picked up the 4th/last wicked book to read at the airport
Ive only read the first and second but the consensus seems to be that the third is boring filler, so the hell with it
I really like the books, the prose is so heavy and textural, it makes me think of- EXCUSE MY PRETENTIOUSNESS- wet clay. I really dislike the broadway version and the fandom surrounding it- feels like they’ve taken a rare steak and turned it into cotton candy. Which is dumb because Wicked is supposed to explore the kitschy, light world of the movie version, and add some depth and nuance. Why reverse that… ugh I hate it…
I especially hate the way it downplays Fiyero and how the fandom seems to dismiss him as a “beard”- his romance with elphaba is so moving and deeply felt and important in the book. I hate how most people seem to toss it aside in favor of the frothy, titillating college maybe-lesbians!! I understand queer visibility is important etc etc etc but cmon it’s bubbly silly broadway subtext and not much else. And if minority representation is important, let’s remember that (as I understand it) fiyero is a black man from an Africa-like continent in the book and a white dude in the musical. cmon dudes….
anyway I hope this fourth book is good (i thought the second was a mixed bag but ended very strongly). Forgive me for typing out these indulgent ramblings about a book series no one really seems to care much about. but I’ve got a lot of time to kill at the airport here :\
