Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Title: Dorothy Must Die
Author: Danielle Paige
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: April 1, 2014
Pages: 464
Rating: 5/5 stars
Buy: Fully Booked | NBS | Amazon 

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission.

Aaah! When I bought this book, I thought it was a stand-alone. I thought that by the end of the book, I would know what happened to Dorothy, if she really died, and if the inhabitants of  "twisted" Oz would live happily ever after. So yes, when I finished reading it, my heart was ripped from my chest from the thought of having to wait for the next book. It's just so good that you want to know what happens but you also don't, 'cause want to live in Oz forever, you know?

Dorothy Must Die is about a girl named Amy, who is carried by a tornado and brought to Oz, which was exactly what happened to Dorothy Gale. When she lands in Oz with only her pet mouse as her companion, she feels the change -- the dread that has swept through the land. Even though she hasn't been to Oz before, she knows that something's up. Glinda the Good Witch isn't the same witch she read about, the Scarecrow is extremely terrifying, and the whimsy that Oz once had has been turned into selfish joy. So after investigating, she finds out what happened to Oz. Dorothy happened.

Dorothy is the complete opposite of the Dorothy we know. She's a whiny princess who has the personality of a spoiled teenager from those reality shows. She's still wearing the same pattern dress, but now with cleavage and skin and whistle-worthy hotness. I was a bit surprised that Danielle Paige turned her into this monster. I thought the old Dorothy was adorable and I didn't really think there was a reason to hurt her. But after a while, I started to get it. Of course there was a possibility that Dorothy would abuse her power and never leave Oz. It could happen to anyone, so why would Dorothy be exempted?

But to slay that beeyatch, a hero is needed. This is where Amy comes in. She enters Oz as an oblivious guest, believing that Oz is still truly Oz, and getting herself into trouble. Thankfully she escapes and then she's recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I found Amy to be a witty and reckless character, who, at the same time, can have moments of true heroism. I felt for her when she couldn't access her "magical" side all because she was stuck in the past. Her life back home wasn't the greatest and somehow that affected her capabilities. Amy's development from a simple girl to a brave savior was excellently done. By the time I had reached the end of the book, I no longer saw the girl from Kansas, but the girl who would save Oz.

The other characters in the novel, such as Nox, Gert, Mombi, Pete, and Glamora are individually fascinating characters. They all have distinct traits and personalities that don't just fade into the background, but instead stand out as something the reader will identify them with. They're all essential to Amy's development since they are the ones training her, but for her personal development, they also play a significant role.

This version of the classic Wizard of Oz story is twisted and modern. For one, the characters curse. Who would've thought a Munchkin could curse? Also, the fear that Dorothy makes her people go through is horrible. It's very shocking but it's exactly what this book needs. It's a twisted fairy tale, anyway, so anything with gore is expected.

Also, the writing is clean in a way that it doesn't confuse the reader. I love how the story was narrated through Amy. I felt like if it had been done third person, the emotions that radiated from Amy wouldn't have been completely transferred to the reader. This "new Oz" was painted to perfection with the many vivid descriptions in the book.

Overall, I am impressed with this book. I highly recommend it to fans of twisted fairy tales like Once Upon a Time. Reading it placed me in an absolute roller-coaster ride of excitement and emotions. It was all just so fun to be back in that place I had known when I was a little girl. Seeing it as a place that's damaged and true to life gave me space to think, which is what I think books should primarily do.

I cannot wait to read the next book and find out if Dorothy does die. I hope it'll have the same (or more) excitement and adventures that the first book has. Dorothy Must Die is a must-read!