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.

What an amazing prequel to one of my most beloved series ever! Gregory Maguire works magic once again. Having a glimpse into little Elphie's early years was a perfect conclusion to the Wicked series and a great companion to the recent movie release.
Maguire does Oz so well. I hope he returns with more stories about Oz in the future.

I wanted to love this book but I just didn’t. I’m glad I already purchased it for my HS library, I know a lot of my students will enjoy it but it was not the book for me. I found the writing too slow and it just never hooked me or kept my attention. I’m sure bigger Wicked fans than me will love it.

I really wanted to like this book, and maybe I should have re-read Wicked which I last read over 20 years ago, but I had recently seen the movie, and forgot how different the book is. However, Elphie seems to be an unnecessary prequel to a prequel, and takes out all of the elements of Wicked that make it worthwhile. There are a couple of exciting scenes, but a lot to get through for little return. Disappointing.

If you're like me and just have to know more/can't wait to return to OZ- I have the perfect book for you!


Elphie by @gregorymaguire is out now!! Read to find out more about Elphaba - was she destined to be a witch, or is she just misunderstood?

I really enjoyed this book! Would definitely recommend to everyone who loved the original wicked series!

In Elphie, we delve even deeper into the origins of the tragic, inherited & ptsd-induced brand of narcissism that characterized Elphaba in Wicked, where we saw the culmination of Elphaba’s journey from her birth to her untimely “ending” at the hands of the blue-frocked child-traveler from Kansas. And wowee. I was still? somehow? not expecting such a bleak & brutal origin story but I think that was definitely my fault—after all, name a more chronically misunderstood, mercilessly villainized heroine than our Elphaba.

At the end of the story, however, pretty much all I could do was bow down to Gregory Maguire’s absolute refusal (much like Oyeyemi’s) to write down to a reader’s expectations, & once you make your peace with that, what we are left with is one of the most devastating & yet also insistently beautiful novels I have ever read… (CW: animal (& Animal) death & cruelty—quite a bit of it)

What fun to get a glimpse into the formative years of the person most of us know as the Wicked Witch of the West.

We are all, in part, a product of our environment—Elphaba Thropp is no different. Elphie experiences prejudice for being born with green skin, beginning within her own family. She is on the receiving end of her parents’ lack of emotional maturity and inability to meet her needs. She learns to accept solitude and neglect as her younger siblings require more attention because it grants her some freedom from her family’s criticism. She bears the scars of generational trauma. But occasionally, she encounters—maybe not kind, but kinder—souls who help alter the trajectory of her life as a traveling minister’s daughter into one that will continue to open and satiate her curious mind, sending her on her path to Shiz University where we first met her in “Wicked.”

My biggest piece of criticism is the length of the book—I think this could’ve been just as good as a novella since there are so many other books in the series that paint a great picture of Elphaba and the world of Oz, but I think learning about what planted the seeds in her mind in the years leading up to Shiz gives additional dimension to her character.

I was sorely disappointed by this books. After wicked the movie, Broadway and book all told such great stories, I thought for sure we would get another great hit. Unfortunately, this felt more like a cash grab after the success of the movie and less about the content of the story.

ELPHIE by Gregory Maguire
There were times when knowing a student’s story helped understand behavior and needs and ways to reach them. So it is with Elphie. Raised in damp wilderness, following her father’s evangelistic travels, losing her mother while still young, and marked by her green coloration, Elphie learns to cope, to strive, and to think for herself. There is much to think and wonder about in this early tale, how her sister will manage without her, will anyone take her mischievous brother in hand, how will her early fascination with Animals play out?
I was a bit reminded of POISONWOOD BIBLE, preacher father, social commentary, sisters in competition.
I seldom reread (so many new books to keep up with), but I might look for audio versions to enjoy this one a second time.