mahaliathenerd's review against another edition
DNF. Teen pregnancy and bullying. Just not feeling this novel, but I am glad I gave it a try.
clair_shaw's review against another edition
3.0
That was disappointing. I guess with a title like, ”Dorthy Must Die” I expected Dorthy to, you know, DIE. My bad. And on top of that there is no ending. The story just stops in the middle of the action. There’s no resolution of any kind. I’m not saying I need sunsets and happily-ever-afters... But a nice light at the end if the tunnel would be great.
I also didn't expect this book to be so dark. I mean it’s REALLY dark. Even borderline creepy.
A couple few key players die in the beginning and I kept expecting their deaths to play some kind of role in the end, but no. Overall it was a really weird story. The concept was strong and I think was what ultimately kept me reading but I think it could have been executed a lot better. I don’t think i’ll read the second.
I also didn't expect this book to be so dark. I mean it’s REALLY dark. Even borderline creepy.
A couple few key players die in the beginning and I kept expecting their deaths to play some kind of role in the end, but no. Overall it was a really weird story. The concept was strong and I think was what ultimately kept me reading but I think it could have been executed a lot better. I don’t think i’ll read the second.
sierra_color's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, first thing's first, this book could have been so much better.
What is it's main problem?
Well, it boils down to characters. Specifically, Amy. She was literally just another Maddison (the bully in the first few pages of the book) but instead of being popular, she's a bullied loner.
Now, why do I say this? Isn't Amy supposed to kill Dorothy? Isn't she supposed to be the good girl here?
Well, yes. But the thing is she IS SO JUDGY AND PASSIVE AGRRESIVE.
If a character wears something she doesn't like, she just describes it in this demeaning manor, she is also for some reason, obsessed with cleavage. Literally. She described herself as flat chested, and then all the other girl characters who are "bad" and care about how they look are described as showing their cleavage. I don't.. understand?? Why does she care? I thought she was supposed to be different from Maddison or Dorothy, but I guess not.
Also, she literally has no character development. She's the same at the beginning, but near the end she's a LITTLE bit braver, and now has fighting skills. Also, the relationships between characters sucks ass.
Gert (one of the witches) and Amy's relationship doesn't feel real. It doesn't feel genuine. Why should Amy care about Gert? When Gert has done.. some not so good things to her. So it doesn't make sense WHY Amy trusts Gert. I would've liked it if Gert had understood what Amy had been through in her life, about Amy's mom, and maybe Gert had a similar family member, and so, when she was training to be a witch, Gert always had that horrible voice in the back of her head too. So her and Amy would have a mutual understanding, and Amy would have someone she can finally confine in. But no, instead, Gert can read minds.
You know what that sounds like?
Lazy writing.
This book is full of it. Tired clichés.
Everything feminine and pink is bad. Glitter is bad unless the main character is wearing it.
The popular girl is just a bitch who's pregnant. Dorothy is just another version of said popular girl. But now she has magic powers and can murder, wonderful.
This BOOK COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE!
We could have seen how Dorothy and Amy were alike. But instead we were told. And even though I was told throughout this book that Dorothy and Amy are SO SIMILAR I still do not know HOW. What would've been cool is to see that. Like Amy wants validation, and to be loved. That's how they could've been alike, and Dorothy is just a twisted version of that. BUT NOOOOOOO.
THE AUTHOR HAS TO LITERALLY SHOVE IT IN MY FACE. LIKE GOOD GOD.
What would've been SO great is to see how like, wanting love, or wanting too much of love, can be dangerous. That love can be toxic. But instead we got.. this. :/
Also, is no one else creeped out by the tin man?
And not in a good way either, he is a legit creep. Like, imagine falling in love with a girl that you met while she was a kid, and you were a grown ass adult.
The author clearly didn't THINK when writing this book, and that sucks, because, again, it could have been SO COOL! Like, one way of showing how Dorothy was vain would've been to use a mirror, and while Dorothy uses a mirror to gaze at herself, Amy uses to it gaze within herself. And we could see how these two characters are reflections of each other, actual foils, but instead we got a classic teen drama villain who has no motivation, and a classic YA protagonist, and to be honest, there are better things to read than this book. The concept is so amazing and unique, but the execution is subpar. I'd skip out on this one. I should have listened to my high school self when she first read it, because she thought it was disappointing too. Sigh, well, at least I got another book marked off my yearly reading challenge.
