Step into a world where the magic of Oz collides with the harsh realities of small-town life in ‘After Oz.’. Ever wondered what happened to Dorothy after her trip to the wonderful world of Oz? Get ready for a captivating tale that picks up where the yellow brick road left off.

You should know…this isn’t your typical fairy tale. Alpine delves into heavy religious themes, adding depth and resonance to its narrative set in the heart of Sunbonnet, KS in the late 1800’s.

Following a devastating tornado, Dorothy finds herself at the center of a mystery when a local recluse is found murdered, and she becomes the prime suspect.

Dr. Wilford embarks on a journey to unravel the truth, navigating the town’s most insidious secrets while battling to clear Dorothy’s name.

As a fan of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ I was drawn to this dark and twisty reinterpretation. It exceeded all my expectations, delivering a fascinating blend of fantasy and suspense.

If you’re a fan of retellings, ‘After Oz’ is a must-read for your TBR pile!

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

What happens to Dorothy when she returns to Oz? In a dark and twisted sequel, we learn about what happened when Dorothy returns to Kansas and tells her community about the magical land of Oz.

It was a quick read, but I still struggled a little to get through. The narrative went back and forth between a member of the community and a doctor who has taken an interest in Dorothy. It gives you both a narrator to root for and one who you’re not quite a fan of (I think intentionally). Being as this story takes place in the 1890s, the author wrote the way one would presumably speak in those days, which is what made me struggle with it more. All in all though, it was a fairly good book.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced copy.

I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of this book as who isn't a fan of the Wizard of Oz! The writing was right on point for the time period and the location - lots of Bible quoting references (maybe a bit too many?). However, I felt a bit robbed that the book hardly has Dorothy in it at all. It really revolves around a whodunit (without giving away any spoilers) and I kept hoping Dorothy and her adventure in Oz would work itself back into the story. Even so, it kept my interest and I would recommend it to others but NOT if they are looking for a true "After Oz" experience. 3.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

DNF'ing at 25% but giving 3 stars because I'm going to try this book again when its formatting is fixed. I found it difficult to follow the doctor-patient interview 'dialogue' because it wasn't always a one-for-one alternating flow, and I had no idea who was sometimes talking.

The writing is decent but my main complaint is the amount of exposition in the first 1/4 of the story. I would've preferred a bit more 'show, don't tell.'

The concept for After Oz is so interesting and I look forward to finishing this.

A dark and unsettling tale of what happens to Dorothy after she returns from the Land of Oz. It focuses heavily on the themes of religious bigotry and small-town prejudice, and will almost certainly make you want to punch a certain narrator in the nose by the end.

After Oz is told from two different points of view, that of the doctor who is attempting to prove Dorothy's innocence and of an unnamed resident of her small Kansas town who is convinced of her guilt (and who appears to speak for the town as a whole). The townsperson is full of hatred and vitriol (complete with bible verses to justify both), while Dr. Wilford is a much more sympathetic character. Dorothy is surprisingly not all that prominent in the story – she's talked about, sure, but she doesn't narrate any of the chapters and is locked away in the Topeka Insane Asylum for most of the book.

And I guess that's part of my biggest complaint about this novel, really. Dorthy isn't the main character in her own story, Toto is almost nonexistent, and the Land of Oz is mentioned only superficially. Even the more prominent non-Oz-related characters don't really have much of a history or a personality (other than “religious” in the case of the townsfolk). Certain events in Dr. Wilford's past are hinted at, but you never really get any of the details. If you're going to take most of The Wizard of Oz out of a story that's a spinoff of The Wizard of Oz, you really should at least have some interesting characters to make up for it.

I also felt that the ending was a little farfetched. The climatic bits are fine, but Dr. Wilford doing … what she does at the very end comes out of nowhere and is maybe just a bit of an overkill? Surely there would have been a better resolution for the matter at hand?

