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Oz #7
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
In this dazzling tale, L. Frank Baum proves once again his power to delight and enchant readers of all ages. Follow the adventures of a charming new band of characters as they explore the wondrous land of Oz and discover that you learn more by traveling than by staying at home.
Forced to venture out of the dark forest, Unc Nunkie and Ojo the Unlucky call on the Crooked Magician, who introduces them to his latest creation: a living girl made out of patchwork quilts and cotton stuffing. But when an accident leaves beloved Unc Nunkie a motionless statue, it is up to Ojo to save him. In his search for the magic ingredients that will restore his uncle to life, Ojo is joined by the Patchwork Girl and by the conceited Glass Cat, who boasts of her hard ruby heart, the resourceful Shaggy Man, and the lovable block-headed Woozy, whose tail hairs are just one of the things Ojo needs to rescue Une Nunkie.
As they travel to the Emerald City, home of the wise and powerful Ozma, they meet Dorothy, the kind and sensible girl from Kansas; the gallant Scarecrow; and, of course, Toto. But no one proves more loyal than the spirited Patchwork Girl, who, although she was brought to life as a servant, is determined to see the wide world for herself.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz has captivated readers for over eighty years. Now, in this stunning new edition--featuring all fifty-one of John R. Neill's original full-color plates as well as eighty black-and-white illustrations--a whole new generation can discover the beauty and wonder of Oz that have made this classic series an enduring favorite.
Follow the adventures of a charming band of characters as they join Dorothy and the Scarecrow to explore the wondrous Land of Oz. Meet a living girl made out of patchwork quilts, a conceited Glass Cat, and the lovable block-headed Woozy. A favorite for over eighty years, this stunning facsimile of the rare fist edition features all fifty-one of Neill's full-color plates as well as eighty black-and-white illustrations. A Books of Wonder Classic.
Forced to venture out of the dark forest, Unc Nunkie and Ojo the Unlucky call on the Crooked Magician, who introduces them to his latest creation: a living girl made out of patchwork quilts and cotton stuffing. But when an accident leaves beloved Unc Nunkie a motionless statue, it is up to Ojo to save him. In his search for the magic ingredients that will restore his uncle to life, Ojo is joined by the Patchwork Girl and by the conceited Glass Cat, who boasts of her hard ruby heart, the resourceful Shaggy Man, and the lovable block-headed Woozy, whose tail hairs are just one of the things Ojo needs to rescue Une Nunkie.
As they travel to the Emerald City, home of the wise and powerful Ozma, they meet Dorothy, the kind and sensible girl from Kansas; the gallant Scarecrow; and, of course, Toto. But no one proves more loyal than the spirited Patchwork Girl, who, although she was brought to life as a servant, is determined to see the wide world for herself.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz has captivated readers for over eighty years. Now, in this stunning new edition--featuring all fifty-one of John R. Neill's original full-color plates as well as eighty black-and-white illustrations--a whole new generation can discover the beauty and wonder of Oz that have made this classic series an enduring favorite.
Follow the adventures of a charming band of characters as they join Dorothy and the Scarecrow to explore the wondrous Land of Oz. Meet a living girl made out of patchwork quilts, a conceited Glass Cat, and the lovable block-headed Woozy. A favorite for over eighty years, this stunning facsimile of the rare fist edition features all fifty-one of Neill's full-color plates as well as eighty black-and-white illustrations. A Books of Wonder Classic.
346 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1913
451 people are currently reading
8702 people want to read
About the author
L. Frank Baum
3,210 books2,764 followersalso wrote under the names:
* Edith van Dyne,
* Floyd Akers,
* Schuyler Staunton,
* John Estes Cooke,
* Suzanne Metcalf,
* Laura Bancroft,
* Louis F. Baum,
* Captain Hugh Fitzgerald
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author best known for his children's fantasy books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, part of a series. In addition to the 14 Oz books, Baum penned 41 other novels (not including four lost, unpublished novels), 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen; the 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a landmark of 20th-century cinema.
Born and raised in Chittenango, New York, Baum moved west after an unsuccessful stint as a theater producer and playwright. He and his wife opened a store in South Dakota and he edited and published a newspaper. They then moved to Chicago, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and published children's literature, coming out with the first Oz book in 1900. While continuing his writing, among his final projects he sought to establish a film studio focused on children's films in Los Angeles, California.
