Began reading: 17.5.2016
Completed reading: 8.6.2016
Overall rating: 3 stars
Once upon a time, there was a girl from Kansas named Dorothy.
You might know her as the Girl Who Rode the Cyclone. She ended up in Oz, where the temptation of magic was too much for her. She let it change her. She turned evil.
The land of Oz is now a dark and menacing place.
My name is Amy Gumm. Tornadoes must have a thing about girls from Kansas, because I got swept away on one, too. I landed in Oz, where Good is Wicked, Wicked is Good, and the Wicked Witches clued me in to my true calling:
Assassin.
The way to stop Dorothy from destroying Oz - and Kansas - is to kill her. And I'm the only one who can do it. But I failed. Others died for my mistakes. Because of me, the portal between the worlds has been opened. And if I don't find a way to close it?
Dorothy will make sure I never get to go home again. Now I have to:
Join the witches.
Fight for Oz.
Kill Dorothy.
Stop a Yellow Brick War.
Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige is the third instalment in the Dorothy Must Die series. This novel is a fictional young adult retelling of the classic Wizard of Oz, containing hints of fantasy, adventure and romance. It took me so long to read because I had way too many assignments and a maths exam. But now that they are done, I was able to finish the book! I’m not too impressed by this novel — I feel like this series is being dragged along, and it’s beginning to annoy me.
I thought this novel was well-written, in regards to literary techniques. Everything was described in detail, and made it easier for me to imagine. There were a couple of notable quotes that I thought I might share:
So much had happened to me, so much time had passed. I didn’t even feel like the same person anymore. The Amy Gumm who’d lived here was a total stranger. I didn’t belong here anymore. I wasn’t sure I ever had (p. 20).
Caring too much only meant you were that much easier to hurt (p. 56).
I knew the safety was an illusion. I’d learned in Oz that safety always was (p. 108).
Nobody sings you lullabies in the middle of a war (p. 114).
‘…our planet is freaking out. The oceans are rising, people are fighting more and more wars every day, plants and animals are dying out, every other week some kid takes one of his parents’ guns to school and starts shooting….’ I stopped short at the look on Nox’s face. ‘The world I grew up in is gone, too,’ I said quietly. ‘But that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up on it. Because if you give up — then what is there left to live for?’ (p. 141).
More quotes from the book can be found here.
I really enjoyed some of the ideas behind the book. For example, Amy’s return to her high school was interesting. I thought her return would stir up some drama from the first novel, but I’m kinda glad it didn’t happen. Readers gained an insight into how life in Kansas had changed since Amy left, and I like what I saw. I’m especially glad that Amy’s mum is trying to improve her life. These little ideas behind the plot made it interesting, and this largely influenced my rating for this novel.
I liked how Paige made the secondary characters more interesting, in particular Glamora. *WARNING: SPOILER* I think that her split personality will make the next book a whole lot more interesting! I’m really excited about this!
I felt that the novel didn’t really flow and that let me down. Some parts of the book were rushed, while other parts seemed unnecessary. There were constant obstacles, and it really bothered me. One moment Amy would complete a challenge, then the next she’s facing something entirely new. It’s as though she and the Quadrant never got a break, and this made the plot somewhat unrealistic.
The ending was a cliff-hanger, and it left me with mixed feelings. *WARNING: SPOILER* It was good because it did leave me wanting more. On the other hand, I thought it was anti-climactic, as it was as though someone chopped the book into two. The book just ended so abruptly that I was left wondering, is that it?
As I mentioned previously, I feel as though this series is being dragged on. The last two books should have been combined to create one, and then maybe have a third and final book. I have to admit that I’m beginning to lose interest in this series, especially because nothing seems to be happening. I feel disappointed, because I had high hopes after reading Dorothy Must Die. I just wanna know if Dorothy is ever going die! When will this series end?
My favourite character is still Glamora, despite her split personality. As I mentioned earlier, I think this new twist will be interesting. It’s probably the one thing that’s keeping me from discontinuing the series. I can’t wait to see what happens, but I hope they don’t destroy her.
I’m glad that Ozma is back, but I have mixed feelings about her character. I’m not feeling it with Amy anymore, mainly because she’s lost her badass-ness and replaced it with a whiney, indecisive brat. The fact that I’m losing interest in her (the protagonist) says a lot about the series. I hope one of two things happen: Paige improves Amy’s character, or finishes the series. Either way, I’m pretty sure I’ll be happy.
I like a bit of romance, and up until this point, I’ve enjoyed seeing how Amy’s relationship with Nox has developed. Unfortunately, it’s beginning to irritate me, as I’m constantly wondering if they’ll ever get together. Just get together already, or not. I don’t really care anymore.
My favourite parts of the book include Amy’s return to high school and Glamora’s battle with Glinda. As I mentioned earlier, I liked Amy’s return to Kansas because we got an insight into how her mum and fellow classmates have changed, as well as her little mission to find Dorothy’s shoes. I also liked the battle between Glamora and Glinda because I’ve been anticipating it for so long and I needed to see how the two sisters interacted with each other.
Recommendation time! Recommendation time! If you like the Queen of Hearts saga by Colleen Oakes, Slumber by Christy Sloat, and The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Wizard of Oz, Once Upon A Time, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood, Beastly, and Grimm.
I will also be reviewing the rest of the Dorothy Must Die series when the books become available.
My reviews for Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise can be found by clicking on the titles.
Happy reading!
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