I really was excited about this book and its premise since I love The Wizard of Oz. The story and premise were fantastic, but I thought it was wordy and boring and did not keep my attention. I found myself mostly skimming the second half of this novel. The feminist themes and historical component were the best parts, unfortunately there wasn't enough story to keep me engaged and the characterization fell flat.

See my full goodreads review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6438317845

I love fairy retellings, not that OZ is a typical fairytale, but it does have some of those qualifications. And this book delivered for me. I love the fact that we actually know what happened to Dorothy after the twister and how she because who she was in the town that was never answered in the first book. I also loved the fact that there was that throwback to Frank! I love all things Dorothy and while the book was slow at some parts, it kept me interested in enough that I needed to find out more! I still need more, but alas, that is probably not going to happen.
Great story.

There were parts of this story I really loved and others I was wondering what the helicopter I was reading. The ending felt rushed but overall a good read.

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine tells of what happens to Dorothy Gale after she returns from Oz with a remarkable story. Mr. McAlpine is a published, award-winning author and educator.

A tornado destroys the Gale farm, and much of the town of Sunbonnet, Kansas, 1896. Dorothy Gale is missing for days, worrying Aunt Em and Uncle Frank, when she mysteriously appears, unharmed, in a pumpkin patch with an incredible story.

When a rich, elderly single woman is murdered in the same way which Dorothy described killing a “witch” in her fantastic tales, it is assumed Dorothy is guilty and is put in an asylum. Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford comes from the East Coast to interview the 11-year-old-girl, wondering if she really committed the crime.

I’ve read all of L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz fantasy books, and while I enjoyed them, they did not age well. The movie, of course, is a timeless classic still enjoyed to this day.

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine is not what I expected it to be. I thought the book would be an examination by a psychologist of a young, seemingly delusional girl, only to realize that she might be telling the truth. Instead, I got a little of that but more of a murder/mystery story. Unexpected but nevertheless still enjoyable.

Despite the story taking place in the late 1800s, it’s still relevant. Unfortunately, hatred and bigotry didn’t go away, and the liberal vs. conservative mindset is on prominent display. Cult personality, mob mentality, and figurative/literal witch hunts are still part of our society. Those in power can decide, arbitrarily and with little evidence, to take someone’s freedom away can still happen.

The story is told through two points of view, the psychologist/amateur detective, and that of an anonymous resident of the town. Educated and liberal vs. closed minded conservative. One justifies their views through their learning, the other through Bible verses.
It’s strange choice and too one sided, especially considering European, left-wing academia during that time (which sadly is repeating itself).

Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford is the only fleshed out character. Dorothy is barely in the book (but mentioned often) and the town’s people encompass every stereotype one could think of. The most interesting parts, the conversations between the doctor and the Dorothy are short and, frankly, are barely relevant to the plot.

I did enjoy this unusual twist of a classic story, it’s well written and with a fantastic premise. It’s a quick yet interesting read. I did wish that Dorothy’s conversations with the psychologist were in the center of the novel, nevertheless it was entertaining and a refreshing take on a familiar classic.

What a surprise! I picked up "After Oz" because the premise was intriguing—what was life in Kansas like before and after Dorothy “returned” from Oz? But honestly, beyond that, I didn’t have many expectations. Perhaps that’s why I ended up enjoying this book so much.

From the very beginning, the story pulls you in and sets the tone for the small, pious town where Dorothy lives with her Uncle Henry and Aunt Emily. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. After a tornado devastates parts of the town, Dorothy Gale goes missing, and when she returns, claiming to have accidentally killed a witch in a magical land, the town is baffled. But things take a darker turn when a local woman turns up dead, and the town quickly turns on Dorothy. Is she a liar? Is she insane? Or has something more sinister taken hold of the 11-year-old girl? Whatever the reason, the town is convinced she is a murderer. Only one woman believes in her innocence and is determined to free the imaginative girl, hoping to uncover the real murderer.

I couldn’t put this book down. I felt infuriated on Dorothy’s behalf and actually had the urge to physically harm some of the more “important” men in town. Gordon McAlpine’s writing delivered on every level, making me feel so immersed in the story that I found myself emotionally reacting over and over again. I’ve never read McAlpine’s work before, and even though this was his final book before his death, I’m definitely planning to explore more of his existing work.

"After Oz" was just a good story, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written book with clever plot lines and vivid characters. It’s an easy five out of five stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

A delightful twist on a classic. It was a very engaging read that kept the pages turning. I recommend it.

