Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

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Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

novel by Maguire

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July 17, 2026

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Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. It serves as a prequel to L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The novel retells the story from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, portraying her as a misunderstood and lonely individual rather than purely evil. This reimagining explores themes of friendship and acceptance against a backdrop of authoritarianism and propaganda. The book was a significant success, leading to a popular stage musical adaptation in 2003 and a film version released in two parts in 2024 and 2025.123

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L. Frank Baum
Other adaptations include Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995), which became a successful musical (2003) and film (2024).
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Other adaptations include Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995), which became a successful musical (2003) and film (2024).
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the Tin Man
The Tin Man on stage and screen
…based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995), which presents a revisionist account of the Land of Oz and its featured inhabitants. In the musical and the two-part film version (Wicked [2024] and Wicked: For Good [2025]), the character Boq,…
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…based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995), which presents a revisionist account of the Land of Oz and its featured inhabitants. In the musical and the two-part film version (Wicked [2024] and Wicked: For Good [2025]), the character Boq,…
Read More

Gregory Maguire
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Maguire’s first adult novel, became a best seller and was adapted into a record-setting hit musical, Wicked. The 2024 film version starred Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
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Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Maguire’s first adult novel, became a best seller and was adapted into a record-setting hit musical, Wicked. The 2024 film version starred Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
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Wicked
Plot summary and original cast
…on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the musical largely takes place before the events surrounding Dorothy’s arrival in the Land of Oz. The show follows the lives of green-skinned, ostracized Elphaba and blonde, popular Galinda as they go from…
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…on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the musical largely takes place before the events surrounding Dorothy’s arrival in the Land of Oz. The show follows the lives of green-skinned, ostracized Elphaba and blonde, popular Galinda as they go from…
Read More