But, with that said, this isn't a terrible read. It's infuriating (the townspeople are really awful) and the characters are kind of cardboard-y, but the premise is great. What if Dorothy hadn't said “There's no place like home” but “There's no place that's home” because her Kansas town kind of sucks? And what if the overly pious residents of that town decide that Dorothy's talk of accidentally killing a wicked witch is really referring to something much more sinister? It's definitely an unusual twist on a classic tale and I was invested in finding out the truth of Alvina's murder from the very beginning. And I did not see that twist regarding Alvina coming at all!

My overall rating: 3.49 stars, rounded down. After Oz has its issues, but there are certainly worse ways to spend a few hours.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. (And RIP, Gordon McAlpine!)

I was excited that read this book, having enjoyed The Wizard of Oz as a child (as a matter of fact, I still own the copy I had when I was young). I knew this was going to be a twist on this story and I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it. It started out strong. As in the original book, a devastating twister tears through Kansas (the town of Sunbonnet in this case). A young girl, Dorothy, being raised by her aunt and uncle, is missing after the destruction of the tornado. What happens next is a take on what could have happened when Dorothy is found (in the original story she awakens from a dream where she had visited the land of Oz). A woman is found dead, Dorothy is accused. After being sent to an insane asylum in Topeka, a female psychologist, Dr. Wilford, visits Dorothy in the asylum, and later does some investigating determined to find the answers to what really happened. I enjoyed the exchanges between Dr. Wilford and Dorothy. I found them entertaining and felt that was the best part of the story. However, it is only a small part of the book. The rest was full of biblical quotes (I understand the town was quite religious, but it felt overdone) and not all that exciting in my opinion. There was a mystery, but it fell a little flat. I did enjoy the way the story ended, as it was a fun wrap up to a story that was otherwise a bit disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I am a huge lover of anything Wizard of Oz and Gordon McAlpine did NOT disappoint. I loved how many elements he brought to this novel with the correlations between Dorothy's hometown and Oz. I loved that we had murder, court scene drama, and even psychiatry. So many elements breathing life back into a favorite classic. I do think the ending would have been better if Gordon had the psychiatrist tell Dorothy a secret, and that she herself had been to Oz when she was a young girl, and that is why she went into psychiatry. Still enjoyed the ending and the nod to the origin story of L. Frank Baum going on to write the infamous classic. I gave this 4 stars!

I will be featuring this review on my Tik Tok account on Sunday, March 30.

Link to my account: www.tiktok.com/@dogearrinit

This retelling of the Wizard of Oz started slow for me - but about a third of the way in - I couldn’t put it down. This story tells what happened to Dorthy when she returned to Kansas. It as both sequel and prequel. Loved how Frank Baum was worked into the story. Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for the opportunity to read this early edition.

I loved this book. The characters and the story kept me turning pages at a rapid pace. It was a great continuation of the Wizard of Oz story. I loved it.

I feel like this book started off so strong but in the end I’m left feeling dissatisfied and disappointed.

My biggest issue with this book is that Dorothy was BARELY a character in her own story. Sure, she was talked about plenty in her absence regarding the murder of the wicked witch and Alvina, but we didn’t get to hear much from her experience or her ensuing treatment in the asylum. We were told that Dorothy is being kept in a comatose-like state in the asylum and afterwards it seems as if she was forgotten. In the very end, when Dorothy escaped, the story ended. We didn’t even get a glimpse into what Dorothy’s future may hold. I felt like the biggest part of the story was missing.

I think if the author would have included Dorothy’s point of view from inside the asylum, her experiences in Oz, and her life after leaving Kansas, it would have brought this book to the next level and would have been much more intriguing. We didn’t get any in depth details or stories about her experience in Oz or what led to her having to melt the wicked witch. I understand the author wanted her to not remember many details when she got back to Kansas, but I think inputting her recollections would’ve carried the story much further and created a sense of excitement and interest to the reader.

It more or less felt like we just went in circles of “whodunnit” 70% of the book, causing a majority of the book to feel very slooooow. It felt like a crime novel with just a TOUCH of Wizard of Oz thrown in.