2.5

I felt extremely meh about this book. I requested it on NetGalley after reading the description and feeling automatically intrigued. I started this book off enjoying myself, but soon found the plot to be extremely boring. The writing was so dry that I disliked almost the whole book. I didn't like how we didn't get any part of the book from the Dorothy's POV or how the book felt like everyone's BUT Dorothy's. I think I could have gotten past the plot, but I truly couldn't get past the writing. This had so much potential to be good, but it was such a letdown for me.

I received this as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

**Content Warning**: Mention of suicide, abandonment, mistreatment. Graphic description of death. Abusive mental health treatment.

In the small Kansas town of Sunbonnet, on the night of a catastrophic tornado, eleven year old Dorothy Gale goes missing. When she is found, days later in a neighbours pumpkin patch, she tells a tale of a fantastical land of witches, cowardly lions and talking scarecrows. When she talks of killing a witch, the dreamy, sensitive child is treated as an evil being by the God-fearing townsfolk; doubly so when the town recluse turns up dead. Did the child kill the old woman?

Sentenced to an insane asylum by a hearing more witch-hunt than trial, Dorothy is doomed. Or is she? Psychologist Dr Evelyn Grace Wilford, who has heard of the case from the newspapers, is determined to get justice for Dorothy and set her free. But at what cost?

Told in alternating chapters from an eyewitness unnamed member of the town and Dr Wilford's notes and letters, After Oz tells a tale of a hostile, uncompromising town in a hostile, unforgiving landscape, turn of the century mental health treatment and hypocrisy in the name of Christianity. Religion is a strong element here, as a small-town America in the 1890s is ruled by the Reverend and those who are not "believers" are shunned. Judgements are cast based on status and pillars of the community can do no wrong while the poor, the different, the *women* are judged to be wanting before being given a chance to speak.

It is in this toxic environment, where the ranks close against outsiders, we go in search of a killer.
This was a gripping read, full of twists and turns, and the final outcome was a surprise.

I *did* find the letters of Dr Wilford to be overly verbose, and references to her own past did not necessarily require inclusion. And the smug self-aggrandizing voice of the townsperson was infuriating.

All in all a gripping read, and an interesting twist on a much-loved tale.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

What did happen when the tornado left town? I had never thought about that concept, but Gordon McAlpine sure did and I loved what he dreamed of. I hate to give away any plot lines, because I hate spoilers, but think about a mental instruction, a murder and a twister of a different sort.

I found this book interesting, creative and fast paced. I will recommend to anyone that adores the movie and Oz books.

The story of what happens after Dorothy returns from Oz. Dorothy is from a small town that is highly religious. When she comes back talking about witches and witchcraft, most of the city turns against her and she is given mental help that force her process her return and explain her bizarre claims.

Her retelling of what happened to her for those few days she was missing is quickly connected to an actual murder in their town and she is considered dangerous. The story takes us through the trial of Dorothy as she is raked across the coals for her “pagan adventure” and grasping for parallels between her retelling and the mysterious murder in their town.

She does have one person out to prove she is innocent. She digs into the mystery and theory that someone took advantage of Dorothy’s situation to prove an old murder and place the blame on poor Dorothy. The reverend, the sheriff, the doctor, all are acting suspicious as you get major corruption small town vibes !

How scared everyone was of talk of witches gave a historical fiction feel to the mystery as well. A fun twist on a classic story and perspective not talked about much - what did Dorothy go through when she did click her heels and go home ?

