E = Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire

I've been a longtime fan of The Wicked Years and, because of Wicked, I have picked up as many as Gregory Maguire's books as I could. After I applied for the ARC, I sat in front of the computer screen chanting, "They'll never approve me, my blog is too small, they'll never approve me, my blog is too small..." Then a week later I got approved. Needless to say, I was pretty excited.

The story starts in Quadling country with Elphie as a toddler, her mother still alive and her father trying unsuccessfully to start a mission. Like the title says, it follows her childhood as she grows up.

I really liked most of this book. The tone is sarcastic, almost playful, and sometimes a bit jaded. Elphie is portrayed as morally ambiguous, the same as when she's an adult so the evolution of Elphie rings true. She has a vicious sibling rivalry with her sister and watches on as her brother raises havoc everywhere he goes. Her curiosity is insatiable, and it runs alongside an attitude problem.

It was interesting getting to know the supporting characters with more depth than Wicked offered. Alongside Elphaba, we see the evolution of Nessa and Shell. Her parents' histories and shortcomings are delved into, although with regards to Melena as a person there was no real surprise. 

What I wasn't super crazy about was the obscure plotline... Her father Frex is searching for Turtle Heart's family (Turtle Heart is from Wicked if you haven't read it) to atone for his own family's sins. And as he searches out Turtle Heart's relatives, he drags his family along. But the plot is Frex's more than it's Elphie's... She's just along for the ride.

And while I can't tell you where this story ends, if you have read Wicked you know where it begins. I think this is an excellent companion novel to the story that gave it its start.