What is it's main problem?
Well, it boils down to characters. Specifically, Amy. She was literally just another Maddison (the bully in the first few pages of the book) but instead of being popular, she's a bullied loner.
Now, why do I say this? Isn't Amy supposed to kill Dorothy? Isn't she supposed to be the good girl here?
Well, yes. But the thing is she IS SO JUDGY AND PASSIVE AGRRESIVE.
If a character wears something she doesn't like, she just describes it in this demeaning manor, she is also for some reason, obsessed with cleavage. Literally. She described herself as flat chested, and then all the other girl characters who are "bad" and care about how they look are described as showing their cleavage. I don't.. understand?? Why does she care? I thought she was supposed to be different from Maddison or Dorothy, but I guess not.
Also, she literally has no character development. She's the same at the beginning, but near the end she's a LITTLE bit braver, and now has fighting skills. Also, the relationships between characters sucks ass.
Gert (one of the witches) and Amy's relationship doesn't feel real. It doesn't feel genuine. Why should Amy care about Gert? When Gert has done.. some not so good things to her. So it doesn't make sense WHY Amy trusts Gert. I would've liked it if Gert had understood what Amy had been through in her life, about Amy's mom, and maybe Gert had a similar family member, and so, when she was training to be a witch, Gert always had that horrible voice in the back of her head too. So her and Amy would have a mutual understanding, and Amy would have someone she can finally confine in. But no, instead, Gert can read minds.
You know what that sounds like?
Lazy writing.
This book is full of it. Tired clichés.
Everything feminine and pink is bad. Glitter is bad unless the main character is wearing it.
The popular girl is just a bitch who's pregnant. Dorothy is just another version of said popular girl. But now she has magic powers and can murder, wonderful.
This BOOK COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE!
We could have seen how Dorothy and Amy were alike. But instead we were told. And even though I was told throughout this book that Dorothy and Amy are SO SIMILAR I still do not know HOW. What would've been cool is to see that. Like Amy wants validation, and to be loved. That's how they could've been alike, and Dorothy is just a twisted version of that. BUT NOOOOOOO.
THE AUTHOR HAS TO LITERALLY SHOVE IT IN MY FACE. LIKE GOOD GOD.
What would've been SO great is to see how like, wanting love, or wanting too much of love, can be dangerous. That love can be toxic. But instead we got.. this. :/
Also, is no one else creeped out by the tin man?
And not in a good way either, he is a legit creep. Like, imagine falling in love with a girl that you met while she was a kid, and you were a grown ass adult.
The author clearly didn't THINK when writing this book, and that sucks, because, again, it could have been SO COOL! Like, one way of showing how Dorothy was vain would've been to use a mirror, and while Dorothy uses a mirror to gaze at herself, Amy uses to it gaze within herself. And we could see how these two characters are reflections of each other, actual foils, but instead we got a classic teen drama villain who has no motivation, and a classic YA protagonist, and to be honest, there are better things to read than this book. The concept is so amazing and unique, but the execution is subpar. I'd skip out on this one. I should have listened to my high school self when she first read it, because she thought it was disappointing too. Sigh, well, at least I got another book marked off my yearly reading challenge.
shellysbookcorner's review against another edition
4.0
Had to read this story for my libraries book club read. I really enjoyed this story. Dorothy basically lets the fact that she killed the Wicked Witch go to head and becomes mean and nasty. All the characters have changed for the worse. Even Toto has a dark side!! I wasn't sure how this story would turn out but I loved the way the author made the characters we grew up loving so wicked and twisted. This story really surprised me and I didn't expect to love it the way I did! I will def continue on with the rest of this series.
mdettmann's review against another edition
3.0
Deliciously dark and action-packed! A little long and could have been more concise instead of the long chapters about Amy's training to kill Dorothy, but overall a great series! Excited for the sequel!
omccloskey's review against another edition
4.0
I read Dorothy Must Die as a buddy with Cassandra over at ccbooks66512.
