Elphie is a prequel to Gregory Maguire's series based in the world of OZ and the source material for the movie Wicked. If you are a fan of the musical, but have not read Maguire's original books, this look into the early life of Elphaba and her sister Nessa will likely surprise you. All of Maguire's books have a dark tone, deal with disturbing and adult subject matter, and are told in a type of narration that can be difficult for some folks to follow. Here, Elphie is no different. If you enjoy Maguire's style of writing and his thought provoking themes, you will likely enjoy this book. We do get to see scenes from Elphie;s childhood and follow her to the point where she finds herself about to attend Shiz, and Maguire explores some interesting questions about what it means to be innocent or corrupted. But if you are a fan of the musical and are looking for a linear story with a lot of plot, this book will not be for you. While I did enjoy much about the book, I can't say that it adds a tremendous amount to what we have in the original Wicked, but it was fun to return to the world and see more of how Elphie came to be where she is when we meet her at Shiz.

From the giant overarching themes right down to his individual word choices, Gregory Maguire’s writing is so complex yet so precise. If you’ve read the series, you’ll enjoy this “prequel” but if you want to start the series, don’t start with this book. Start with Wicked to get your footing in the world and then double back to read this.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Elphie! Unfortunately, it took me longer than expected to finish it. 😩 The writing is different and took some getting use to. Although it had interesting tidbits about Elphaba’s childhood I would not reread it.

I was so looking forward to this book. I read and loved Wicked, have seen the play and movie multiple times which I also loved and Elphaba is an iconic character. I was really interested in learning more of her backstory as this is only lightly touched on in the original book. However I had an incredibly difficult time with this book. I found it hard to read. At times I felt like I was reading nonsense and gibberish that was getting me nowhere in the story. It has been some time since I read the original book but I do remember that booking being this way. I really wanted to like this book but it was just not for me.

Elphie transported me right back into the stories from Gregory Maguire that I love! Being able to be back with these characters, understand more of the story, and develop more understanding for character building and the chaotic, insane world that we're in is always fun!

Thank you Netgalley and Gregory Maguire for this advanced copy!

It was nice to return to the land of Oz in the newest prequel to the widely popular Wicked series, made into the Tony- award-winning musical and now motion picture (part 2 to be released this November.)

This story focuses mainly on Elphaba's formative years, living in the Quadling Country with her minister father Frexipar, philanderer mother Melena, armless sister Nessarose and juvenile delinquent brother Shell. There are a myriad of characters that she encounters in her childhood that helps her influence her choices toward an education that eventually leads her to Shiz University.

I treated each chapter as if they were a vignette of her life. Even though they weren't necessarily consecutive, the big picture showed a full life, albeit oppressed.

This book is ideal for readers who enjoy darkly whimsical origin stories that delve into the moral complexities and formative traumas of iconic, misunderstood characters.

A big Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the first Wicked book and devouring countless hours of wicked related media, I was soooo excited to read this prequel!
The writing style from Maguire is one that takes some getting used to, but easy to follow once you get going.
My highlights for this book along are plentiful and full of passages that I will think about for years to come.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for early access

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I was so excited when I got an ARC of this book. Unfortunately maybe I had my hopes set a little too high.

It took me forever to actually finish this book mainly because I just couldn’t get into it so I didn’t want to read it. I had hoped this would have been more of Elphabas childhood but instead it felt more like Ozian Politics! This was such a slow moving plot and it just drug on and on.

2/5 stars for me unfortunately!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited for this book - downright giddy I'd say, Elphaba is truly one of my favorite characters of all time and words can't even express what Wicked means to me! So the prospect of having an origin story of Elphie? I was beyond intrigued.

This wasn't what I was expecting though - I loved how Maguire wrote Wicked (the classic novel), and really found myself expecting that this would be the same - or at least similar. The writing style was incredibly odd and I found myself rereading passages over and over because I couldn't quite comprehend what they were saying. That alone was incredibly frustrating - I love reading and have developed my reading and suddenly feeling as though I couldn't properly read really annoyed me!

I also really wanted Elphie's story - her childhood, her feelings, her emotions, her actual life up until University - but all of that was really just secondary to an overall plot of having this be a political insight into Oz during her childhood. I ended up DNF'ing this book just before 50% completed.

I do think that others may truly love this book - especially if they can read the writing style easily!

This book was fine but nothing ground-breaking. I enjoyed it well enough, but I probably won’t go out of my way to recommend it.

