Review Detail

I enjoyed the previous book, DOROTHY MUST DIE, very much. As soon as I had the chance to read the next book, I snapped it up. I freely acknowledge that time and circumstances didn't allow me to read it as soon as I wanted to, but I was totally happy when I was able to dive into THE WICKED WILL RISE. And I was happy all the way through the book.

YA Fantasy/Retelling with a healthy dose of magic, THE WICKED WILL RISE is a fast-paced, action-filled novel with romance, mystery, and wonder. It follows along Amy Gumm's journey to find the other wicked witches, kill Dorothy's (evil) friends, uncover the mysteries in Oz, meet up with Nox, and finally, defeat Dorothy for once and for all to save Oz for good. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, it goes spectacularly wrong and hits all of my feelings in the stomach. Thank you, Danielle Paige.

The plot is increasingly dramatic. With each rising stake (and shocking revelations, I must add), the author and the story has fully managed to capture my attention. Amy is quickly scrambling for a foundation to stand upon, and the rest of the wicked crew/witches is spread wide and thin throughout the bizarre and changed land of Oz. Finding them is a huge challenge that is not without huge, brave, and monstrous obstacles.

My favorite parts of this book is the world building. Or specifically when Amy (or Dorothy or the witches or anyone with magic) casts their spells and such. It's really cool, in my opinion. I absolutely love the descriptions of magic (which I also enjoyed in the previous book). The elements from the original books are, of course, wonderful to see. (It's like playing a game of Where's Waldo?)

Amy is on a quest to destroy Dorothy, and her character development is absolutely wicked. Drawing parallels to Dorothy's own journey, Amy runs the risk of diving into the dark side. Fighting against her darker urges while facing against those who are happily on the dark side, Amy has to really prevent herself from falling into the deep end.

Ozma is such a wonderful character, who provides some mystery to the story. She is one of the best characters in the entire book, and it's worthwhile to pay attention to her.

Overall, THE WICKED WILL RISE is a stellar sequel to DOROTHY MUST DIE, bringing a continuation of Amy's magical adventure. The ending brings such a great cliffhanger, leaving Amy's state unclear and the rest of the wicked crew's fate unclear. Third book, here I come!

Rating: Four out of Five