I’m interested in reading the original L Frank Baum Wizard of Oz books, my only hang up is that Amazon lists them as children’s stories and not traditional novels like I assumed. I can’t find page counts nor does anybody on Goodreads have useful information. I do want to read the books, I just have trouble justifying the purchase if they’re a few simple children’s fairy tales in actuallity
by Short-Woodpecker6971
4 Comments
I read some of the other stories in the Oz series. They are all good. Some better than others.
Simple? I suppose you could say that. They’re a bit like Alice in Wonderland without the brainy wordplay. But Baum was really good at setting up worlds that have their own surreal fairy tale logic but are also quite absurd and fun – much loonier than any of the movie or cartoon adaptations. They tend to be like travelogue adventures and after a few I did get bored. There’s no overall story progression. The characters have very strong traits but are quite static – they never learn anything much or go through moral arcs or anything. Be aware that it reflects the time it was written so you see some outdated stereotypes and jabs at feminism. I think if you get modern versions some of that stuff has been softened or removed altogether.
I have read them and reread them…I find them quite nostalgic and comforting…
My library has all of them for Kindle and other eReader formats…Does yours?
Read them as an adult and I loved them.