His works anticipated such later commonplaces as television, augmented reality, laptop computers (The Master Key), wireless telephones (Tik-Tok of Oz), women in high-risk and action-heavy occupations (Mary Louise in the Country), and the ubiquity of advertising on clothing (Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work).
* Edith van Dyne,
* Floyd Akers,
* Schuyler Staunton,
* John Estes Cooke,
* Suzanne Metcalf,
* Laura Bancroft,
* Louis F. Baum,
* Captain Hugh Fitzgerald
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author best known for his children's fantasy books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, part of a series. In addition to the 14 Oz books, Baum penned 41 other novels (not including four lost, unpublished novels), 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen; the 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a landmark of 20th-century cinema.
Born and raised in Chittenango, New York, Baum moved west after an unsuccessful stint as a theater producer and playwright. He and his wife opened a store in South Dakota and he edited and published a newspaper. They then moved to Chicago, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and published children's literature, coming out with the first Oz book in 1900. While continuing his writing, among his final projects he sought to establish a film studio focused on children's films in Los Angeles, California.
His works anticipated such later commonplaces as television, augmented reality, laptop computers (The Master Key), wireless telephones (Tik-Tok of Oz), women in high-risk and action-heavy occupations (Mary Louise in the Country), and the ubiquity of advertising on clothing (Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work).
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December 17, 2013
The Patchwork Girl of Oz is not about the Patchwork Girl of Oz, but rather is the story of a little munchkin boy and his motley assortment of followers journeying across the land of Oz in search of items that will create a magic capable of saving the boy's beloved uncle.
However, one of those motley followers is the Patchwork Girl and she absolutely steals the show! Her goofy optimism is infectious. Perhaps some might find her to be a Jenna Elfman-sized annoyance, but for my part I thoroughly enjoyed the full dose of daffy she poured into this book, which has been my favorite thus far of Baum's original Oz series.
Keep in mind it is a children's book. The conundrums put to our heros are not mindbogglingly difficult for them to overcome and it's hardly a spoiler to say things end happily. The Patchwork Girl might also appeal more to fans of the Wizard of Oz movie as it brings back some recognizable characters. Dorothy, the Scarecrow and Tin Man all make brief cameos...oh yes, and Toto too.
However, one of those motley followers is the Patchwork Girl and she absolutely steals the show! Her goofy optimism is infectious. Perhaps some might find her to be a Jenna Elfman-sized annoyance, but for my part I thoroughly enjoyed the full dose of daffy she poured into this book, which has been my favorite thus far of Baum's original Oz series.
Keep in mind it is a children's book. The conundrums put to our heros are not mindbogglingly difficult for them to overcome and it's hardly a spoiler to say things end happily. The Patchwork Girl might also appeal more to fans of the Wizard of Oz movie as it brings back some recognizable characters. Dorothy, the Scarecrow and Tin Man all make brief cameos...oh yes, and Toto too.
August 5, 2022
Another great adventure in the Land of Oz.
Ojo is a small boy from the land of the Munchkin (the blue Country) he lives with his Uncle Nunkie. They are poor and have not much food left and decided to do to Dr. Pipt the magician and his wife Margolette. When they arrive they noticed that Dr. Pipt was very busy making a new potion of life, because his wife really wanted to make her Patchwork girl coming alive, so she can help in the household and gardens and obey everything that was ordered of her. However when they gave the brains to the patchwork girl, Ojo putted more of everything so she would be to smart to obey Margolette. After the potion was finally finished and pored over the girl she was brought to life but in the process the potion of making everything into Marble statues fell and touched Uncle Nunkie and Margolette. Ojo has to go and get new ingredients for a potion of life to get his Uncle back. But this isn't a easy task.
Favorite sentence: we have wells, you know, but they're all well lighted, and a well lighted well cannot well be a dark well.
The jokes are getting better by the book, it was a fun and interesting read. Again there were new characters introduced ans well as mentions of old ones. All and all definitely a 4 star read.
