchdachten Konflikte und Handlungsstränge ist uns ein zweiter, vielleicht sogar noch actionreicherer Teil auf jeden Fall sicher.

Ein paar Kleinigkeiten haben mich trotz meiner Liebe zum Buch doch gestört. Zum einen gab es da diesen Charakter, der mir unglaublich auf die Nerven ging, weil ich Null verstanden habe, worin genau seine Rolle denn bestand. Dann wurde es in der Zeit, in der Amy sich in Dorothys Schloss aufhält teilweise etwas zu viel des Guten. Mir hätte es besser gefallen, wenn sich an einigen Stellen etwas mehr auf die Haupthandlung konzentriert worden wäre.

Fazit

DOROTHY MUST DIE ist eines meiner Highlights von 2014. Mir gefiel die Neuauflage von Oz, in der perfekt Bekanntes mit neuen Ideen vereint wurde einfach richtig gut. Danielle Paiges Ideen waren frisch, unverbraucht und einfach klug durchdacht - Bis zum Schluss. Es wird verdammt oft spannend und grausam, gleichzeitig gibt einem das Buch aber auch eine Menge moralischer Konflikte mit den auf den Weg. Band zwei wo bist du nur? xD
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