The novel centers around Amy Gumm, a high school student whose house is carried away by a tornado. She finds herself in Oz, but not the Oz she remembers from The Wizard of Oz. As she ventures down the yellow brick road and begins her journey, Amy realizes that the munchkins are living in fear and the world around her is beginning to die. She soons discovers Dorothy to be the source of these issues. Having returned from Kansas, Dorothy assumed the throne and serves as the tyrranical ruler of Oz, oppressing those whom she once called friends. Magic once filled much of Oz, existing in the plants, animals, etc. before Dorothy began harnessing it for her own use. Aided by the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion, Dorothy shows no signs of letting up, leading the people to one conclusion: Dorothy must die.
While I'm a huge fan of fairy tale and classic retellings, I had yet to read a spin-off of Baum's Wizard of Oz, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The title and cover alone signalled that there would be a bit more violence involved and, potentially, that someone had developed murderous tendencies. I think my open-minded approach paid off, allowing me to enjoy the unique twist on one of my favorite classics. I particularly liked the redesigned characters, such as the scarecrow and his maniacal addiction to performing experiments on live specimen, the tin man and his mismatched "army" of tin soldiers to enforce the law, and the lion with his feasting on the fear of the munchkins. As a result, the novel certainly assumed a dark, mysterious tone and isn't for the faint of heart (there's plenty of blood and guts to go around).
The plot was extremely fast-paced, which helped to hold my attention while I was reading (I was also simultaneously studying for finals and AP exams, so it was nice to have a bit of a break). However, there were a few sections in the middle of the book that slower and less interesting (aka magical training). These portions could easily have been excluded, shortening the book by 50-75 pages. I'm also wondering how the plot is going to be stretched into a 3 book series - something tells me a duology might work better based upon the pacing of Dorothy Must Die.
Nevertheless, the novel certainly has its fair share of twists and turns, the majority of which I did not see coming. There were quite a few backstabbing characters who broke off alliances just as quickly as they made them, creating an even thicker cloud of doubt and mystery. The horrific cliff hanger at the end of the book has me effectively hooked, and, consequently, I shall be off to Barnes and Noble to purchase the sequel later today.
As the protagonist, Amy reminded me of a rebellious teenager who refuses to take advice from or follow the demands of her parents. Except the "parents" in this situation are the handful of people that can keep Amy alive. Yet she freely chooses to do the exact opposite of what she is told, leading to more than one sticky situations. While this made her character unpredictable and quite realistic (admit it, you still hate acknowledging that other people are right), it also became a bit frustrating, particularly when Amy's decisions blew up in her face. However, she does manage to redeem herself with her sassy remarks and independent, kick-ass attitude.
Dorothy Must Die came extremely close to earning a full five stars, but I had a few qualms with the characters and attempted romance as the book drew to a close. First and foremost, Dorothy. The inhabitants of Oz reiterated time and time again how evil and tyrannical Dorothy had become. Was she power hungry? Yes. Did she let things get to her head? Absolutely. Would I deem her “evil?” Not exactly - more of a dictatorial teenager who took her anger out on others. None of her actions immediately screamed "EVIL," so I was a little confused regarding her character development. Perhaps she truly does have a wicked streak, and it just hasn't made itself apparent yet - I guess I'll find out in the next installment!
Similarly, the pitiful "romance" between Amy and Nox made me want to gag. They both seemed embarrassed about their attraction toward one another and not entirely sure how to convey their true feelings. This led to numerous uncomfortable encounters and even an awkward kiss, leaving me with the strong urge to slowly slink out of the room. Needless to say, their "relationship" was also fairly boring. They kissed...once...horrors. It didn't really develop throughout the novel, and, quite frankly, I could've gone without it. I think the insta-love romance simply pulled focus from the adventurous aspect of the book.
While I would definitely recommend Dorothy Must Die, I'm not sure that it would appeal to everyone due to the author's highly tailored twist on The Wizard of Oz and some of the subject matter discussed throughout the book. From what I've read in reviews, it seems that readers either are completely enthralled by the novel or absolutely despise it, so it's worth a shot!
The novel centers around Amy Gumm, a high school student whose house is carried away by a tornado. She finds herself in Oz, but not the Oz she remembers from The Wizard of Oz. As she ventures down the yellow brick road and begins her journey, Amy realizes that the munchkins are living in fear and the world around her is beginning to die. She soons discovers Dorothy to be the source of these issues. Having returned from Kansas, Dorothy assumed the throne and serves as the tyrranical ruler of Oz, oppressing those whom she once called friends. Magic once filled much of Oz, existing in the plants, animals, etc. before Dorothy began harnessing it for her own use. Aided by the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion, Dorothy shows no signs of letting up, leading the people to one conclusion: Dorothy must die.
