By Nikki St. Crowe

Dorothy was left with on a doorstep with two strangers, by some one begging to care for her. As days , weeks, and months pass; it becomes clear that the stranger who left this small child with two strangers on a Kansas farm, was not returning. As she grows, Dorothy only has vague memories of her life before arriving on the farm. Dorothy remains on the farm through her childhood and teenage years. Now grown into a woman, she wants more than her life on the farm, but does not dare leave the people who have shown her so much love and kindness.

One night , a cyclone tears through the night, carrying her, Toto, and the farmhouse to a land that does not look like Kansas. When it does land , it wasn’t in an uninhabited field , it was right on a witch, who is not happy to have a house thrown on her. After facing down her first witch, she very clearly realizes she’s not in Kansas anymore. She’s advised to seek out a Wizard, and to get there she must follow the yellow brick road.

On her journey to the Wizard she remains clouded in darkness, lit just by lamp posts, where she continues to run into more dangers than she could ever imagine. She meets friends along the way, and foes that would like to see her captured.

This reimaging of the beloved world of Oz had just the right amount of nostalgia without feeling like the same childhood story. This new Oz feels dark, gritty, and mysterious. Our main cast of characters may feel like you’ve met them before, but they are grown and much more raw than the ones you think you know.

Readers may pick up on some of the twists to come, but you will still be left surprised with others. The plot moves along at a steady pace with out having any unintentional fluff or filler scenes. Everything feels like it has reason, every conversation, every plot point, every small moment. Some small little bits of information are dropped through the story , that build together to bring upon twists and turns.

Although this is a retelling of a childhood story, THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR CHILDREN. This is very much a dark and spicy retelling. Dorothy is not a young girl and is a grown woman, and her thoughts and actions reflect that.

The ending will have you want to reach for book two immediately, and I for one , can not wait to see what happens next.