Ojo is a small boy from the land of the Munchkin (the blue Country) he lives with his Uncle Nunkie. They are poor and have not much food left and decided to do to Dr. Pipt the magician and his wife Margolette. When they arrive they noticed that Dr. Pipt was very busy making a new potion of life, because his wife really wanted to make her Patchwork girl coming alive, so she can help in the household and gardens and obey everything that was ordered of her. However when they gave the brains to the patchwork girl, Ojo putted more of everything so she would be to smart to obey Margolette. After the potion was finally finished and pored over the girl she was brought to life but in the process the potion of making everything into Marble statues fell and touched Uncle Nunkie and Margolette. Ojo has to go and get new ingredients for a potion of life to get his Uncle back. But this isn't a easy task.
Favorite sentence: we have wells, you know, but they're all well lighted, and a well lighted well cannot well be a dark well.
The jokes are getting better by the book, it was a fun and interesting read. Again there were new characters introduced ans well as mentions of old ones. All and all definitely a 4 star read.
April 4, 2013
Let me tell you, dear readers...not all Oz books are created equal. I am deep into my mission to read all of the the Oz books (at least, all the volumes credited to Mr. Baum himself) and if anyone should try to follow suit, he or she had better do as the great Bette Davis once suggested and buckle their seat belts, 'cause guess what? It's going to be a bumpy read.
In the Patchwork Girl of Oz the miraculous Powder of Life makes another appearance as a character called the Crooked Magician (nearly as literally named an Oz character gets) mixes up a potion in his kitchen to whip up a servant girl for his wife out of a rag doll made from a patchwork quilt. By now, Oz readers know that any magic with a whiff of ill motives or humbuggery will ultimately go awry, and predictably this experiment is no exception. Although the girl is brought to life, she's a little more than the recipe bargained for, and in the process of her creation, a few dramatic magic misfires result that need a quest to sort out.
Several new characters are introduced, though most of these are quite annoying. The Patchwork Girl herself is goodhearted but sadly, is about as much of a Frankenstein monster in personality as she is physically (I dare you to find an edition of this that *doesn't* have an absolutely terrifying cover. Seriously, go on...I'll wait). She has an unfortunate habit of sporadically launching into bad rhyme and arbitrary looniness, and the fact that her travel companions are just as horrified by the quirk doesn't help it go down any better. The glass cat falls along the lines of one of those broken record Oz characters that can't talk without skipping back to its signature refrain (in this case, its fascination for its own appearance), and don't even get me started on the amorphous (and fairly useless) Woozy. The only saving grace for this particular scrap in the quilt we know as the Oz saga is the appearance of the Shaggy Man, who truly must be charmed by the love magnet, because he seems impervious even to the taint of these tedious travel companions and Ojo, the boy who launches the magic quest, because he feels like a authentic kid at least, even if he may be a bit of a Tip retread.
For readers who like the framework of the road trip/quest, there are books in the Oz series that do it better with less annoying characters. Pass on this one.
In the Patchwork Girl of Oz the miraculous Powder of Life makes another appearance as a character called the Crooked Magician (nearly as literally named an Oz character gets) mixes up a potion in his kitchen to whip up a servant girl for his wife out of a rag doll made from a patchwork quilt. By now, Oz readers know that any magic with a whiff of ill motives or humbuggery will ultimately go awry, and predictably this experiment is no exception. Although the girl is brought to life, she's a little more than the recipe bargained for, and in the process of her creation, a few dramatic magic misfires result that need a quest to sort out.
Several new characters are introduced, though most of these are quite annoying. The Patchwork Girl herself is goodhearted but sadly, is about as much of a Frankenstein monster in personality as she is physically (I dare you to find an edition of this that *doesn't* have an absolutely terrifying cover. Seriously, go on...I'll wait). She has an unfortunate habit of sporadically launching into bad rhyme and arbitrary looniness, and the fact that her travel companions are just as horrified by the quirk doesn't help it go down any better. The glass cat falls along the lines of one of those broken record Oz characters that can't talk without skipping back to its signature refrain (in this case, its fascination for its own appearance), and don't even get me started on the amorphous (and fairly useless) Woozy. The only saving grace for this particular scrap in the quilt we know as the Oz saga is the appearance of the Shaggy Man, who truly must be charmed by the love magnet, because he seems impervious even to the taint of these tedious travel companions and Ojo, the boy who launches the magic quest, because he feels like a authentic kid at least, even if he may be a bit of a Tip retread.
For readers who like the framework of the road trip/quest, there are books in the Oz series that do it better with less annoying characters. Pass on this one.
