Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this novel.

American writer Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, has inspired many retellings, stage productions, and, of course, the much-loved 1939 film that made Judy Garland’s career. With Baum’s work as a basis—Baum is a minor but important figure in this novel—Gordon McAlpine brings a fascinating new angle into play. As the title suggests, it unfolds after the famous tornado-caused adventure, with Dorothy and Toto discovered asleep in a field several days later. Her story about the witches, the magical beings, the wizard, are taken to result from being blown away in the storm, a diagnosis confirmed by the town’s doctor. She anxiously confesses to having killed the Wicked Witch of the West by ‘melting’ her, though without meaning to. The child’s refusal to accept that she dreamed Oz, or fabricated the story to get attention, sets into motion a disturbing series of events during which the entire town viciously turns against her. She is put through a true witch trial and is then sent to an insane asylum in Topeka. Dorothy goes from unfortunate victim to evil, morally repulsive, Satanic ‘murderess’ in a matter of days, and with no one, not even Uncle Henry and Aunty Em, to defend her.

The Oz story is the novel’s premise but it is decentred here to focus on the aftermath. The result is a penetrating look at what happens when hardened world views forbid alternative interpretations. Dorothy’s hometown, Sunbonnet, Kansas, is permeated by a rigid, dogmatic Christianity based on unquestioning biblical literalism. It is a supremely effective method of ‘crowd control’. Those who do not toe the line drawn by the town’s leading men-especially women, who have little power on their own anyway—are blamed, scapegoated, ostracized, and never forgiven unless they repent their ‘sins’, atone, and never again defy God’s authority. Not at all surprisingly, the town’s charismatic and persuasive minister has particular influence, while covering his own serious moral lapses.

The true central character is not so much Dorothy as Dr Evelyn Grace Wilford, from Boston, unmarried, and very much of the ‘new woman’ type that so troubled the period’s guardians of morality and the status quo. She is a psychologist when psychology was a very new field and women practitioners probably non-existent. Its theories and practices owed much to Dr. William James, who looked to myth and timeless archetypes for clues to how the mind processes experience. Dr Wilford is a devoted student of James, to whom she writes about Dorothy’s case. She was introduced to it by her cousin, Chicago journalist Frank Baum, who had visited Sunbonnet to report on it and was convinced that Dorothy was a blameless scapegoat. A few visits to the asylum, in which she has her recount and further explain her story, convinces her that Dorothy was neither insane nor guilty of killing the town outcast, the despised spinster Alvina Clough.

Dr Wilford visits the town to interview the four town leaders, believing that Dorothy can only escape her fate in the oppressive asylum if she can be proven innocent of murder. She wants to understand ‘Who are we human beings that such terrible things as this happen?’ The unidentified narrator who presents the town’s point of view to such an absurd degree that it is at once ugly and humorous calls what she set out to do a ‘heedless mission’ combining a ‘uniquely dangerous brand of scientism wed to paganism.’ How she unravels the murder mystery, exposes the perpetrators, and saves Dorothy, is surprising and wonderful.

Like Baum’s original tale, which was never just a story to amuse children, McAlpine’s is allegorical, as well as a timely social critique. I was shocked and saddened to learn of his death two years ago. He was a gifted writer and an incisive commentator. This novel is a tribute to his memory.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I enjoyed After Oz. There is no real answer to whether or not Dorothy actually went to Oz or what happened to her during the time she was missing. But it is a good look at the way things were at the time. Was justice served at the end? *shrug shoulders* I did like end.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. I loved this dark and twisted version of Wizard of Oz and I was excited when I received this. I read the in one sitting and enjoyed every bit of it!

This was an interesting reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz. I had thought it would be told from Dorothy's perspective or feature Dorothy more. This story is told from 2 different POV's, one believing in Dorothy's innocence and the other believing she is guilty. Certain characters were changed and several completely omitted, Dorothy's connection to the witch and their interconnectedness is the focal point of the story. Low key mystery but also a statement about people and society and the ability of people to believe whatever narrative fits into their own prejudices.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What happens in Kansas when Dorothy is whisked away to Oz? This suspenseful story gives us insight into what it could’ve been like after the tornado hits. This one will make you think!

A clever, thought-provoking take about what the classic Wizard of Oz story might look like from the perspective of those left behind in Kansas while Dorothy Gale adventures in the unknown. A mystery that respects its speculative roots while providing a compelling earthbound spin all its own.

I was hoping to love this one. It was disappointing as I wanted to always hold Oz in my childhood. This made Dorothy seem unstable. It was an interesting concept though!

I saw this title on Netgalley and thought it sounded so interesting and so glad I got to check it out early. I really enjoyed this story.

You get two perspectives, one from a lady Dr. which is rare for this time period, and one from an unnamed townsfolk. The historical aspect worried me a little bit going into this, I wasn't sure if the writing style for the old period would mesh with my taste but this was surprisingly well-written and easy to understand. I've been a fan of the Wizard of OZ from a young age and it was nice to read what felt like a branch of the story.

There is a bit of a mystery which I didn't predict and I really like how the story wrapped up, the ending was a nice surprise that I think adds so much charm and nostalgia to this book. It's short and I had a fun time with this one. Definitely recommend!

Fascinating take on what happens when Dorothy returns to Kansas. Wasn't always sure who the narrator was and not a big fan of the letter format, but I did enjoy the detective story.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the Gales and other townspeople after the tornado, or how Dorothy explains her absence? This story answers those questions in an unanticipated way. Told from a visiting psychologist's viewpoint, this book hooked me from the start. A mystery with unexpected twists, I highly recommend this book!

