The Brides of Maracoor: A Novel

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The first in a three-book series spun off the iconic Wicked Years from multimillion-copy bestselling author Gregory Maguire, featuring Elphabas granddaughter, the green-skinned Rain.

An exquisitely crafted introduction to a new fantasy trilogy.People

Over a decade ago, Gregory Maguire wrapped up the series he began withWickedby giving us the fourth and final volume of the Wicked Years, his elegiacOut of Oz.

But out of Oz isnt gone for good. Maguires new series, Another Day, is here, twenty-five years afterWickedfirst flew into our lives.

Volume one,The Brides of Maracoor, finds Elphabas granddaughter, Rain, washing ashore on a foreign island. Comatose from crashing into the sea, Rain is taken in by a community of single women committed to obscure devotional practices.

As the mainland of Maracoor sustains an assault by a foreign navy, the islands civil-servant overseer struggles to understand how an alien arriving on the shores of Maracoor could threaten the stability and wellbeing of an entire nation. Is it myth or magic at work, for good or for ill

The trilogy Another Day follows this green-skinned girl from the island outpost into the unmapped badlands of Maracoor before she learns how, and becomes ready, to turn her broom homeward, back to her family and her lover, back to Oz, whichin its beauty, suffering, mystery, injustice, and possibilityreminds us all too clearly of the troubled yet sacred terrain of our own lives.

Reviews

A decade after she flew Out of Oz in Maguires Wicked series, Elphabas granddaughter crash-lands on an island inhabited by seven sacrificial virgins. The arrival of the green-skinned teen (and her talking goose) upends their enclave. An exquisitely crafted introduction to a new fantasy trilogy. People Fans will look forward to reading more about the interaction of Oz, Rain and the strange society of Maracoor. Wall Street Journal Wonderful attention to detail. . . . [Maguire] does excellent character work. . . . The larger world of Maracoor Abiding . . . has echoes of Greek mythology and looks to be fertile ground as a setting for more books. An expertly crafted introduction to a new series of magic and adventure. Kirkus Reviews(starred review) The Brides of Maracoor once again shows Maguires rich, mesmerizing world building, full of small, frustrating human absurdities. . . . It also shows off his gift for crafting compelling characters. . . . Its an intriguing, witty start to a fantastical proposed trilogy. Booklist With its rich character development and a healthy dash of Maguires humor, this latest Oz tale is as satisfying a read as the Wicked Years quartet. Buzzfeed [A] complex, enticing fantasy. . . . Maguire cleverly teases out the characters motivation and desires, turning what at first appears to be a straightforward tale into a gripping page-turner. Fans will revel in this triumphant return to the world of Wicked. Publishers Weekly Sharp and wry, funny and pointed, [Maguire] writes in Brides with a certainty and a sort of world-sized elegance, creating something new from scraps of the cloth he worked for years. He remains a master of a specific sense of intimacy amid scale, able to craft precise moments of fallibility, of humans picking our way through our lives, against the fate of nations and the endless sea. Tor.com Amazing novel. John Updike Maguires work is melodic, symphonic and beautiful; it is dejected and biting and brave. . . . In fabulous details and self-mocking language, Maguire displays his gift for whimsical portrayals of the broken, the powerless, the hopeless, the bad. Los Angeles Times on A Lion Among Men [A] masterwork. Concludesone of the most audacious and successful fantasy series of the past few decades. Hilarious, heart-wrenching and extremely poignant. The greatest fantasy series make one want to read them again. Thats what I intend to do with this one. Washington Post on Out of Oz In four books, Maguire has expanded the mythology of Oz from L. Frank Baums books and created a land thats just as rich as Middle-earth or Narnia, and balances the serious with the sublime. . . . Out of Oz is a satisfying finish to the Wicked Years saga. USA Today on Out of Oz [A] sassy reimagining of Baums world. . . . Maguires canvas is incredibly rich. . . . This last installment is one to savor. People (4 stars) on Out of Oz

Author Bio

Gregory Maguire is theNew York Timesbestselling author ofConfessions of an Ugly Stepsister; Lost; Mirror Mirror;and the Wicked Years, a series that includesWicked, Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men,andOut of Oz. Now a beloved classic,Wickedis the basis for a blockbuster Tony Awardwinning Broadway musical. Maguire has lectured on art, literature, and culture both at home and abroad. He lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.