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triniredreading's review against another edition
lighthearted
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Definitely not my favourite. The bad guys were unpleasant and the good guys were rather insufferable. The ending was also abrupt.
acoffia's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cheesygiraffe's review against another edition
4.0
Not going any farther then this in the series since this is the last one L. Frank Baum wrote.
bargainbookquest's review against another edition
3.0
3.75*
Well, that one is totally different the all previous ones, that's for sure.
It is considered darker by a lot of people and I cannot fully agree with it or disagree either because the whole plot of this book is based on a war between two clans and Ozma and company, are totally oblivious to it as it is not happening that close to the Emerald City and, apparently, all these people had no idea who Ozma was.
Finally it isn't Dorothy who saves the day and I'm glad that, after 13 books, we are reminded that's she only a child with no magic and got lost in this mysterious land with strange characters and rules and laws and that she cannot truly be a hero. Ozma felt basically useless throughout the books to be honest and there was such a fuss about her... I mean, they turned her into a boy to keep her secure for crying out loud. Anyway, that started well and finished off out of the context of this book *laughs*
I, again, will praise the author for his imagination as, yet again, he came up with a part of land (or island, really) that sinks underwater or floats on water.
Things I didn't really like is how characters like Scraps and Uncle Henry were mentioned as it felt more like a reminder that, hey, yes, they do still exist but let's just say their name and maybe one word or a sentence that doesn't do anything for the story and then let's move on to the story... I mean, it was cute and a nice touch but... why?
I think, by book 14, I was just done with this world and I wanted it done and over with. I mean, I still liked it quite a bit anyway. I think my review of it shows I'm basically all over the place and probably don't make a lot of sense either.
Well, that one is totally different the all previous ones, that's for sure.
It is considered darker by a lot of people and I cannot fully agree with it or disagree either because the whole plot of this book is based on a war between two clans and Ozma and company, are totally oblivious to it as it is not happening that close to the Emerald City and, apparently, all these people had no idea who Ozma was.
Finally it isn't Dorothy who saves the day and I'm glad that, after 13 books, we are reminded that's she only a child with no magic and got lost in this mysterious land with strange characters and rules and laws and that she cannot truly be a hero. Ozma felt basically useless throughout the books to be honest and there was such a fuss about her... I mean, they turned her into a boy to keep her secure for crying out loud. Anyway, that started well and finished off out of the context of this book *laughs*
I, again, will praise the author for his imagination as, yet again, he came up with a part of land (or island, really) that sinks underwater or floats on water.
Things I didn't really like is how characters like Scraps and Uncle Henry were mentioned as it felt more like a reminder that, hey, yes, they do still exist but let's just say their name and maybe one word or a sentence that doesn't do anything for the story and then let's move on to the story... I mean, it was cute and a nice touch but... why?
I think, by book 14, I was just done with this world and I wanted it done and over with. I mean, I still liked it quite a bit anyway. I think my review of it shows I'm basically all over the place and probably don't make a lot of sense either.
saroz162's review against another edition
5.0
I'll be honest: as a kid, I didn't really like this one. It has probably the lowest quotient of "weirdness" to any Baum Oz book, partly because the major cast is entirely human or human-like, and the plot is almost entirely straightforward, without the little side-journeys and tangents that populate most of his earlier novels. As an adult, I appreciate it far more, which leads me to a fairly unusual appraisal:
Glinda of Oz is just an "okay" Oz book. It is, however, a great Baum book.
Although we know conclusively that Baum wrote this as an Oz book, it seems to share a lot more DNA with his other, non-Oz fantasies - in particular, with Sky Island, although it also feels part of the group that includes the more Europeanized Queen Zixi of Ix and King Rinkitink (well, what we have of King Rinkitink). Baum is once again concerned with two satirically opposed nations, one of whom is governed by a power-mad despot, the other by a witch-queen. (Sound familiar?) Both antagonists ultimately fade into the background once the original set of protagonists become trapped, and it's up to a "backup team" to save the day.
There's no real reason for it to be an Oz book at any point; Ozma and Dorothy's initial quest provides momentum, and Glinda (and her party) provides the resolution, but there's no overwhelming reason for it to be these characters. It might just as easily have been King Bud and Queen Fluff who went on the original mission, with their neighbor Zixi coming to the rescue. Both the Flatheads and Skeezers are blissfully unaware of comings and goings outside their limited area, so this might as well take place - well, on an island - as in the land of Oz.
