I like Baum better as an idea man than as a writer. The characters and lands he created are memorable and worthy of their cultural impact, but things in the story often happen quickly and without explanation. Sometimes explanations are given that don't make sense.
Dorothy is noticeably younger than in the movie version.
It was funny to me how casually violent the book is, except that, when Dorothy kills the Wicked Witch of the West, they explain explicitly through dialogue that it was unintentional.
The movie really tightened up the story and made it better structurally.
I did not think this was an allegory for bimetallism.
Review of 'The wonderful Wizard of Oz' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
As good as its reputation, and easily outshines all the many sequels and adaptations that came later. Surprisingly good character development for a children's book written 122 years ago.
Review of 'The Wizard of Oz (Puffin Classics)' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
As the lines are drawn, mysteries still unfold. It starts to tread in more familiar territories, but still it is a good entry, if not as strong as the first two books. It is difficult to see to the endgame, and that is good for a series. But he has set up an implacable and seemingly invincible fore, and then saved the other side with deus ex machina level intervention. The writing is also not as tight as the first two entries, as the author seemingly rushes towards a conclusion. I liked it, and will continue, though I liked it less than the prior two entries. 3.5 instead of a solid 4, but I rounded up.
Review of 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I reread this for the first time in years (and years, and years!) I was reminded why I always thought the big storm that blew Dorothy's house away was a CYCLONE. In the book, that's what it was called! I knew that it was not presented as a tornado, as it is in the movie! I knew that the many times that I was corrected for calling it a cyclone, I had a legitimate reason! And the book pretty much starts with the storm, none of this evil neighbor or cockamamie guy who was later represented as the Wizard of Oz! There was not even anything about the farm hands. I do remember from when I actually read it before that there are ever so many more different strange towns and societies in the book than are actually presented in the movie. Don't get me wrong, the movie is fabulous …
I reread this for the first time in years (and years, and years!) I was reminded why I always thought the big storm that blew Dorothy's house away was a CYCLONE. In the book, that's what it was called! I knew that it was not presented as a tornado, as it is in the movie! I knew that the many times that I was corrected for calling it a cyclone, I had a legitimate reason! And the book pretty much starts with the storm, none of this evil neighbor or cockamamie guy who was later represented as the Wizard of Oz! There was not even anything about the farm hands. I do remember from when I actually read it before that there are ever so many more different strange towns and societies in the book than are actually presented in the movie. Don't get me wrong, the movie is fabulous in its own right, but it's missing so much from the book! It really is a fabulous book, being the start of the collection of children's books which are written for entertainment of children as opposed to instilling fear in them by virtue of "teaching them a lesson". A lot of the very best children's books do still have an underlying goal of being moral lessons, but The Wizard of Oz truly broke that mold and is presented with the entire purpose of being FUN.
I was determined to not allow it to be so long between experiences with this book, and I have succeeded :-) I still love the book – it displays such imagination and development of the individual characters that I will probably always treasure it.
Review of 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
As is so often the case, the book is very different from the movie; in this particular case, it's even more important because the movie is so very entrenched in our society. For instance, I don't think that most people realize that there are at least two civilizations in the book that don't appear anywhere in the movie. In the book, the whole trip to Oz is not a dream! There is no fortuneteller in the book, and Dorothy's friends in Oz are not workers on her uncle's farm. And there's no evil neighbor tries to do away with Toto! But it's still a fun story, and despite the fact that most of the scenes you remember from the movie have nothing to do with the book, the story is coherent and complete. There are similarities in character between some of the characters in the book and the movie, but …
As is so often the case, the book is very different from the movie; in this particular case, it's even more important because the movie is so very entrenched in our society. For instance, I don't think that most people realize that there are at least two civilizations in the book that don't appear anywhere in the movie. In the book, the whole trip to Oz is not a dream! There is no fortuneteller in the book, and Dorothy's friends in Oz are not workers on her uncle's farm. And there's no evil neighbor tries to do away with Toto! But it's still a fun story, and despite the fact that most of the scenes you remember from the movie have nothing to do with the book, the story is coherent and complete. There are similarities in character between some of the characters in the book and the movie, but the personalities, particularly of the Woodman, in the book, are somewhat filled out. I first read this when I was a child, but I had forgotten the order of certain scenes and characters. Upon reexperiencing it, I understand why things are what they are and the order in which they fall. This particular version had a comment by L Frank Boehm stating that he was glad to write a fairytale that had no "moral" lesson, as gid most of those by the Brothers Grimm, and most of the fairytale writers of the 18th century and before. That was another aspect of the movie that really had nothing to do with the book. Really a good book, and the narrator was pretty good too, although I don't think that I determine who it was.
