If you love fantasy Novels or stories you might consider this.
We are all popular with the story of the wizard of Oz but this is a blast.
Let's settle into this one because The Wonderful Wizard of Oz series by L. Frank Baum is not just a story—it’s an entire world that feels like it was built to make us question, dream, and reflect.
You know, the first time I picked up The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the original one, I thought it was just going to be another children’s fairy tale like the one I've watched when I was growing up. I mean, how many times have we heard the classic “Dorothy gets swept away in a tornado, meets some strange friends, and goes to see a wizard”? But once I started reading not just the first book, but the whole series, I realized it wasn’t just about Dorothy, or Oz, or even the wizard. It was about us. About home, friendship, courage, identity, and what it really means to chase something you think you need, only to realize you’ve had it all along.
The first book put me on edge Dorothy, the naive girl of Kansas, finds herself in a world of colors, magic, and perils. And the first time she enters into Oz? I felt that wonder, also. I visualized her eyes opening wide, nearly as wide as my heart, at this new world being described in such detail--the yellow brick road before them, the glittering Emerald City in the distance. When she encountered the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, I did not only see characters, I saw a part of myself. Has not every one of us, at one time or another, felt that we lacked the brains, or the heart, or the courage?
Then there is the further irony--the wizard himself All-powerful? Nope. Just a man--it is all behind the curtains--a man, pretending. That is part of what struck me so hard How many times do we think that someone out there has the answers, the magic, the key to what ails us? And to find out we were always that way. Dorothy wanted to get home, the Scarecrow wanted his brains, the Tin Woodman wanted the heart, and the Lion wanted the courage. They already possessed all of this. One reading that caused me to pause. I guess I was Dorothy at least a hundred times. In pursuit of something, without knowing I was the carrier of the seed all along.
But here’s the thing, you’d think the story ends there, right? Dorothy goes back to Kansas, happy ending, close the book. But Baum didn’t stop. And that’s where the real magic of the series kicked in for me. The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, and all the others each one peeled back another layer of this world. It wasn’t just Dorothy’s story anymore; it was a whole tapestry of adventures, new characters, strange lands, and unexpected dangers.
In Ozma of Oz there is one thing that I remember. This time Dorothy comes back, but she is accompanied by Tik-Tok, the mechanical man and Billina, the talking chicken (yes, it is ridiculous, but it works). I remember laughing at first then realizing how Baum always put these small snippets in that made me think. Tik-Tok is both a machine that is just wound up to operate but also symbolizes a deeper meaning of how we all run around life sometimes on autopilot by what is expected of us. And so many times we do things just on motions, without asking why.
And Ozma--o, Ozma. She is the rightful heir to the throne of Oz, who then is captured and turned into a hag until Dorothy comes to her rescue in order to restore her to her throne. The instant where she asserts herself as her real self- it is so strong. It set me to consider how many people must live in the shadows of what they wanted to be, and how free it must feel to be what you are. I confess I identified more with that than I thought I would. There have been times in my personal life when I felt like I was just living in someone elses story, and that I was waiting to finally claim my own story. Reading of Ozma was like watching a reflection of that journey.
Baum is not afraid to go dark either. The Emerald City of Oz introduced us to the Nome King, and his weird underground kingdom, and the way he plotted against Oz. These scenes made my skin crawl- how he longed to take vengeance, how his kingdom became oppressive, with all these jewels and riches, and yet no happiness. It was a lesson that not everything sparkles is gold and it can be that even the most glittery things are the least filled.
But through all these twists, one thing never changes friendship. Dorothy’s loyalty, her kindness, and her ability to bring people together. No matter what wild turn the story takes, it’s always about connection, about love, about facing fears together. That’s the heartbeat of Oz.
And here’s my honest reflection: as I kept reading, I realized Oz isn’t some faraway land. It’s right here, in us. The characters are us, the struggles are ours, the magic is the hope we hold onto when life throws storms our way. Dorothy’s Kansas tornado? That’s every sudden chaos that’s ever shaken my life. The Scarecrow’s search for wisdom? That’s me, doubting if I’m smart enough. The Lion’s trembling courage? That’s every time I’ve faced something that scared me, heart pounding but stepping forward anyway.
So, how much do you know about The Wizard of Oz story? Well, if you have seen the movie and thought that you have grasped the concept, you have only scratched the surface. The books draw you in, turn you around, and make you laugh, sometimes even scare you, but always leave you with a little more courage, a little more wisdom, and perhaps even a little more heart.
And perhaps, perhaps, like Dorothy, you too will come to understand that the biggest adventure is not the one that takes you away, but the one that brings you home. #hivebookclub
#currentlyreading #bookreview #readerslife #bookrecommendation #goodreads #bookdiscussion #bookclub #booktalk
#books #booklovers #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookworm #readersOfinstagram #bookaholic #bibliophile #bookshelf #fictionbooks #novellovers #fantasybooks #romancereader