Is that a failing? No, I don't think so, because the Oz characters don't appear grafted on, as they do in Rinkitink in Oz. It does make me wonder, though, if Baum originally sketched this out as another kind of fantasy - or even if he might have had a silent movie in mind. It seems like a plot that might have leant itself well to the special effects trickery of early cinema.
As with The Lost Princess of Oz and The Magic of Oz, Baum continues a fascination with the mechanisms of magic never really seen in his earlier books (where magic is performed without ritual or explanation). Here, we get complex descriptions of how Glinda and other characters research their magic and cast spells—not in some Harry Potter-type sense, but with an interest in alchemy that implies a stronger kinship to early science fiction than most children's books of the period. Here, as in The Tin Woodman of Oz, we also see Baum's interest in technological innovation, surely heightened by the advances of World War I: among submarines, automatic doors, and escalator-like conveyers. This is the only Oz book to so clearly align technology with magic, and while Baum never delves very deeply, it's intriguing to consider where his imagination might have gone next.
Sadly, we will never know. And while I still have trouble with this as a "traditional" Oz book, I enjoy it more and more as a story on its own merits, written by a man whose creativity never faltered. It's simply a very good read.
Glinda of Oz is just an "okay" Oz book. It is, however, a great Baum book.
Although we know conclusively that Baum wrote this as an Oz book, it seems to share a lot more DNA with his other, non-Oz fantasies - in particular, with Sky Island, although it also feels part of the group that includes the more Europeanized Queen Zixi of Ix and King Rinkitink (well, what we have of King Rinkitink). Baum is once again concerned with two satirically opposed nations, one of whom is governed by a power-mad despot, the other by a witch-queen. (Sound familiar?) Both antagonists ultimately fade into the background once the original set of protagonists become trapped, and it's up to a "backup team" to save the day.
There's no real reason for it to be an Oz book at any point; Ozma and Dorothy's initial quest provides momentum, and Glinda (and her party) provides the resolution, but there's no overwhelming reason for it to be these characters. It might just as easily have been King Bud and Queen Fluff who went on the original mission, with their neighbor Zixi coming to the rescue. Both the Flatheads and Skeezers are blissfully unaware of comings and goings outside their limited area, so this might as well take place - well, on an island - as in the land of Oz.
Is that a failing? No, I don't think so, because the Oz characters don't appear grafted on, as they do in Rinkitink in Oz. It does make me wonder, though, if Baum originally sketched this out as another kind of fantasy - or even if he might have had a silent movie in mind. It seems like a plot that might have leant itself well to the special effects trickery of early cinema.
As with The Lost Princess of Oz and The Magic of Oz, Baum continues a fascination with the mechanisms of magic never really seen in his earlier books (where magic is performed without ritual or explanation). Here, we get complex descriptions of how Glinda and other characters research their magic and cast spells—not in some Harry Potter-type sense, but with an interest in alchemy that implies a stronger kinship to early science fiction than most children's books of the period. Here, as in The Tin Woodman of Oz, we also see Baum's interest in technological innovation, surely heightened by the advances of World War I: among submarines, automatic doors, and escalator-like conveyers. This is the only Oz book to so clearly align technology with magic, and while Baum never delves very deeply, it's intriguing to consider where his imagination might have gone next.
Sadly, we will never know. And while I still have trouble with this as a "traditional" Oz book, I enjoy it more and more as a story on its own merits, written by a man whose creativity never faltered. It's simply a very good read.
paperrhino's review against another edition
3.0
This is the last installment of the Oz books written by Baum. There are dozens of Oz books written by others, including the recent Wicked. I am sorry that Baum did not live to write more books because the last few book in the series showed that Baum reached a maturity in writing that was a pleasure to read.
Besides being introduced to so many wonderful characters in an environment that is relatively safe but not without cause for dramatic tension, the thing I enjoyed most about reading all of Baum's Oz books was to see how he progressed and matured as an author fo childrens books. I think any budding author of children's books would do well to read the series in order as I did to observe how he corrected some of the flaws in his earlier books.
Besides being introduced to so many wonderful characters in an environment that is relatively safe but not without cause for dramatic tension, the thing I enjoyed most about reading all of Baum's Oz books was to see how he progressed and matured as an author fo childrens books. I think any budding author of children's books would do well to read the series in order as I did to observe how he corrected some of the flaws in his earlier books.
danique549's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
laceylou10's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
jmbz38's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5