The Scholastic Amulet Book 9 is an exciting addition to the popular fantasy book series written by Kazu Kibuishi. This book continues the journey of the main character, Emily, as she learns to control her powers and save the world from evil forces. In this installment, Emily and her friends face new challenges and dangers as they search for the lost city of Cielis. Along the way, they encounter strange creatures and powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to prevent them from reaching their goal. The book is filled with thrilling action sequences and suspenseful moments that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Kibuishi's vibrant illustrations bring the characters and the world they inhabit to life, making it easy for readers to get lost in the story.
The novel is a political, social, and ethical commentary on the nature of good and evil, and takes place in The Land of Oz, in the years leading to Dorothy's arrival. The story centers on Elphaba Thropp, the misunderstood green-skinned girl who grows up to become the notorious Wicked Witch of the West. Gregory Maguire fashioned the name of Elphaba, from the initials of Lyman Frank Baum, L-F-B. The story is divided into five different sections based on the plot location. There is also a prologue where Elphaba is spying on Dorothy and her friends, hearing them gossip about her.
Dillamond s mispronunciation of her name, Glinda , and throws herself into her studies, having settled on a course of study in Sorcery, at Madame Morrible s insistence. It should be noted that, as mentioned on the train ride to Shiz, Doctor Dillamond s ancient mother at this time cannot afford to travel first class, and will have to ride in a pen if she wants to visit Doctor Dillamond at Shiz.
Kibuishi's vibrant illustrations bring the characters and the world they inhabit to life, making it easy for readers to get lost in the story. One of the strengths of the Scholastic Amulet series is its ability to tackle complex themes such as friendship, sacrifice, and the nature of power. Through the struggles faced by the characters, readers are reminded of the importance of loyalty, bravery, and standing up for what is right.
Who's Who in Wicked the Musical and Novel
Choosing from the 38 speaking characters in Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked , the writers of Wicked the musical decided to focus their show on eight key characters plus a few others and the ensemble.
Character: Elphaba, (nickname Elphie) the green girl who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West
Elphaba made the list of Entertainment Weekly 's List of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years, and deservedly so. She is at the center of both the immensely popular musical and novel Wicked. Elphaba is the intense, broody, smart heroine who often carries a sense of burden of her oddness.
In the musical we meet Elphaba for a moment as a baby and then as a teenager. She would like it if Ozians could accept her, setting aside their prejudice for her natural hue. Everything changes when she meets Galinda, Fiyero, and the Wizard. In her transition during "Defying Gravity," she expresses her new goal and role as someone striving to right the wrongs in Oz.
Wicked novelist Gregory Maguire invented the witch's name "Elphaba" based on the name for the author of The Wizard of Oz. L. F(rank) B(aum). L-F-B = Elphaba.
When composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz found out about Maguire's book and the Elphaba character, he decided to write a musical about her, and eventually Wicked came to be. Read the full story of Wicked 's development in Defying Gravity - my biography of Schwartz that includes 150 pages on the making of Wicked.
Character: Glinda/Galinda, The blond who becomes "Glinda the Good" Witch
Both the novel and musical introduce Glinda as her younger self, Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands, a blatantly self-centered young blond. Gregory Maguire disassociated her from an archetypal "good" to make her a pretentious goodie goodie. The musical's writers juxtaposed the two women who were superficially "bad (or misfit)" and "good" but underneath were nearly the opposite (until Glinda evolves as a person). Read about Kristin Chenoweth - the original Glinda in Wicked the musical
Character: Madame Morrible, the headmistress at Shiz University.
In the musical, her talents in sorcery are rather limited (although she recognizes talent in others). She doesn't influence the fate of the three witches in the musical in the same way as she does in the novel. She pursues her connections with Oz's chief. Her misuse of power is her undoing. Morrible is the only classic villain in this musical tale.
In the photo, Carol Kane who played Madame Morrible on Broadway, bows at the end of a Wicked performance. In this close up you can see how costume designer Susan Hilferty supported the character through the magical fancy of the gold and deep green. Photo is by Ben Strothmann for BroadwayWorld.com, used by special permission.