This book was odd. Being from Kansas, loving <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> and always looking for a good story that gives a classic a new spin, I thought I would really like this but it was just not that great. There are two perspectives. One is an omniscient town person from Sunbonnet, KS and the other is the psychologist who travels to visit Dorothy. The story is rather dry but with a small mystery throughout. It appears that someone has killed Alvina Clough, an older woman in the town and all signs seem to point to Dorothy. This could have been really intriguing but it just did not play out in a way I found enjoyable. It was just flat and strange. It's an interesting way to go with the story but not executed well in my opinion.

I loved the original book and movie of The Wizard of Oz. I will read anything that is a retelling or twist of the classic.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars. There was a little bit of disconnect for me about the timeline jumping back and forth from the trial to Dorothy at the asylum. It wouldn't make a major difference just something wished was written in a chronological order. Just my preference.

I enjoyed part two and the twists and turns that was presented and enjoyed seeing how the story ended.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the advance copy!!

I really enjoyed this book and how it imagined such a familiar story from the perspective of the townspeople as well as a scholar - it was a dark portrayal of small-town life and kept me on the edge of my seat! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

In Kansas there is a tornado and a 11-year-old girl goes missing, she shows up a couple of days later just fine with an interesting tale of where she had been and how she accidentally killed a bad witch buy throwing water on her. Later the town goes to check on the reclusive neighbor they had not seen since before the twister. They find her dead with her face melted off, so of course the town believes it was the girl (Dorothy), a judge comes and he and the important town people decide it best to send Dorothy to the insane asylum. When a young female doctor goes to visit Dorothy, she finds she has doubts that the girl did not kill that women. So, the young Doctor turned investigator, goes to Dorothy’s town and shakes the trees to see what falls out.
This was such a wonderful book if you ever wondered what happened after. The characters are wonderful, and the suspense is huge. I could sing this books praises but you really should find out for yourself I don’t think you will regret it.

I truly appreciate this novel more after reading the author's note at the end. To all the readers: take what you know about Dorothy and Oz and treat the text like an allegory. At face value, it's straightforward. But when you apply the lessons and themes to life, there is no limit to what you might uncover.

I had really high hopes for this. The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorites, so I was excited to see where this would go. It’s a tale of a psychologist who visits Dorothy in an insane asylum and tries to free her of her crime that she was accused of. The psychologist turns detective and uncovers a slew of truths in a small town. I can only give 2 stars because there was a lot of religious talk and bible verses and I don’t really enjoy that sort of thing in my books. But the ending actually ended up being really good. I am glad I stuck with it because it is not what I expected at all.

This is a dark and twisty sequel to Wizard of Oz, and it was so unsettling.

Dorothy makes a return home, only to be committed to a home for the criminally insane as an eleven-year-old child.

It is set in the 1800's, in a bible fearing community that believes her tale to be blasphemy. A woman in town is found murdered in the same way Dorothy describes killing the wicked witch, and all fingers are pointed at her,

I liked the first half of the book more than the second. The first half focused in on Dorothy and what she was going through. A psychiatrist comes to meet with her and is determined to help prove her innocence. The only thing that threw me off is that Dorothy was supposed to be eleven, but her dialogue was very adult. It didn't seem to fit the age of the character, but it didn't deter from my enjoyment of the story.

The second half of the book is more of a historical fiction mystery and is centered around solving the crime that Dorothy is accused of committing.

Although this is more of a dark continuation rather than a retelling of a classic tale, I always like books that put a dark spin on stories we already know. Overall, it was a good read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy of After Oz by Gordon McAlpine in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 6, 2024.
Wow, this book had me on the edge of my seat. I could not stop reading this. I loved how this took elements of the Wizard of Oz and threaded it with an 1890's farming town in Kansas. I thought it was so well-done and just overall interesting.
If you enjoy retellings, or rather, epilogues, I highly recommend this one!

just okay for me. inventive take on the original, but it didn't hold my full attention very well. Much of it seemed lifted directly from the original, and the parts that weren't original were tedious and predictable.

In After Oz, Gordon McAlpine tells the story of what happens to Dorothy Gale after her return from Oz, but it is not the story you think. Instead of waking up from her ordeal surrounded by those who love her, she is found asleep in a neighbor's pumpkin patch several days after the tornado. And instead of dismissing Dorothy's amazing story of her adventures in Oz as a dream experienced when she was unconscious, the towns people in her 1898 home of Sunbonnet, Kansas begin to think there is something sinister about the child when she relates what she considered a true experience with strange characters, including good and bad witches. She tells a story of accidentally killing a witch by pouring water on her, and when and when the body of a local spinster is discovered, killed in a way startlingly similar to what Dorothy described, they blame her for the killing and eventually sentence her to an insane asylum, considered a merciful decision considering her young age.

Enter a young female psychologist, Dr. Evelyn Wilford who, upon hearing about Dorothy's case, travels to the asylum to evaluate Dorothy for herself. Upon getting to know the child, she begins to believe that Dorothy is innocent of the crime. She resolves to try and get to the bottom of this incident, but she must battle against the prejudices of society against educated women at that time, and the dangers involved if the real killer finds out what she is up to. This is a very interesting and at times harrowing version of a well known tale turned murder mystery, and I thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected perspective