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I read that this book is about what happens when Dorothy returns home after her trip to Oz, it sounded really interesting. I'm happy I read it. It was entertaining enough, but Dorothy wasn't in the story too much which I was thinking she would be.
Dorothy is blamed for a murder in the town after she described how she got rid of the witch in Oz, and it seems similar. A Dr shows up to investigate and help Dorothy out of this situation, after Dorothy is put in an asylum. The religious townspeople think Dorothy is crazy and want her locked up. This was quite a unique read. It was much darker than I was expecting but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine is a book about Dorothy after returning home from Oz and the little town of SunnyDale, Kansas response to her fanciful tales. After the tornado swept through the town and ruined Uncle Henry’s farm they were devastated but then they couldn’t find 11-year-old Dorothy Gale and this is why all the townsfolk came to help. Uncle Henry was despondent and of course they thought it was due to his missing niece but that couldn’t be further from the truth. His farmhouse was in tatters and he felt he was too old to rebuild and was swept up in despair and despite the Reverend trying to console him he responded with blasphemy something the townsfolk was shocked at. When Dorothy finally returns and tells the great story of Oz and talks about witches and wizards and killing a witch with a bucket of water the good people and sunny Dale don’t know what to make of it, but when they find the cranky mis Geneva at her kitchen table with her face melted they think they know how it happened and blame it on Dorothy. She sent to the asylum and this is how she comes to meet the New York psychiatrist Evelyn Grace will Ford, she will become her friend and just may be her savior. I really was looking so forward to this book and I thought Dorothy would talk more about her time in Oz, I did think the author did a great job describing the era this happened in and how things were at the time I found him to be absolutely historically accurate which is something I love when authors do the do diligence in this author definitely did that 100%. I liked his writing style I did find it weird that uncle Henry acted as if he could care less about Dorothy because from the movies I thought he loved Dorothy but either way this was still a pretty good read in one I definitely recommend. I wish we would’ve saw more of Dorothy I thought the twist with Miss Geneva was definitely a wow moment. So yeah I would still definitely recommend the book but don’t go into it thinking it is about Oz because it’s not it’s about afterwards.#NetGalley, #CrookedLaneBooks, #AfterOz,#GordonMcAlpine,

This was heartbreaking, both in the story and in the author's note at the end. I think it did a great job of showing how, as a society, we jump to conclusions and hide behind religion. It also highlights the lack of rights and autonomy of women during the time period. I also love the twist in how L F Baum might have gotten the idea to write The Wizard of Oz.

I was interested to read a take on what happened to Dorothy when she returned to Kansas. After the tornado, Dorothy is missing for 4 days. When she is found, she relates the tale of what happened while she was at the enchanted place with witches and flying monkeys. People were not happy with her tawdry story. She mentioned killing a witch and when there was a murder, Dorothy is blamed. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting and is much darker. I thought there would be more Dorothy. Overall, it was an OK read for me. If you don’t mind darker stories, this might be a good book for you.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to Gordon McAlpine, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have mixed feelings about this one. It did start off a little boring, and then as it went on got more interesting. But at times, I often found it to be repetitive.

I did like the two different POVs and the perspectives from both of them.

While an interesting idea and a realistic approach to how a small town would respond to Dorothy's sudden return after the tornado and her stories of Oz, this novel was hard to stay invested in and was a little rough in its approach. It is a worthwhile read for a different take on Oz, but that's about it. .

Be careful what you wish for. In the beloved tale, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy tries tirelessly to return home. After Oz is the story of what happens when she gets there. Do the townspeople rush to receive her? Or does her tale seem not only delusional but even satanic to the religious and isolated townspeople? Sometimes ignorance is not bliss.

The book is a dark look into both the prejudices and mob mentality of small town life. After a local woman is found dead, the town accuses Dorothy of murder and sends her to an insane asylum. A psychiatrist takes an interest in Dorothy’s story and tries to prove that Dorothy is innocent.

While I enjoyed the idea of After Oz, I didn’t enjoy the obvious prejudices of the author against religious people. The entire book seems too heavy handed with hatred. The characters themselves are paper thin and mostly interchangeable. Even Dorothy herself is barely included. 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a review copy.

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine was super intriguing.
The book's storyline was excellent, keeping me engaged and very entertained.
Gordon McAlpine had me glued to the page right from the start and was the perfect mix of slow burn and suspense.
The author comes up with an extremely intriguing plot that keeps you so hooked throughout.

After Oz is a story of what happened to Dorothy after she got back from Oz. Its a dark retelling in a way. It ended up being a lot better than I thought it would be. Who actually thought how Dorothy's life would be after she went back to Kansas. I really enjoyed it. What a story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kansas, 1896 - A tornado has hit a small town in Kansas and 11-year-old Dorothy Gale is missing. When she's finally found after 4 days of searching, she tells a fantastical tale of a beautiful land, where witches and wizards and talking animals abound. Her small town is horrified, especially after the body of a local spinster is found and Dorothy is blamed for the murder; which looks to be the way she claimed to have killed a "witch" in Oz.
After learning of Dorothy's predicament, Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford comes to Kansas from NY to see if she can discern the truth of her claim (and maybe solve the murder). But the townspeople are tight-lipped and staunch in their faith and secrets will have to come out if Evelyn wants to help Dorothy.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for this e-arc.*