Has anyone read the actual Wicked book?

My little sister is 10, and told me recently shes reading the book. From what I understand its very different from the show, and not really appropriate for a 10 year old. I was wondering if anyone could let me know what they think before I talk to my mom. Thanks.

I am currently reading the book and I think it is a little inappropriate for a 10-year-old. However, alot of it could just go over her head.

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Maguire is a perv. I'm not very far in, but so far after Elphaba is born she bites the finger of of one of the midwives and there was a part where a glass blower comes to see Elphaba's mom after the father leaves and it says how the mom's robe is open, exposing her breast, but that she leaves it open for the guy to see... it's gross.

Updated On: 6/24/04 at 07:47 PM

i think its odd to see CATS referring to such a thing as "gross"

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Love reading it. I don't want it to end.

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I find it very funny that you refer to someone's breast being shown is unsuitable for someone so young, yet most parents have no problem letting a kid watch someone get beheaded on television-not making any statements about anyone here in particular, just society as a whole.

Doesn't it seem like our priorities are a little screwed up?

The book was so much better than the show, but I do have to agree that it is not appropriate for a 10year old. I was hoping for the show to be somewhat closer to the Maguire book.
B

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I wouldn't let a ten year old read it.

If her mother has a concern - have her read the book first.

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The book was good and all, but I would under no circumstances let a ten year old read it. I don't even know if she'd really like it. It was good and all, but some parts of it were... um... strange, and a lot of it struck me as very textbook

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If you'd like to have her reading about Fieyro and Elphaba having sex, go right ahead.

I think that every character in the book has a different ending then the musical.

I *really* don't reccomend it for a 10 year old.
It was a fantastic book, I enjoyed every page, and I think it deserves a lot more credit than the musical!
BUT there is definately a lot of adult content. Including beastiality. I mean, a lot of it will go over her head....but you don't want to find yourself in one of those situations where you have to explain something to her.
Hope you can come up with creative answers!

Not not not a kid's book. Personally I thought it could have been better...I had expected it to really delve and help us to really understand Elphaba's character, however it was sorely lacking in my opinion. Perhaps it's because it asks a lot of good questions and provides no answers. Yes, I know that was probably the point, but still a bit of a let down. I found myself thinking of Xenocide by Orson Scott Card (author of Ender's Game) and how much better some of the same questions were presented though with a completely different setting.


I recently found out that many of the characters and places such as Professor Nikidik and the Land of Ev are from the actual Oz books by Baum. At the moment I'm searching for The Tin Man of Oz for more information on the Kumbric Witch. According to The Annotated Wizard of Oz there's supposed to be a character who claims to be the last of the Kumbric Witches...

uhh..i read it when i was 11...and i've handled alot more graphic stuff than that before i read it.. it wasn't that hard of a read either, i didn't think. i think that it depends on how much of this kind of stuff they've been exposed to in the past, because if they've led a sheltered life with parents who screen everything taht comes their child's way, then no this is not an appropriate read for them. but if they've had parents who are a bit more leniant on this stuff (screen the stuff they see, but aren't incredibly strict about it) then i think it's alright, as long as they know enough to understand it.

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