Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West

This book by Gregory Maguire was totally engrossing. I rarely read fantasy but I'm glad I made this exception. It is the adult version of the Wizard of Oz told from the perspective of a minor character.  It tells the story of a hideous green child born to normal parents, her sad childhood and subsequent entry into college.  This is where it gets really interesting, this is a college that offers degrees in sorcery.  Sound familiar?  The escapades of her college friends remind me so much of Harry Potter that I wonder if its not where J.K.Rowling got her inspiration.   There is a small amount of explicit sex and long discussions about good and evil.  Altogether a dark novel that will suck you in.  It was first published around 1995 I think, I'm always a decade behind.  ha ha ha