But, while I found this book overly wordy, I did really enjoy the style of writing. The author captured the language and thinking of the 1860’s well, whether it was about religious views, women, psychology and medicine, etc. It really put into perspective how far society has come since then. During the time this story took place, women were not yet seen as equals to men. Not only that, but the instant a woman “dreamed” or had any unique, original thoughts or opinions of her own, she was deemed “delusional” or a “witch” and was either killed or spent the rest of their days experiencing abusive “treatment” in the insane asylums- where they simply did not belong. People had no clue about the differentiation of having an incurable mental disorder and simply having your own thoughts and ideals and dreams. This was a time where science was discounted and religion (god and the devil) seemingly explained all. Science was a relatively untouched subject back then and the battle between religion and science still continues today. The thought of Dorothy visiting a magical world with talking animate objects and good / bad witches was simply an insult to their senses.

I will say, the fact that Alvina was Dorothy’s biological mom shocked me. The fact that the reverend had an affair outside his marriage with Alvina and got her pregnant with Dorothy, did not. I’ll leave it at that.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books Publishing for the ARC edition of this book.

I just ADORE Gordon McAlpine's books, and found this to be a fitting final novel from the oh-so-talented author... With his trademark wit and wisdom, he once again takes a classic story and set of characters, spins them 90 degrees or so off-kilter, and then uses the resultant chaos to reveal so much about the human condition. I never cease to be amazed at his ability to craft his own unique worlds from well-loved stories. His Kansas is as bleak and stark as the black-and-white version in the MGM movie, but the duplicity (both intentional and un-) that underpins it is on full technicolor display as the story of Dorothy's post-tornado exploits unfold. There is so much going on here that it's difficult to unpack it all without turning a review into an exegesis on man's inhumanity to man, particularly in light of current political and social realities, but suffice to say that this is as thoughtful a look at the darkness that lurks in men's souls as it is a story about women refusing to be told what their place - or their reality - looks like. It was brilliant!

What an absolutely fantastic read that was. I read it in one sitting, cover to cover. I could not put it down. This is my favourite book of the year so far.

It hooked me from the first page, the POV of the unknown townsperson and their infallible beliefs was so well done. I am not a religious person whatsoever but even the biblical quotes didn't make me hesitant. It made it all the more believable for the time period in which the novel was published, communities were founded on religion, it was instilled into them and it made the turn of events later on in the book make so much more sense.

It was so interesting to read, a rather dark tale in contrast to the original, great for the adult who loved The Wizard of Oz as a child, it is such a popular classic but I never actually stopped to think about the implications of a young girl believing that something like this had happened in a time and place where such things would be seen as demonic or sinful. It makes you wonder what actual opinions of the author of the original would have been like. Whether children would have been able to enjoy stories like this, in communities were it was set. 1900 was a very different time, but sometimes you don't realise how much. Especially in regards to gender beliefs, the law and religious importance.

It's such a loved story, portrayed in so many ways, but the way the author put this completely original twist on it was mindblowing.
Seeing the POV of Evelyn and the way she would have been treated by people of the time was awful yet humbling, and her attitude towards it all, her sense of justice was great to read.

3.5* rounded to 4
Wading into the waters of touching a much beloved book or movie is a challenge for any author.. Lately I have seen a rash of books that are prequels, sequel, companion story, or retelling of classic books, so I am really into them right now. This one is rather dark. Dorothy comes back from Oz and Henry and Emily's house is destroyed. The town 'witch' is dead, and Dorothy, while innocently recounting her journey from Oz, shares that she has 'melted the witch' by accident. The townspeople rally and point a finger at Dorothy, as who else could have done the crime and oh, she admitted it! But what if they are wrong?
A mystery, a murder investigation, a trial, and plenty of twists occur as the story unfolds. I think you might be better off if the Wizard of Oz isn't a masterpiece to you, as you might not like how some characters are in the book's 'reality'.
I enjoyed this book and its not too long to lose the reader in the middle - to which I am very glad because I was just to the point of losing focus when I snapped back in. The "After Oz" was poignant and I was glad for it.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy retellings, but might worry about readers who don't want their beloved movie touched.
Thanks for this advance reader copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine

What an amazing spin on such a classic tale. This darker tale sees Dorothy turning up a few days after a tornado hits her small town and she's going on about talking animals, witches, and all kind of fantastical happenings. The conservative, bible belt townsfolk see this as the work of some pagan beliefs and soon poor 11 year old Dorothy is off to the insane asylum.