August 20, 2017
Although this one began with a few gems and a sparkling new character addition; it quickly turned into a bore. The phrase of Scraps; 'I am original, therefore thoroughly incomparable' was so promising but not much came out of it to .
June 16, 2016
This was my favorite Oz book so far! Review to come (maybe)
November 15, 2018
In this volume, the first since Baum relented on his vow never to write another Oz book, we meet Ojo the Unlucky, the Glass Cat, the Woozy and Scraps, the titular Patchwork Girl. There's also plenty of our old favourites making return appearances.
This book takes the form of a quest and I'm a sucker for a good quest, so I enjoyed it a great deal. I was concerned before I started that it would feel like Baum was writing this volume begrudgingly, but it doesn't come across that way at all. If he did begrudge returning to the Oz series, he hid it well.
This book takes the form of a quest and I'm a sucker for a good quest, so I enjoyed it a great deal. I was concerned before I started that it would feel like Baum was writing this volume begrudgingly, but it doesn't come across that way at all. If he did begrudge returning to the Oz series, he hid it well.
December 5, 2021
My my.. What a load of crazy stuff, and the puns. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
So after all, Frank took up to writing about Oz again. And this one gave me the feeling of those very early books, quite close to the first book. It's fun, weird, crazy and full of sarcasm.
One thing I can't understand is the name of the book. It's not about the patchwork girl at all, it's about Ojo the unlucky, the little munchkin boy. The new characters are quite agreeable. The Patchwork girl however, was bloody annoying and I really wanted to pull her button eyes off her multicolored face. Minor issue though.
As I advance with the Oz series, I can't help but wonder how different they are from one another. Some are pretty awesome while some are awfully painful.
Book #68 of 2021..
Book #07 of Oz series
So after all, Frank took up to writing about Oz again. And this one gave me the feeling of those very early books, quite close to the first book. It's fun, weird, crazy and full of sarcasm.
One thing I can't understand is the name of the book. It's not about the patchwork girl at all, it's about Ojo the unlucky, the little munchkin boy. The new characters are quite agreeable. The Patchwork girl however, was bloody annoying and I really wanted to pull her button eyes off her multicolored face. Minor issue though.
As I advance with the Oz series, I can't help but wonder how different they are from one another. Some are pretty awesome while some are awfully painful.
Book #68 of 2021..
Book #07 of Oz series
August 19, 2021
2.75
Credo che la parte migliore di questo libro sia stata la parte iniziale dell'opera ambientata a casa del mago, seguita da il rivedere i personaggi dei volumi precedenti della saga.
Per il resto, ho trovato l'opera non particolarmente coinvolgente, in quanto tende ad essere ripetitiva come a struttura rispetto ai volumi precedenti e anche rispetto a sé stessa, con un set di personaggi principali meno gradevoli, soprattutto il gatto di vetro.
Credo che la parte migliore di questo libro sia stata la parte iniziale dell'opera ambientata a casa del mago, seguita da il rivedere i personaggi dei volumi precedenti della saga.
Per il resto, ho trovato l'opera non particolarmente coinvolgente, in quanto tende ad essere ripetitiva come a struttura rispetto ai volumi precedenti e anche rispetto a sé stessa, con un set di personaggi principali meno gradevoli, soprattutto il gatto di vetro.
June 28, 2017
3,5
Not as good as the other books.
Not as good as the other books.
November 12, 2013
This was the fifth of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Oz books that I have read with my son. We have not read all of the books in chronological order, though I don't think it makes much difference; though I may be wrong about this and it may account for some inconsistencies that we have noticed in the works. We were both surprised on this reading by the many contradictions and inconsistencies in Baum's writing. The last Oz book we read was Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, the fourth work in the Oz series. In that work Baum makes it clear that those in Oz never age -- children remain children forever and adults remain adults. While we have not read the fifth and sixth books in the series yet (The Road to Oz and The Emerald City of Oz), in this, the seventh installment in the series (The Patchwork Girl of Oz), Baum writes of the Munchkin boy Ojo that he will, with the passing of years, grow to the size and stature of his uncle. Meanwhile, characters like Ozma (the girl ruler of Oz) never grow or age.
