The next pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is a novel that is already gaining tons of advance buzz. Danielle Paige is twisting the yellow brick road and making Dorothy evil in Dorothy Must Die!
.jpg)
I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.
What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!
I need this...like yesterday! This is exactly the kind of twist I want in my re-tellings. I've read the chapter sampler and was immediately hooked, and I can't wait to read the rest. Anyone else super excited to see The Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man as Dorothy's henchmen? So excited.
Instead of doing a Q and A to highlight this pick, I am going to review the e-novella 'No Place Like Oz'.
****************************************************************************************************************************
No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige
Release Date – November 12, 2013
Publisher Website – HarperCollins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader
Pages - 196 pages
My Rating- 4.5/5
**purchased**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
****************************************************************************************************************************Instead of doing a Q and A to highlight this pick, I am going to review the e-novella 'No Place Like Oz'.
****************************************************************************************************************************
No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige
Release Date – November 12, 2013
Publisher Website – HarperCollins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader
Pages - 196 pages
My Rating- 4.5/5
**purchased**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
In this digital original novella, Dorothy travels back to Oz to reunite with old friends, but her story may not have a happy ending. No Place Like Oz is a prequel to the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.
After returning to Kansas, Dorothy Gale has realized that the dreary fields of Kansas don’t compare to the vibrant landscapes of Oz. And although she’s happy to be reunited with Aunt Em, she misses her friends from the yellow brick road. But most of all, Dorothy misses the fame and the adventure. In Kansas she’s just another prairie girl, but in Oz she was a hero. So Dorothy is willing to do anything to get back, because there really is no place like Oz. But returning to the land she left comes at a price, and after Dorothy is through with it, Oz will never be the same.
Perfect for fans of Alex Flinn, Marissa Meyer, and Gregory Maguire, No Place Like Oz is a dark reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Building off of its rich mythology, Danielle Paige creates an edgy, thrilling story for teens that chronicles the rise and fall of one of the literature’s most beloved characters. This digital original novella is a prequel that sets the stage for the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.
There's no place like home, or so they say. For Dorothy, you really can't go home again. This e-novella has the task of taking a beloved heroine, and turning that idea on it's head.... and it succeeds wonderfully. No Place Like Oz shows the potential for wickedness in everyone, and that sometimes fate plays a hand in making our choices for us.
No Place Like Oz immediately sets the tone of this series. Fun. It's going to be filled with larger than life characters, fantastical places, and basically retain that magical feeling of Oz. It also creates another expectation - detailed plot. The e-novella gives us enough hints, foreshadowing, and set up to indicate a much more intricate plot that I expected.
Dorothy's narration of the book allows us to see the spiral from an uncomfortable vantage point. We see how it starts, slowly at first. She's no longer satisfied with Kansas, and her Aunt and Uncle's farm. She wants more. She becomes sullen, and quick tempered. What makes her progression more chilling is that Dorothy remains Dorothy. Everything feels in character, and she's not twisted into something unrecognizable. It makes what happens all the more compelling.
As the novel escalates to it's breathless ending it feels like a crescendo is building. You know something horrible is coming, you know something bad is going to happen. You, however, can't turn the pages fast enough. Watching Dorothy's descent is both uncomfortable and fascinating. When the end does come, and the dust has settled, Dorothy will forever be changed by what happens. Oz will forever be changed.
Adding to the delicious taunts and teases is that hint that all might not be what it appears. With Oz, you're prompted to 'ignore the man behind the curtain' and this novel let's you know that there is much more at work here than I expected. I am very much looking forward to the unraveling of events, and illumination on things that are briefly touched upon in this novella.
No Place Like Oz offers just the right amount of tease to dazzle, and provides just enough to make sure it's readers are clamoring for Dorothy Must Die come April. A magical look at wickedness in the most unexpected places, and how sometimes you just can't go home again.
No Place Like Oz immediately sets the tone of this series. Fun. It's going to be filled with larger than life characters, fantastical places, and basically retain that magical feeling of Oz. It also creates another expectation - detailed plot. The e-novella gives us enough hints, foreshadowing, and set up to indicate a much more intricate plot that I expected.
Dorothy's narration of the book allows us to see the spiral from an uncomfortable vantage point. We see how it starts, slowly at first. She's no longer satisfied with Kansas, and her Aunt and Uncle's farm. She wants more. She becomes sullen, and quick tempered. What makes her progression more chilling is that Dorothy remains Dorothy. Everything feels in character, and she's not twisted into something unrecognizable. It makes what happens all the more compelling.
As the novel escalates to it's breathless ending it feels like a crescendo is building. You know something horrible is coming, you know something bad is going to happen. You, however, can't turn the pages fast enough. Watching Dorothy's descent is both uncomfortable and fascinating. When the end does come, and the dust has settled, Dorothy will forever be changed by what happens. Oz will forever be changed.
Adding to the delicious taunts and teases is that hint that all might not be what it appears. With Oz, you're prompted to 'ignore the man behind the curtain' and this novel let's you know that there is much more at work here than I expected. I am very much looking forward to the unraveling of events, and illumination on things that are briefly touched upon in this novella.
No Place Like Oz offers just the right amount of tease to dazzle, and provides just enough to make sure it's readers are clamoring for Dorothy Must Die come April. A magical look at wickedness in the most unexpected places, and how sometimes you just can't go home again.
If you want to learn more, check out the publisher's website for more information.
Dorothy Must Die will be in stores April 1, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are up and here are few places you can pre-order currently.
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Chapters
You can already get the e-novella No Place Like Oz at the follow
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or let me know if you plan on taking this trip down the yellow brick road. Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to the Question and Answers from previous picks as they'll help).
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love comments. Thank you for stopping by my blog and thank you even more for leaving me a comment.
I have decided to make this an awards free blog. I appreciate the gesture, and love that you thought of my blog, however I simply can't pass them along as required.