Character: Fiyero, a handsome prince, fellow student, and love interest.
Fiyero is a Winkie prince. The Winkies inhabit one of the regions of Oz (as in Frank Baum's original). He begins as a carefree college-age hedonist who invites fellow students to party. He transforms as his romantic interests shift. . . .
[continued below photo from opening night curtain call]
Character: Dr. Dillamond, a professor at Shiz University who is a talking Goat, and someone Elphaba befriends. Read more about Animals in Wicked novel and musical
Character: The Wizard of Oz
As in the movie, the Wizard of Oz is an old carnival huckster who blew into Oz in a hot air balloon and became a false-faced leader. But there's a twist in both Maguire's novel and the musical with regard to the relationship between the Wizard and Elphaba. [I wont' give that one away but if you read the novel carefully you will know what happens]
Character: Nessarose, the Witch 's invalid sister
Nessarose Thropp is Elphaba's sister. Gregory Maguire named her after Virginia Woolf's sister Vanessa, known as "Nessa." According to the novelist, she was born both crippled and armless. On stage she has arms but is in a wheelchair.
Character: Boq, an unusually tall Munchkin with eyes for Galinda/Glinda. In the novel he is less significant than in the musical.
Characters: Frex and Melina
The novel's early chapters set Elphaba's parents at odds at before birth. Readers learn about Melena, a former aristocrat who is terribly unhappy with her husband Frexpar, (a zealous missionary minister in the book). Her tactics for emotional survival include chewing on the leaves of a local narcotic plant and engaging in semiconscious affairs. From her first pregnancy comes a green-skinned child and though it is assumed that Frexpar is the father, there is some doubt. Between that, the daughter's odd color, and her queer behavior, the discombobulated parents create an estranged home life for their first child.
In the musical, Melina and Frex appear for only a few minutes during the birth scene at the end of Act 1, Scene 1. Frex is no longer a minister, but the Governor of Munchkinland. He cares only for his second child, Nessarose, which adds to Elphaba's frustrations.
Character: Dorothy
In the musical, Dorothy only appears as a shadow projected onto a drape. In other words her famous melting scene where she tosses water on the witch happens behind a curtain. In Maguire's novel she appears several times, as he leads the story through more of what L. Frank Baum wrote about the melting and subsequent moments.
Various others
Other characters besides the chorus include Pfannee and Shen Shen, Glinda's college girlfriends; Professor Nikidik who replaces Dr. Dillamond; and Chistery, a monkey servant.
WHO'S MISSING
Wicked novel characters dropped or minimized for the musical
Averic, Nanny, Fiyero's Wife, Liir
MISSPELLINGS: Some people mispell Elphaba as Alphaba or Alpheba or Elfeba; Glinda as Glenda.
WICKED - NEW EDITION OF MAGUIRE'S NOVEL at Amazon.com: Musical Tie-in Edition : The Life. [new browser window]
features 16 pages of photos from the musical. Total 448 pages (no new text).
Elphaba Photo by Joan Marcus
Characters: Frex and Melina
The Scholastic Amulet Book 9 is a fast-paced and engaging read that is sure to captivate fans of the series. With its unique blend of action, fantasy, and heartfelt moments, it is a book that both young and adult readers will enjoy. Whether you are a longtime fan or new to the series, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good adventure..
Reviews for "Lessons Learned from Scholastic Amulet Book 9: The Power of Friendship"
1. Emily - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "Scholastic amult book 9". I found the plot to be weak and unoriginal. The characters lacked depth and I had a hard time connecting with them. The writing style was also quite dull, and I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Jason - 1 star
I couldn't get into "Scholastic amult book 9" at all. The pacing was extremely slow and I found myself getting bored easily. The world-building was also lacking and I didn't feel like I had a clear understanding of the setting. The dialogue was poorly written and didn't flow well. I was really disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Scholastic amult book 9", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The story felt disjointed and I had a hard time following along. The characters were forgettable and I didn't feel invested in their journey. The writing style was lacking and I found myself skimming through paragraphs. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.