Fantasy Book Review: Dorothy Must Die

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Synopsis:
I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I’ve read the books. I’ve seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can’t be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There’s still the yellow brick road, though—but even that’s crumbling.
What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I’m the other girl from Kansas.
I’ve been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I’ve been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman’s heart.
Steal the Scarecrow’s brain.
Take the Lion’s courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

Review:
Amy Gumm is an average girl from a small town who gets bullied at school and neglected by her mother. When she’s swept away to Oz in a tornado, she expects the storybook version. Instead is a dark and twisted land where Dorothy has returned and the definitions of “good” and “wicked” have changed.

Dorothy Must Die is the first in a new series – a dark and violent take on L Frank Baum’s creation as opposed to the light-hearted Judy Garland version. There is an abundance of danger, suspense, colorful characters, and a bit of romance. Amy is forced to side with the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked in order to take down Dorothy’s evil regime. Though Amy is reluctant, she goes undercover as one Dorothy’s staff in order to get close enough to kill her at the right time. The thrilling events build to a climactic, cliffhanger ending that will leave readers wanting more. This is a fast-paced, fun read that pleasantly surprised me.