Another example of inconsistencies: In both Ozma of Oz (the third Oz book) and Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz we find that animals, when they come from the real world to the fairy land of Oz, suddenly become anthropomorphized, attaining the ability to think/reason and speak (in the first, we can point to the example of Dorothy's chicken, Bilina, and in the latter to Dorothy's kitten, Eureka -- who also remains a kitten in the 7th book, i.e., she does not age or grow -- and her cousin Zeb's horse, Jim). Yet, while other animals, in the fairy land of Oz develop the ability to speak and reason Toto is never able to do so (not in the first book in the Oz series and not in this book, where Baum writes, "He can't talk, not being a fairy dog"). These and other minor inconsistencies in the books made for a very scrutinizing read.
In this story, the reader accompanies Ojo the Unlucky Munchkin boy, the Glass Cat and the Patchwork Girl (the latter both creations of the Crooked Magician) on a journey to find five magic items in the wonderful Land of Oz to restore to life Ojo's Uncle Nunkie and the Crooked Magician's wife, Margolotte, who turn to marble when the Magician's Elixir of Petrification accidentally falls upon them. On his journey, Ojo meets many strange creatures and interesting characters, some new (the Woozy, the Hoppers and Horners, etc.) and some familiar (like the Scarecrow, Jack Pumpkinhead and Dorothy). As much as I tried to get lost in the fairyland of Oz, I couldn't get past many of the contradictions and I also found it difficult to ignore the oppressive nature of Baum's Oz -- nowhere clearer than in this book (though it is only the fifth of fourteen that I have read).
In many ways Baum's Oz is not very different from the dystopian society painted by Huxley in A Brave New World or that of Orwell's 1984. Yet, there is no Winston Smith in this work to challenge the social order. Everything in Oz is accepted for what it is and society runs, thus, smoothly. As I delve deeper into Baum's magical world, I find myself ever more critical. The more one reads of the Oz books, it is easier to align with the dystopian revisionist version of the first Oz story as told by Gregory Maguire in his book "Wicked." Oz seems, the more one travels in it, a very oppressive land. Some examples:
(1) Oz and the Natural Social Division of Labor Emile Durkheim, in a neo-Platonist fashion, makes the case in his 1893 book, The Division of Labour in Society that so long as a division of labor comes about naturally (based on peoples' natural talents), society will operate with few problems. There are some people who are naturally born to be servants and ditch diggers and others who are naturally born to be doctors and lawyers. Durkheim's analysis places white men in a favored position, using questionable science to support his views throughout. In this Oz work, the Crooked Magician creates a magic potion to bring to life the patchwork girl that his wife sewed together. The patchwork girl ("Scraps") is intended to be the servant of the magician's wife, Margolotte. In creating her servant, Margolotte first explains that she made the patchwork girl of many different colors of fabric so as to ensure that she will "never dare be rebellious or impudent, as servants are sometimes liable to be when they are made the same way their mistresses are." Munchkins favor the color blue; the Patchwork girl, however, is made of "so many unpopular colors" that Margolotte assumes she will never consider herself equal to her mistress, and thus never step out of her proper place. Later, in giving her brains, Margolotte explains that she "must be careful not to give her too much brains, and those she has must be fitted to the station she is to occupy in life. In other words, [as a servant] her brains mustn't be very good" and she mustn't "feel above her station." While Ojo interferes and adjusts the quantity and quality of brains that Margolotte has given the patchwork girl when her back is turned, certain implications are still made. And Scraps is reminded throughout that, despite her capacities for thinking and reasoning, that she is "personal property." While Scraps, for her thoughtfulness and helpfulness throughout is eventually granted freedom by Ozma and the Wizard, I am still not convinced that Oz is the wonderful place it is painted to be -- when servants are content so long as they are properly enabled with a feeble mind and not too much sense and so long as they feel subservient. In the next example (below) we see that the division of labor in Oz is not always "natural," however - it may also be forced or coerced to ensure that the needs of the society are met.
(2) Ozma the Dictator In the book a case is made that the Emerald City is not only the best, but the most desirable place to live in all of the Land of Oz. Yet, not all people can live in the Emerald City even if they want to (which ties back to the division of labor and the needs of the society). As the Shaggy Man explains: "In this country, people live wherever our Ruler tells them to. It wouldn't do to have everyone live in the Emerald City, you know, for some must plow the land and raise grains and fruit and vegetables, while others chop wood in the forests, or fish in the rivers, or herd the sheep and the cattle." Others live in the city who want to "get back to the land," but don't because they are ordered otherwise by the kind and just girl ruler of Oz, who is attended to by humble servants and whose place in the social order is unchallenged. It seems to me that Thomas Paine would have ordered a revolt against the girl monarch had he entered the fairyland's borders.
