This article discusses rape, bestiality, racism, sexism, transphobia, and child murder.

MAJOR SPOILERS for Wicked by Gregory Maguire are ahead!

With the Wicked movie coming out soon, it’s important to remember that the original book has multiple dark and disturbing elements that could upset many readers. In 1995, author Gregory Maguire released the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which reimagined the story and characters of The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the villain. After winning the Nebula Award for Best Novel and garnering a passionate fanbase, the book was adapted into the Tony-winning Broadway musical in 2003, debuting in the Gershwin Theater.

Talks for a Wicked movie started in 2004, and they will finally come to fruition after two decades. Since the film and tie-in marketing have targeted all ages, it’s easy to assume that the original book is child-friendly, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The novel should be approached with caution by adults who are sensitive to dark content, and parents may want to keep the book out of the hands of children and young teenagers. Between the rampant misogyny and the graphic sexual descriptions, the Wicked book is much darker than it seems at first glance.

The Wicked Book’s Racism, Transphobia, And Misogyny Are Difficult To Read

The World Of Wicked Has The Same Problems As Real Life

Though Wicked is a fantasy book set in a different world, the issues Ozians face are extremely similar to those people experience in the real world. Gregory Maguire’s Wicked makes the racism and misogyny clear within the first few chapters and doesn’t let up at any point. The prejudice and discrimination in Oz become more apparent as readers get further into the book.

Women, the Vinkus people, and sentient animals are segregated and treated abhorrently, having fewer rights. Other Ozians look down upon the Quadling and Vinkus people. Additionally, the comments made about Elphaba in the Prologue – especially those made by the Wicked version of the Tinman – have transphobic and queerphobic undertones that are uncomfortable to read. The midwives and her parents again echo these sentiments after Elphaba’s birth.

Unfortunately, these issues aren’t limited to characters within the book. The writing style, character choices, and development have some problematic elements that are difficult to read. How the writer characterizes the Quadling and the Vinkus people can be viewed as stereotypical and racist. Turtle Heart specifically comes across as a caricature of an Indigenous person.

Moreover, as one Storygraph reviewer pointed out, all the women in the book are one-dimensional and characterized in a negative way. None of these characters are remotely sympathetic. However, the men in the book get much better treatment. Ultimately, each reader will have to decide for themselves how they feel about the book.

The Explicit Sex Scenes And Treatment Of Animals Are A Far Cry From The Movie & Musical

Wicked By Gregory Maguire Has Multiple Explicit Sex Scenes And Bestiality

When it comes to the Wicked musical, there are only very brief and implied references to any kind of sex in the songs “No One Mourns The Wicked” and “As Long As You’re Mine.” The musical doesn’t include anything remotely explicit. Characters kiss a few times, but nothing that would warrant more than a PG rating. While the 2024 movie adaptation hasn’t been released yet, the MPAA rating description confirms that the movie only includes “brief suggestive material.”

Boq and his friends also attend a combination strip and sex club called Philosophy Club, where creatures of all kinds engage in BDSM sex.

However, readers should be aware, going into Gregory Maguire’s book, that the text includes graphic descriptions of sex, orgies, and bestiality that could be uncomfortable to read. The Clock of the Time Dragon is known for its risqué shows, including a mother and daughter having intercourse with the dragon. Boq and his friends also attend a combination strip and sex club called Philosophy Club, where creatures of all kinds engage in BDSM sex. This leads to a deeply uncomfortable situation involving humans and a tiger. These are just a couple of examples of the adult content that is scattered throughout the pages.

Elphaba’s Traumatic Conception Story Is Unnecessarily Disturbing

Elphaba’s Biological Father Raped Melena

From the start of Wicked by Gregory Maguire, there’s an obvious animosity that Melena and Frexbar have towards the fetus growing within her. The feelings only intensify after she’s born, and the reason starts to come out in the conversations between Melena and Nanny. Melena reveals that she doesn’t remember conceiving Elphaba because a man drugged her with a green elixir before raping her, which is the real reason why Elphaba’s skin is green in Wicked. Towards the end of the book, Elphaba finally learns what happened from the Clock of the Time Dragon, which depicts the entire incident in a crass way.

What’s more, the descriptions of the scene are upsetting. Villagers hack each other to pieces and eat their partner’s sex organs. Then, Melena can’t even stand up straight after getting the potion, being described as “stupefied,” adding to the knowledge that she was drugged and non-consenting. The paragraph then describes the stranger, who turns out to be The Wizard, assaulting her and leaving.

Unfortunately, there’s not any payoff to the horrific nature of the conception story. The only takeaways – Elphaba’s skin color and the Wizard being a terrible person – could have been relayed in a way that didn’t involve rape. In fact, Wicked already establishes the Wizard as a bigoted, cruel, power-hungry egomaniac before his identity as the stranger is revealed, so the only element that comes from the rape story is the skin color.

Melena’s Murder Fantasies Toward Baby Elphaba Could Upset Readers

Melena Thinks About Murdering Her Baby In The Wicked Book

When it comes to parent-child relationships, the idealistic hope is that a parent will love their child. However, many stories show dysfunctional relationships where there might be hostility, resentment, and abuse. Wicked takes this kind of relationship to a whole other level. Melena’s hatred of her own baby results in numerous thoughts of murdering Baby Elphaba and eventual neglect and abuse.

Wicked
by Gregory Maguire is part of the series The Wicked Years which includes the sequels
Son of a Witch
,
A Lion Among Men
, and
Out of Oz
.

When discussing the newborn Elphaba with Nanny, she suggests that they just drown the baby and start over. A year and a half later, she’s still talking about murdering her child in water. She suggests they go walk by the edge of the lake where Elphaba could drown. Next, she says that they could go out into a boat and tip it over to kill her daughter. One thought would be bothersome enough, but her repetitive and casual mentions of murdering her daughter could upset many readers.

Why Book Readers Shouldn’t Be Worried About The Wicked Movie

Wicked Is Rated PG For “Some Scary Action, Thematic Material, And Brief Suggestive Material”

Despite the dark, graphic, and disturbing book content, readers don’t need to be concerned about watching the 2024 and 2025 films. The movie adaptation has the potential to draw upon the original source material, but the two-movie Wicked adaptation is based on the Broadway musical, which is a much more positive, hopeful, and sanitized version of the book.

The musical’s official website gives an age recommendation of 8 and up, but they allow children as young as 5 to view Wicked. Parts of the story, like Dr. Dillamond’s tragic fate, are sad or could be frightening to young children, but there isn’t anything explicit or inappropriate. Moreover, the movie adaptation of Wicked is rated PG, meaning it won’t include any of the controversial parts of Wicked by Gregory Maguire, since it’s catered towards children and adults.