Book Review: Galinda: A Charmed Childhood by Gregory Maguire

My Review

Galinda: A Charmed Childhood is a prequel to Wicked.  It tells the story of Galinda's childhood.  She is the youngest child and only daughter of a high born family who are facing some challenges.  Galinda believes she was born for more.  She dances in competitions and dreams of tiaras and pursuing her dreams - although she isn't sure what they are yet.  

I wanted to read Galinda: A Charmed Childhood because I love Wicked.  It's one of my top 10 favorite novels.  Learning about Galinda's childhood was intriguing!

This is a very interesting novel.  Surprisingly, it took me a little bit to get into the story but then I was immersed and really enjoyed the read.  It's a leisurely paced book with a lot about Galinda's family - her father, who is a businessman, her mother, who is often absent, and her grandmother, who may or may not have some magical powers.  Her brother Ham also has a subplot that runs through the story as well.

I have always been an Elphaba fan, but this novel gave me more empathy for Galinda.  Her childhood was definitely not a completely rosy picture.  I loved her flights of fancy when she had an imaginary playmate, when she dreamed big, when she wondered "what if."

The writing is, of course, vivid and lovely, with descriptions like:

"She was a fluster of pretty impatience, that child. She arrived at any doorway prepared to deliver a full sentence, an opening line, as if conversation was always stalled until she sailed into the room to initiate it. (eBook location 160)

and

" . . . interfered with the sealed globe of her own private Essence of Galinda. Which was like a bespoke perfume— it announced her and it completed her at the same time. If her father’s hand rested on her head, she could think about his hand, but when it withdrew, she’d waft on, forgetful, even oblivious. She was eight." (eBook location 193)

I recommend Galinda: A Charmed Childhood for readers who enjoyed Wicked and the other books in this series.  This novel brings something unique to the Wicked narrative that I think you will enjoy.

Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book.