Sunday, August 10, 2014

Review: Bewitched In OZ


Bewitched in Oz
By Laura Burns
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Pub. Date: August 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1623701291
Pages: 256
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

I believe almost everyone has seen the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz, but only a handful have probably ever read the original 14 novels by L. Frank Baum, let alone the 21 sequels that were written by Ruth Plumly Thompson that were published after his death. Of course, there are other authors that have taken their turn writing about the world of Oz over the years. Now author Laura Burns is putting her writing talents to franchise with this summer's release of Bewitched in Oz.

In this new tale, all magic has been banned from Oz. Only Princess Ozma, Glinda and the Great Oz himself are allowed to use magic, but this doesn't stop a few teens from practicing their magic skills. The story centers around the teenager Zerie and her pals Vashti and Tabitha. (No, this isn't Samantha's daughter from Bewitched.) They sneak out into the woods and practice their talents. Xerie is super fast, Vashti can levitate any object and Tabitha can vanish into thin air. The girls later recruit Brink into their coven, as he can cast illusions.

Despite the fact that anyone who gets caught using magic will be submerged in the Water of Oblivion, the girls continue to practice in secret that is until the Winged Monkeys apprehend Tabitha, dragging her to Ozama!

With the help of a glass cat, Zerie, Vashtie and Brink journey into the unknown parts of Oz in the attempt to rescue their friend and to prove to Princess Ozma that magic shouldn't be banned.

While I own a few paperbacks of the original (plus I have all fourteen Oz books on my Kindle), I have yet to ever read an Oz book, though I have seen the 1939 version, Return to Oz, Witches of Oz (I don't recommend this) and Oz the Great and Powerful. Bewitched in Oz is an interesting new take on the classic franchise by centering the plot on new teenager characters. Yes, at times it doesn't have a Twilight love story feeling to it, but the author does a decent job of creating a vivid interpretation of the land of OZ. Plus, there is enough suspense to keep the average reader happy. Overall, Bewitched in Oz is an intriguing new fantasy story, though it does have its flaws, it is still a good read.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

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