(3) Oz, the Surveillance State Not unlike the dystopian world found in Orwell's 1984, where Big Brother sees all, "nothing can be hidden" in Oz. Ozma, the girl ruler is in possession of a Magic Picture that allows her to watch the activities of any of her subjects. And if something happens to slip under her radar, it is not likely to slip under the "watchful eyes of the humble Wizard of Oz" or of Glinda the good witch. It's fortunate that everyone in Oz is so content with their positions; Ojo is only one of two to have ever been accused of breaking any of the laws of Ozma's kingdom.
(4) Every law is a good law When Ojo is arrested for picking a six-leafed clover, an item that he must retrieve for the Crooked Magicians' magic potion, he questions the justness of such a law. Ozma explains that all laws exist for a reason and that in this case most people pick six-leafed clovers to practice magic, which is forbidden for all except for the Wizard and Glinda the good witch (as she knows they will practice only good magic and not black magic). Justifying the existence of all laws, Ozma explains: "I suppose a good many laws seem foolish to those people who do not understand them, but no law is ever made without some purpose. . . . in any even it is wrong to disobey a Law." I suppose Baum wasn't much for civil disobedience. In the ethics course that I teach one of the first lessons we go over is that just because something is protected by a law does not mean that it is necessarily morally/ethically justified; we discuss such examples as slavery, race-based drug laws, Jim Crow, the denial of voting rights to women, the laws of Nazi Germany, etc. And my son and I had this discussion after reading this chapter of the book. Baum here provides a noncritical "just-the-way-it-is" view for young readers, in my perspective.
Another objection I had with this work was with Baum's treatment of music. The Magician's Elixir of Life accidentally spills upon his phonograph table, bringing that machine to life. The magician and all of the other characters that the phonograph encounters find it a very annoying device. As a lover of all kinds of music, I found Baum's discussions of music comical but also troubling. In one scene, the phonograph plays for the travelers a classical record and explains, "[C]lassical music is considered the best and most puzzling ever manufactured. You're supposed to like it, whether you do or not, and if you don't, the proper thing is to look as if you did." And it is a good thing Baum did not live long enough to see the birth of rock n' roll, because with his apparent distaste for even the popular music of his day, rock n' roll might have given him a heart attack. Discussing popular music, Baum writes at one point that it "Makes civilized folks wild folks. . . . [I]t's dangerous" and later explains that a popular song is "One that the feeble-minded can remember the words of and those ignorant of music can whistle or sing. . . . and the time is coming when it will take the place of all other songs." All of the characters in the book share a similar distaste for music, both classical and popular - the phonograph (whose part is a small one) is easily the most detested character in the book.
So, with all of these faults why did I give the book three stars (well, 2.5 really)? Despite so many perceived flaws, I can't help but still be enchanted by the strange creations of Baum's imagination. And despite my views of Oz as a somewhat tyrannical land, it is also a land of possibilities. Scraps, intended to be a dull-minded servant, is granted freedom by the girl ruler of Oz (even if others are ordered by her where to live and what type of work to perform). Ojo the Unlucky is encouraged by the Tin Woodman to look on the bright side of life and to consider himself Ojo the Lucky -- that considering oneself lucky or unlucky is oftentimes a matter of perspective (there is a whole discourse on how the number 13 is often considered an unlucky number though many people fail to realize the many good things that may happen to them on the 13th day of the month), a point elaborated on earlier by the Shaggy Man, when he explains that so many "evils in life" are really optical illusions: "they seem to exist, and yet it's all seeming and not true." I also find myself aligning with Baum's sociological and humanistic views on criminal justice, believing that much crime is the result of unhappiness and want and that prisoners should be treated humanely (picking up on a subject also discussed in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz).
This is definitely not my favorite of the Oz books, but despite its many weaknesses it does possess some redeeming qualities.