This book was incredible and McAlpine did a fantastic job in a very short time of delivering a gut punch of a story. Growing up loving the Wizard of Oz and Wicked this book had me really sitting back and thinking about what the heck actually would have happened to Dorothy going back to her close-minded small town after such an incident.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

An interesting follow up to Dorothy going to Oz. A murder mystery of when she returns, but is only 11 years old, being accused of murder.

The affecting account of the aftermath of Dorothy Gale's trip to Oz is newly imagined in this extraordinary novel. The devastating effects of the tornado that ripped through Dorothy's Kansas town cannot compare to the destruction of prejudice, intolerance and zealotry that come afterwards. An emotional tale, wonderfully told.

First of all, thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for an eARC of After Oz by Gordon McAlpine. Overall, I appreciated this unique retelling of The Wizard of Oz that deals with what happens after Dorthy is back in Kansas. I loved the setup of the crime and Dr. Wilford as a new character that propels the story forward. Her endevor proves to be the heart of the book, and along with the crime Dorthy is accused of, it sheds light on the other characters and gives some of them a new makeover. While I would say the story seemed to drag a bit in the middle, the climatic ending more than made up for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to read it. A novel about what happens to Dorothy after the tornado and her return to Kansas? I'm in!
When Dorothy is found in a field after going missing during the tornado, the town folk are relieved. She's been missing for three days and search parties have worked tirelessly to find her. Their relief quickly turns to concern when Dorothy begins to tell of her trip to Oz and the strange creatures she encountered there. But when she mentions accidentally killing the wicked witch, they're horrified. Alvina Clough, the local curmudgeon, has been found dead in her home and "melted", just as Dorothy describes.
After a hasty legal gathering, Dorothy is found mentally incompetent to stand trial and sent to a nearby institution for the insane, where she is visited by a female doctor interested in her story of Oz.
How did Alvina really die? Was she murdered, and if so, by whom? Will Dorothy spend the rest of her life at the institution? While this book won't not be hailed as ground-breaking literature, it is definitely a fun and entertaining read. I found myself looking forward to getting back to it to find out what was happening in that small Kansas town. But it's not a shallow read. An underlying theme is the attitudes and prejudices that can be found in some small towns, often going against common sense and reason in favor of convenience and loyalty. Four out of five stars!

Of course, this one is based on The Wizard of Oz, in the aftermath of Dorothy's return from Oz. The community of Sunbonnet, Kansas, where Dorothy lives with her aunt and uncle Gale, is not the sweet little town of the original story. The townspeople don't believe Dorothy's story about the fantastical land of Oz and send her to the Topeka Insane Asylum. A young psychologist takes an interest in Dorothy's story and discovers some interesting information about the townspeople of Sunbonnet, so she sets out to vindicate and free Dorothy.
I only gave it 3 stars because this was not the sweet little story I thought it would be. But I did enjoy it quite a bit. The author of the original story made his appearance in the book, as well as some others you may recognize ☺️

Growing up watching “The Wizard of Oz” over and over again, I was so thrilled to read this book. And what a clever book it was.

After Oz, when Dorothy relates her account to the town doctor, she is considered delusional and not of sound mind. The town sends her to an asylum for the suspected murder of a local spinster. What happens to her next?

What I found amazing and intriguing about this book was almost the satire of a God fearing small town. Where everyone sees themself as blameless and innocent, yet they contribute to the dysfunction that surrounds them. Such a fun and clever account of what happens to Dorothy when she returns. Is there no place like home?