While I'm a huge fan of fairy tale and classic retellings, I had yet to read a spin-off of Baum's Wizard of Oz, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The title and cover alone signalled that there would be a bit more violence involved and, potentially, that someone had developed murderous tendencies. I think my open-minded approach paid off, allowing me to enjoy the unique twist on one of my favorite classics. I particularly liked the redesigned characters, such as the scarecrow and his maniacal addiction to performing experiments on live specimen, the tin man and his mismatched "army" of tin soldiers to enforce the law, and the lion with his feasting on the fear of the munchkins. As a result, the novel certainly assumed a dark, mysterious tone and isn't for the faint of heart (there's plenty of blood and guts to go around).
The plot was extremely fast-paced, which helped to hold my attention while I was reading (I was also simultaneously studying for finals and AP exams, so it was nice to have a bit of a break). However, there were a few sections in the middle of the book that slower and less interesting (aka magical training). These portions could easily have been excluded, shortening the book by 50-75 pages. I'm also wondering how the plot is going to be stretched into a 3 book series - something tells me a duology might work better based upon the pacing of Dorothy Must Die.
Nevertheless, the novel certainly has its fair share of twists and turns, the majority of which I did not see coming. There were quite a few backstabbing characters who broke off alliances just as quickly as they made them, creating an even thicker cloud of doubt and mystery. The horrific cliff hanger at the end of the book has me effectively hooked, and, consequently, I shall be off to Barnes and Noble to purchase the sequel later today.
As the protagonist, Amy reminded me of a rebellious teenager who refuses to take advice from or follow the demands of her parents. Except the "parents" in this situation are the handful of people that can keep Amy alive. Yet she freely chooses to do the exact opposite of what she is told, leading to more than one sticky situations. While this made her character unpredictable and quite realistic (admit it, you still hate acknowledging that other people are right), it also became a bit frustrating, particularly when Amy's decisions blew up in her face. However, she does manage to redeem herself with her sassy remarks and independent, kick-ass attitude.
Dorothy Must Die came extremely close to earning a full five stars, but I had a few qualms with the characters and attempted romance as the book drew to a close. First and foremost, Dorothy. The inhabitants of Oz reiterated time and time again how evil and tyrannical Dorothy had become. Was she power hungry? Yes. Did she let things get to her head? Absolutely. Would I deem her “evil?” Not exactly - more of a dictatorial teenager who took her anger out on others. None of her actions immediately screamed "EVIL," so I was a little confused regarding her character development. Perhaps she truly does have a wicked streak, and it just hasn't made itself apparent yet - I guess I'll find out in the next installment!
Similarly, the pitiful "romance" between Amy and Nox made me want to gag. They both seemed embarrassed about their attraction toward one another and not entirely sure how to convey their true feelings. This led to numerous uncomfortable encounters and even an awkward kiss, leaving me with the strong urge to slowly slink out of the room. Needless to say, their "relationship" was also fairly boring. They kissed...once...horrors. It didn't really develop throughout the novel, and, quite frankly, I could've gone without it. I think the insta-love romance simply pulled focus from the adventurous aspect of the book.
While I would definitely recommend Dorothy Must Die, I'm not sure that it would appeal to everyone due to the author's highly tailored twist on The Wizard of Oz and some of the subject matter discussed throughout the book. From what I've read in reviews, it seems that readers either are completely enthralled by the novel or absolutely despise it, so it's worth a shot!
kayleigh_piper925's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
goodbetterbetsy's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this take on the Wizard of Oz series. I can't wait for the next book!
sarahssharedshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a pretty good teen/young adult book. I absolutely love everything about Oz; the books, and the movies, so I thought this was a pretty cool twist on it. It captured all the elements of Oz but captured a dark and twisted theme. I really enjoyed the book, but I definitely think I would have enjoyed it more if I was still in my teenage years. Overall, it was still a pretty wicked book, and I'd be happy to recommend it to anyone who likes the classic childhood stories and fairy tales. I was a little frustrated at the ending, BUT seeing that the author is planning to write a few more books in this series, I am quite content on now the book ended.