I've only just finished part one, so there's room for growth of course.
But, it feels like the author puts in grotesqueness at least once every chapter for no reason. For example, when the priest gets pushed over then kicked in the asshole so he shits his pants (and for those who haven't read, I do not mean he gets his ass kicked, I meant literally foot to asshole then shit comes out) and that's all that happens to him. He was then carried off to safety with no further injury. Why even write that. Sure, it could be some odd metaphor about how he's dirty just like everyone else but there are about a dozen better ways to get that across, surely.
I'm failing to see how such a crass book became an LGTBQ+ powerhouse of a musical. Surely there were other stories with similar narratives and less babies sniffing piss, right?
I suppose I don't want an actual explanation. I'm more ranting, but I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts
EDIT:
Finished the book. It was awful. I cannot fathom how this became one of the biggest movies of 2025, I really can't.
If you want my full review I wrote one on bookwyrm
https://bookwyrm.social/book/100941/s/wicked-the-life-and-times-of-the-wicked-witch-of-the-west
I read the book decades ago and absolutely hated it. Just gross and depressing. I never saw the musical but friends tell me it takes basically nothing from the book - just the core idea of telling the story from the perspective of the wicked witch, who was bullied in her youth.
I've now finished the book and I can say I'm with you. It was dreadful. Slow, crass (in the wrong ways), and overly high and mighty, it was a slog just to get through it.
The number of times the author references a child's sexual development is insane. I don't need to know that the little boy got his first boner, Maguire, I really don't.
Urine is referenced at least once every five chapters. If it isn't, then we must reference feces. If neither are referenced then we're at the end of the book.
I thought the story was going to get good when Madame Morrible put them under the spell, but if anything it got worse after that. I thought it would get really fun and interesting and instead became a huge snoozefest.
What a letdown. I'm even more confused at how this became a musical than I was when I started