Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

I feel like this book started off quite strong. It fairly quickly evolved (or devolved, depending on your mileage) into a run-of-the-mill “train the Chosen One to be an assassin/warrior/magic-user” story-line. I would have really liked if Amy and Nox were kept strictly platonic, but us Ace-people can’t have nice things… even if the romantic relationship is barely there.

I was not a fan of the ending. I really dislike last-minute major plot points that are designed to hook you into the next book and the rest of the series. I think there were enough dangling plot-threads to just coast into the next book without throwing an entire quest-line into the ending. I personally think it would have been enough to have the monkeys take or be taking Amy to the Wizard and just end it there. Find out the Wizard’s whys afterward.

I do largely feel like the original Oz characters were used well. It makes sense for them to have become twisted the ways they did. If you read or know anything about the original Oz books past the first one, the Pete reveal was fairly obvious with just enough misdirect to keep the mystery intact.

Amy herself feels realistic to me… mostly. I feel like she would have actually flailed more upon being shoved into her undercover role after what was only a matter of weeks. Especially given she was barely given any direction as to how to get to the position she was supposed to be in. She didn’t even know who her Handler was supposed to be, which I feel was a deal misstep on the part of the Order. It’s no wonder Amy jumped at the chance to actually do something as opposed to just continue to hold her pattern.

I would also like to know more about how magic actually works. Like, I get that it’s apparently tied to emotions, but there are also spells and incantations… it’s all very nebulous and I’m not sure I like it.

So yeah… I think I’m going to give the Dorothy Must Die series one more book… this one was entertaining enough, if frustrating at times.