'Dorothy Must Die' by Danielle Paige

Amazon / Goodreads

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 bluebirds. 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 yellow brick road - 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.

People have sung the praises for this book. I have to admit that I agree. Completely. 

I have to say I adore the characters.

Amy has a fantastic personality. She's saucy. May I use an older word? Amy has spunk. She's a determined person. A bit...controlled by her emotions. She isn't really impulsive. Only impulsive for the good things. I think she has a great personality. She is quick on her feet and clever. I like that. But you get her backstory. And I have to love her character a bit more. Growing up in a trailer with a practically-comatose mother. She was bullied. And she kinda fought back. (Which I have a whole lot of respect for. Not everyone fights back.) Amy is a rebel. A rebel of what, I don't know. But she is quite amazing. 

And she does change. And I like that as well. She turns from Salvation Amy Who Fights Pregnant Teenage Bitches. (Excuse my French) to this power-wielding teenage girl with magical powers. And determination. And a bold attitude. And saucy comments. (Love the word saucy.) The Amy inside comes out. I don't know if that's the True Amy. But it's one step closer. 

Nox has an interesting backstory. You don't know anything about him. He acts differently and gives hints about his person. Where he came from. His world was destroyed. He doesn't remember. He thinks they saved him. But they really didn't. Where does Nox come from? Is he human? He doesn't seem like he's from anywhere else. Maybe he's the Wizard's son. (You may never know.) I think this open-ended character is making my imagination wander. And his standoffish personality. I don't know why, but those people who are standoffish are some of my favorite characters. He didn't really talk to Amy. Until he was forced to. Even then...he wasn't really nice. He was curt and spoke only when he had to. And then...he changed. Not into Amy's friend. But something else. An ally. That's the best way I can describe it. And Amy needs all the allies she can get. But can she trust any of them? And who is truly an ally? 

And all the side characters who are fascinating as well. Pete's cryptic words. Jellia's absurd amount of joy and cheer. They are all amazing. They have reasons to hold their secrets. Part of this book is about secrets. They're all fascinating characters. Eccentric to the max. But still! 

And the world...wow. It's twisted. A great retelling of the typical story. Dorothy is power-hungry. Her friends have demented versions of their wishes. Tin Woodman's love. The Lion's fear-sucking power. And the Scarecrow's messed up brain. (It's hard to elaborate...) There is magic. And it's not just the simple elemental magic. There's flying and teleportation. Lightning strikes and beautification. (The latter strikes me as odd. But not really. Not in this world.)

How the world has been destroyed is interesting. Dorothy mined for magic. She starved for it. (And it brings up the question of whether or not Amy will feel the same.) Glinda has a twin! And the Good are Wicked. And the Wicked are Good. (I have to laugh at this. When I read this part in the book, I mentally screamed 'Maze Runner' and continued reading. I'm happy I didn't accidentally say that aloud. That would have been embarrassing.) 

The plot tosses you across a world of magic and action. It's a fast-paced plot with action and adventure. You never dwell too long on any part of the story. Never too long with the Order fight scenes. Never too long on any part of the palace story. (Palace? Is that the right term? I'm not entirely sure.) We don't go too fast, though. It's the right pace for this story. 

I'll admit the palace scenes weren't always the most interesting. They were a bit...dull at times. But Amy's character was seeking trouble. (Or trouble was seeking her.) So there were things happening. Not always, though. But I don't have too many qualms.

The action is exactly the type of action I love. It's fight scenes left and right. And it's not like Amy is a natural fighter. She has to learn. She has to be knocked off her feet. She has to get bruises. I like that. Shows she's human and not some god. (Or a god reincarnation.) She is not a bad fighter. Some of her moves are strange. Some of them aren't conventional. (But what good fighters, interesting fighters, have conventional moves?) 

What a cliffhanger! What an ending! I can only sing the praises of this ending. The action. Dorothy and the party. The rejection. And Toto. (I have a bit of hatred for this dog. Come on. You're a little dog. Calm down.) I like how much happens. And then we have the Amy v. Tin Woodsman. And the Wizard. And Pete! I'm still reeling from the amazingness that is this book. It's truly amazing. 

Weather:

Sunny with no clouds

5/5