Another example of inconsistencies: In both Ozma of Oz (the third Oz book) and Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz we find that animals, when they come from the real world to the fairy land of Oz, suddenly become anthropomorphized, attaining the ability to think/reason and speak (in the first, we can point to the example of Dorothy's chicken, Bilina, and in the latter to Dorothy's kitten, Eureka -- who also remains a kitten in the 7th book, i.e., she does not age or grow -- and her cousin Zeb's horse, Jim). Yet, while other animals, in the fairy land of Oz develop the ability to speak and reason Toto is never able to do so (not in the first book in the Oz series and not in this book, where Baum writes, "He can't talk, not being a fairy dog"). These and other minor inconsistencies in the books made for a very scrutinizing read.
In this story, the reader accompanies Ojo the Unlucky Munchkin boy, the Glass Cat and the Patchwork Girl (the latter both creations of the Crooked Magician) on a journey to find five magic items in the wonderful Land of Oz to restore to life Ojo's Uncle Nunkie and the Crooked Magician's wife, Margolotte, who turn to marble when the Magician's Elixir of Petrification accidentally falls upon them. On his journey, Ojo meets many strange creatures and interesting characters, some new (the Woozy, the Hoppers and Horners, etc.) and some familiar (like the Scarecrow, Jack Pumpkinhead and Dorothy). As much as I tried to get lost in the fairyland of Oz, I couldn't get past many of the contradictions and I also found it difficult to ignore the oppressive nature of Baum's Oz -- nowhere clearer than in this book (though it is only the fifth of fourteen that I have read).
In many ways Baum's Oz is not very different from the dystopian society painted by Huxley in A Brave New World or that of Orwell's 1984. Yet, there is no Winston Smith in this work to challenge the social order. Everything in Oz is accepted for what it is and society runs, thus, smoothly. As I delve deeper into Baum's magical world, I find myself ever more critical. The more one reads of the Oz books, it is easier to align with the dystopian revisionist version of the first Oz story as told by Gregory Maguire in his book "Wicked." Oz seems, the more one travels in it, a very oppressive land. Some examples:
(1) Oz and the Natural Social Division of Labor Emile Durkheim, in a neo-Platonist fashion, makes the case in his 1893 book, The Division of Labour in Society that so long as a division of labor comes about naturally (based on peoples' natural talents), society will operate with few problems. There are some people who are naturally born to be servants and ditch diggers and others who are naturally born to be doctors and lawyers. Durkheim's analysis places white men in a favored position, using questionable science to support his views throughout. In this Oz work, the Crooked Magician creates a magic potion to bring to life the patchwork girl that his wife sewed together. The patchwork girl ("Scraps") is intended to be the servant of the magician's wife, Margolotte. In creating her servant, Margolotte first explains that she made the patchwork girl of many different colors of fabric so as to ensure that she will "never dare be rebellious or impudent, as servants are sometimes liable to be when they are made the same way their mistresses are." Munchkins favor the color blue; the Patchwork girl, however, is made of "so many unpopular colors" that Margolotte assumes she will never consider herself equal to her mistress, and thus never step out of her proper place. Later, in giving her brains, Margolotte explains that she "must be careful not to give her too much brains, and those she has must be fitted to the station she is to occupy in life. In other words, [as a servant] her brains mustn't be very good" and she mustn't "feel above her station." While Ojo interferes and adjusts the quantity and quality of brains that Margolotte has given the patchwork girl when her back is turned, certain implications are still made. And Scraps is reminded throughout that, despite her capacities for thinking and reasoning, that she is "personal property." While Scraps, for her thoughtfulness and helpfulness throughout is eventually granted freedom by Ozma and the Wizard, I am still not convinced that Oz is the wonderful place it is painted to be -- when servants are content so long as they are properly enabled with a feeble mind and not too much sense and so long as they feel subservient. In the next example (below) we see that the division of labor in Oz is not always "natural," however - it may also be forced or coerced to ensure that the needs of the society are met.
(2) Ozma the Dictator In the book a case is made that the Emerald City is not only the best, but the most desirable place to live in all of the Land of Oz. Yet, not all people can live in the Emerald City even if they want to (which ties back to the division of labor and the needs of the society). As the Shaggy Man explains: "In this country, people live wherever our Ruler tells them to. It wouldn't do to have everyone live in the Emerald City, you know, for some must plow the land and raise grains and fruit and vegetables, while others chop wood in the forests, or fish in the rivers, or herd the sheep and the cattle." Others live in the city who want to "get back to the land," but don't because they are ordered otherwise by the kind and just girl ruler of Oz, who is attended to by humble servants and whose place in the social order is unchallenged. It seems to me that Thomas Paine would have ordered a revolt against the girl monarch had he entered the fairyland's borders.
