The Witch of Maracoor: A Novel

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The enchanting (EW) conclusion to the Another Day series from the New York Timesbestselling author of Wicked, the multimillion-copybestseller and basis for the Tony Awardwinning hit musical, soon to be a major motion picture starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Following a confrontation with her reclusive great-grandfather, the onetime Wizard of Oz, Rainary Ko, the granddaughter of Ozs Wicked Witch of the West, has re-upped in a mission to settle a few scores and right a wrong or two. Her memory and her passions reviving, Rain turns her gaze back to her native Oz. While the Grimmerie, which she had cast into the sea, retains its arcane power over her, the lover she left behind in Oz proves no less haunting. Once bewitched, twice bewitching, Rain Ko must consider how to achieve a life less suffused with grief than the one she is enduring.

Traveling such a distance is not without its perils to a young person more or less alone in a strange land. And, by now, Rain has debts to repay. To make good on promises, she must insist on a layover on an island emptied of its human population by a deadly plague. Revived there by love or magic (and is there a difference), she sustains an assault on the high seas by pirates. The accumulation of her experience awakens within her a certain nascent knowledge and power, which prepares her finally to touch down upon the far shores of Oz and address her own doubts and hesitations.

Traveling companions and arrivistes can befuddle a young witch coming into her own. In her fast-paced and stately progress, Rain may remind readers of the courage it takes to accept ones full identity, unbridled and unruly though it may be.

The Witch of Maracoor delivers on the promises of its predecessors, The Brides of Maracoor and The Oracle of Maracoor, and concludes the epic tale of Rains castaway life with nothing less than enchantment.

Reviews

An enchanted coming-of-age tale twinged with dark magic Entertainment Weekly The Brides of Maracoorwas an arrival;The Oracle of Maracoora journey; andThe Witch of Maracoora destination. Rains meandering journey is dreamy, odd, sometimes retrospective, but Maguires tone, and Rains voice, can be sharp, wise, practical. [Maguire] knows exactly, beautifully, how to draw his intimate yet world-spanning story to a close. Some books you understand; some books you accept. This is the latter. It feels like a reminder, like a guidebook through rough times, and at the same time it reads like a dream. Tor.com Fans of the Wicked saga and Maguires rich, multifaceted world will enjoy the references, heartaches, and conclusions. Booklist Gregory Maguire once again has created an awe-inspiring work of fantasy that takes on the Oz stories and improves on them through expansion of new characters, places and ideas. It all makes for an engaging read and welcome time spent in a place that feels simultaneously strange and eerily familiar. BookReporter on The Oracle of Maracoor 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. PeopleonThe Brides of Maracoor Rains storybegun inThe Brides of Maracoorand finished, last month, inThe Witch of Maracoorfelt like a gift. . . . The series is odd and dreamy, amnesiac and inventive, and full of what Maguire callsephrarxis, which he defines as nostalgia for something that had never been. Tor.com [Maguires] books, written from the perspective of the villain in beloved fairy tales, are captivating, full of life lessons and teach us to look at the misunderstood in a different light. every page takes the reader on an adventure. Newsweek 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)onThe Brides of Maracoor The Brides of Maracooronce 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 on The Brides of Maracoor [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 ofWicked. Publishers WeeklyonThe Brides of Maracoor

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.