For me, Wicked by Gregory Maguire was one of those rare books that I liked less than the movie/Broadway show. Still, I held out hope for Elphie: A Wicked Childhood. I was hoping for a deeper look into Elphaba’s childhood, but instead got a slow dive into the politics of Oz. Much like the book Wicked, the plot drags, and while Maguire’s writing is clever and occasionally poetic, it often feels disjointed and hard to follow. Not much really happens in this story, and even the few “big” moments lack impact. I get why some readers enjoy Maguire’s unique style, but this was a bit of a letdown for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Sadly, this book just felt like a money grab. There wasn’t anything new introduced and the storytelling we all appreciated in the past is just lacking here. While there are some moments of lore and world building that could be enjoyed, I think for a lot of readers this will be a disappointment. I know I was hoping to get some early insight into our favorite green queen, but I finished feeling empty handed and underwhelmed. I wish I had more to say, but you know that saying: If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it all.

Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for this egalley.

With absolutely perfect timing, Gregory Maguire expertly depicts Elphaba's backstory. I really enjoyed Elphie, and appreciate the expansion to the broader Wicked canon.

I think maybe I am not meant for Gregory Maguire. I have tried so many times to fall in love with his books. I can barely get through Wicked, despite it seeming right up my alley. I was hoping that my love love love for all things musical/movie Wicked would strike a chord, and turn over the leaf for me...but once again, I feel-nothing but unsettled and bored.

If you are a fan of Maguire's other works, you will probably love this one!

Another miss for me, but be heartened, my friends - I fear it is just me!

Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher William Morrow for advance access to this title in exchange for my honest review.

Interestingly enough, this read as a dry biography of a person with political and historical explanations for who Elphaba is in Wicked. It was hard to read in some places, as sentences were short and it felt very factual - not in a good way. I liked a deeper dive into Elphie and her family, but again, it felt more like I was learning fun facts about Winston Churchill instead of a character that I've grown to love and cherish. Not for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Elphie" (Deluxe Limited Edition) by Gregory Maguire is an enchanting, richly detailed addition to the Wicked universe. This beautifully crafted edition offers new insights into Elphaba’s character and adds layers of depth to the story we all know and love. Maguire’s writing continues to captivate with its intricate world-building and complex characters. Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC! I’ve already added a copy to my library system. If you're a fan of the Wicked series or enjoy dark, thought-provoking fantasy, this deluxe edition is a must-read. Highly recommend it!

I've never DNFd a book so fast (16%). I tried. I really tried.
I'm a fan of flowery purple prose with lots of descriptor details. But this book was unreadable. I even tried the audiobook, but I only understood every other word and whenever the narrator would read character names. The narrator himself did a great job and I was really looking forward to getting more Wicked/Elphaba/Oz content with this book - that' the only reason I gave it two stars.
Overall, Elphie was just really disappointing, but I appreciate the publisher and Netgalley sharing an ARC copy.

✨ The Vibes ✨
Everything you wanted to know about Elphaba’s childhood

📖 Read if…
✨ You’re counting down the days until the new Wicked movie
✨ You like prequels that give more insight into beloved characters
✨ You’re 100% Team Elphaba

It’s been all Wicked, all the time for much of the past year, and what better way to continue that streak, than diving into Elphie, a new book covering Elphaba’s childhood.

I personally didn’t have a new Wicked book on my 2025 bingo card, and to be honest, I was a little skeptical, as Elphaba’s childhood was already detailed in the original novel. But I was quickly won over with all of the magical, Ozian elements and the emotional connections that were further developed throughout the book. My favorite part was getting to see the progression of Elphaba and Nessa’s relationship, as those details really put the events of Wicked in a new light (and make them hit so much harder). There’s also several fun cameos and Easter eggs throughout, which will be sure to delight any Wicked fan.

I think the only negative of this book (if you can even call it that) is that it might be a little disorienting if you’ve only seen the movie or stage show. Maguire is definitely expanding his version of Oz, which is very different from the versions of Oz on stage and screen, and that does take some getting used to. I’d recommend reading Wicked first before diving into this one as it will give you some time to adjust to the style and give context to some of the events.

Elphie is out now. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

'Elphie' tells the story of a young Elphaba from when she's about 7 years old until her first day at Shiz, giving you a little more insight into the character many of us got to know from either reading or watching Wicked. I read Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men many years ago, and seem to have forgotten that I didn't really like the writing style of them before I picked up Elphie. I think Maguire has a talent with words and writes well, however, I struggle with his storytelling style, so I find it hard to follow the plot in his books. That being said, if you adore the world of Wicked and are looking to immerse yourself further in it with some character backstory, you may enjoy this book.

Thank you to William Morrow for the eARC!

An absolutely perfect read for all Wicked fanatics. Who doesn't love a good prequel or origin story? Elphie does NOT dissapoint in this great novel.