Wicked Audiobook By Gregory Maguire cover art

Wicked

The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Wicked

By: Gregory Maguire
Narrated by: John McDonough
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.79

Buy for $25.79

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Heralded as an instant classic of fantasy literature, Maguire has written a wonderfully imaginative retelling of The Wizard of Oz told from the Wicked Witch's point of view. More than just a fairy tale for adults, Wicked is a meditation on the nature of good and evil.

Elphaba is born with green skin, a precocious mind, and a talent for magic. An outcast throughout her childhood in Munchkinland, she finally begins to feel as though she fits in when she enters the University in the Emerald City. While she hones her skills, she discovers that Oz isn't the Utopia it seems. She sets out to protect its unwanted creatures, becoming known as the Wicked Witch along the way.

Narrator John McDonough draws you in to Maguire's magical world of witches and talking animals, making it possible to believe in a land somewhere over the rainbow.

©1995 Gregory Maguire (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC
Classics Contemporary Epic Epic Fantasy Fairy Tales Fantasy Fiction Magic Users Witchcraft Funny Feel-Good Scary Witty Paranormal
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"A staggering feat of wordcraft." (Los Angeles Times)
"McDonough's excellent portrayals of Elphaba's outspoken, gravel-voiced nanny, Glinda's snobbish friends, and the wide-eyed, soft-spoken Dorothy make this excursion to Oz worthwhile." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Wicked

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,084
  • 4 Stars
    2,608
  • 3 Stars
    1,691
  • 2 Stars
    896
  • 1 Stars
    739
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4,582
  • 4 Stars
    1,921
  • 3 Stars
    959
  • 2 Stars
    321
  • 1 Stars
    304
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4,068
  • 4 Stars
    1,693
  • 3 Stars
    1,163
  • 2 Stars
    620
  • 1 Stars
    582

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

VERY adult

I got this book because I love the Broadway version. I was very surprised at the extent of the "foul" language... I was quite surprised, because he has such a great vocabulary. I would have expected more creativity in the "bad" words. Many explicit and suggestive scenes in the story, making for some interesting sub-texts. I did enjoy the thorough was the characters were developed, although some parts did seem excessively long. The narrator was very good and didn't get in the way of the story as some narrators do.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

67 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I was not sure for a while then.......

Yes, I'm taken with this novel. Humor, intrigue, and overall a good story. It's not the type of book I'm typically drawn to, but this time I'm glad I was.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

55 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous

I am shocked at some of the negative reviews! I wonder if people want cookie cutter novels that do not stretch their minds? This is a remarkably creative story. It dives into socio/political and religious avenues with a fantastical and mystical approach. This story took me on a thought provoking adventure and I enjoyed every minute of it! It is not a childrens story by any means (there are adult themes). The story does however remind me somewhat of Harry Potter books. I am listening to "Son of a Witch" now and the adventure continues.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wicked

Thanks for this great first of a three part book download. The narrator has a great variety of voices and tells the story well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

An interesting take on the story.

Plausible and interesting. A completely different take on an old story and in a not too unbelievable sort of way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wicked (Unabridged

Any One who Loves the oz Stories will simply adore this Story.
The Characters jump right thru the speakers and touch your emotions.
It gave me a deeper appreciation of The Wicked Witch Of the West...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Meh... I expected better

I attempted to read this book several years ago and never could get in to it, so I gave up. Then we saw the Broadway show last year, which was great! I decided to give the book another go, but decided I'd try listening this time. It's still just ... meh. The author is fair, but it's kind of weird having a male narrator for a book with mostly female main characters. I was expecting more from the story than a cast of characters driven largely by sex and greed. The Broadway show is better. I'll stick with that.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Surprising and Exciting

This story is dark, sarcastic, funny, sad, and, at times, racy, with a seductive (and surprising) beginning, climax, and end. Maguire's characters were engaging and as a listener, I felt like I connected with not only Elphaba, but all of the colorful cast. The narrator made the storytelling fun and hard to put away (he's a close second to Josephine Bailey). I'm already into my second listen. Be warned... this is nothing like the musical, but you won't be disappointed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

mixed feelings

I think this is a well-written book. It did take me a while to get into it because it was kind of odd/weird in the beginning. Some chapters/sections are great, while others are weaker. I guess the main problem with it - besides the slow beginning - is its just depressing, and not really in a black humor sort of way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Hard Going - Not What I Was Expecting

I have to admit to finding this book a hard-slog. I was expecting a fun Oz story like the original books, however, I found the occasional bad language and sexual references too distracting - it just didn't seem to fit well in what was essentially, a children's story-book environment. I realise this is an adult novel, but I just feel Oz is best left in the hands of children's authors - I wasn't keen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful