After returning to Kansas, Dorothy Gale has realized that the dreary fields of Kansas don’t compare to the vibrant landscapes of Oz. And although she’s happy to be reunited with Aunt Em, she misses her friends from the yellow brick road. But most of all, Dorothy misses the fame and the adventure. In Kansas she’s just another prairie girl, but in Oz she was a hero. So Dorothy is willing to do anything to get back, because there really is no place like Oz. But returning to the land she left comes at a price, and after Dorothy is through with it, Oz will never be the same.

Perfect for fans of Alex Flinn, Marissa Meyer, and Gregory Maguire, No Place Like Oz is a dark reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Building off of its rich mythology, Danielle Paige creates an edgy, thrilling story for teens that chronicles the rise and fall of one of the literature’s most beloved characters. This digital original novella is a prequel that sets the stage for the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

In 2016, I came across the book, Dorothy Must Die , which I was hesitant about at first but ended up falling in love with. While reading the series, I did wonder what happened to Dorothy, how she became that evil. I wondered if there was a reason behind her turning to that monster. Usually, I don’t read novella’s often, but I was curious about NO PLACE LIKE OZ and curious to find out what happened with Dorothy. I saw the change in Dorothy, the minute that she had the shoes on. At first, they were little change, but the most I change was in Dorothy’s attitude. It seemed as if anything her aunt and uncle did, it wasn’t right. I wondered if it was the shoes that made Dorothy want to stay in OZ. I know that both her aunt and uncle noticed the change, even if they pretended like they didn’t.

I did wonder what would happen if Dorothy was able to remove the shoes. I wondered if she would be going back to herself and go back to Kansas with her aunt and uncle. In this book, Dorothy is not the Dorothy I remember from Wizard Of Oz . As the book progressed, it seemed as if she got angrier at everyone, and I knew it would not end well for anyone. Never did I imagine that Glinda would be the one responsible for Dorothy going evil. That was one of the things that I loved about the book; it was unexpected. NO PLACE LIKE OZ will keep you on reading until the end. That ending, it had me curious and picked up the next in the series to see what happens. If you are a fan of Wizard Of Oz and want to read a retelling with a twist, be sure to check this series out.

Be prepared for a wild ride.

I enjoyed this quick read. I loved to revisit Oz.

This was fun! I love a good back story. Now to starting Dorothy Must Die. I have a feeling I'm going to love it as well.

Wow. I felt this ties in nicely to the original story. The main differences is that I felt Oz is a bit more fantastical here (flaming toast, prebuttered, cooked corn still on the stalks, etc) and that Dorothy seems a bit conceited and selfish even from the beginning. Was she ever sweet? The setting when she was in Kansas did feel a bit modern though.

Danielle Paige does a great job with references from the original book. She bases is more on the books than the movies since the ending is fairly different. Going from the original story to this is a fairly smooth transaction.

The questioning of Ozma and missing Glinda was a great idea and the way it plays out is interesting. You really get a glimpse of how Dorothy changes from the innocen girl who first journeyed the Yellow Brick Road to go home, the the wretched brat she is in Dorothy Must Die. Eager to read the next step in the prequel series!

This was much better than I thought it would be. I liked how the reader can see Dorothy's disintegration into a ruthless, mean character. I am definitely looking forward to the novel.

Who would have guessed Dorothy was such a snot!

4.5 stars! This was the kind of prequel I always wish for, something with guts and plot and punch that leaves you feeling fulfilled while also desperate for the proper book. So excited to start Dorothy Must Die!

The most informative one yet, and helps you buy Dorothy's transition a little more. 4 stars for helping flesh out the story, as so many novellas fail to do.

So good! Fun to revisit Oz, I liked Ms. Paige's re-imagining. Perfect setup for Dorothy Must Die! Can't wait to read that one!