(3) Oz, the Surveillance State Not unlike the dystopian world found in Orwell's 1984, where Big Brother sees all, "nothing can be hidden" in Oz. Ozma, the girl ruler is in possession of a Magic Picture that allows her to watch the activities of any of her subjects. And if something happens to slip under her radar, it is not likely to slip under the "watchful eyes of the humble Wizard of Oz" or of Glinda the good witch. It's fortunate that everyone in Oz is so content with their positions; Ojo is only one of two to have ever been accused of breaking any of the laws of Ozma's kingdom.
(4) Every law is a good law When Ojo is arrested for picking a six-leafed clover, an item that he must retrieve for the Crooked Magicians' magic potion, he questions the justness of such a law. Ozma explains that all laws exist for a reason and that in this case most people pick six-leafed clovers to practice magic, which is forbidden for all except for the Wizard and Glinda the good witch (as she knows they will practice only good magic and not black magic). Justifying the existence of all laws, Ozma explains: "I suppose a good many laws seem foolish to those people who do not understand them, but no law is ever made without some purpose. . . . in any even it is wrong to disobey a Law." I suppose Baum wasn't much for civil disobedience. In the ethics course that I teach one of the first lessons we go over is that just because something is protected by a law does not mean that it is necessarily morally/ethically justified; we discuss such examples as slavery, race-based drug laws, Jim Crow, the denial of voting rights to women, the laws of Nazi Germany, etc. And my son and I had this discussion after reading this chapter of the book. Baum here provides a noncritical "just-the-way-it-is" view for young readers, in my perspective.
Another objection I had with this work was with Baum's treatment of music. The Magician's Elixir of Life accidentally spills upon his phonograph table, bringing that machine to life. The magician and all of the other characters that the phonograph encounters find it a very annoying device. As a lover of all kinds of music, I found Baum's discussions of music comical but also troubling. In one scene, the phonograph plays for the travelers a classical record and explains, "[C]lassical music is considered the best and most puzzling ever manufactured. You're supposed to like it, whether you do or not, and if you don't, the proper thing is to look as if you did." And it is a good thing Baum did not live long enough to see the birth of rock n' roll, because with his apparent distaste for even the popular music of his day, rock n' roll might have given him a heart attack. Discussing popular music, Baum writes at one point that it "Makes civilized folks wild folks. . . . [I]t's dangerous" and later explains that a popular song is "One that the feeble-minded can remember the words of and those ignorant of music can whistle or sing. . . . and the time is coming when it will take the place of all other songs." All of the characters in the book share a similar distaste for music, both classical and popular - the phonograph (whose part is a small one) is easily the most detested character in the book.
So, with all of these faults why did I give the book three stars (well, 2.5 really)? Despite so many perceived flaws, I can't help but still be enchanted by the strange creations of Baum's imagination. And despite my views of Oz as a somewhat tyrannical land, it is also a land of possibilities. Scraps, intended to be a dull-minded servant, is granted freedom by the girl ruler of Oz (even if others are ordered by her where to live and what type of work to perform). Ojo the Unlucky is encouraged by the Tin Woodman to look on the bright side of life and to consider himself Ojo the Lucky -- that considering oneself lucky or unlucky is oftentimes a matter of perspective (there is a whole discourse on how the number 13 is often considered an unlucky number though many people fail to realize the many good things that may happen to them on the 13th day of the month), a point elaborated on earlier by the Shaggy Man, when he explains that so many "evils in life" are really optical illusions: "they seem to exist, and yet it's all seeming and not true." I also find myself aligning with Baum's sociological and humanistic views on criminal justice, believing that much crime is the result of unhappiness and want and that prisoners should be treated humanely (picking up on a subject also discussed in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz).
This is definitely not my favorite of the Oz books, but despite its many weaknesses it does possess some redeeming qualities.
March 9, 2019
Ojo the Unlucky, a Munchkin boy raised in isolation in the Blue Forest by his taciturn Unc Nunkie, finds himself setting out on a quest through the wider world of Oz in this seventh entry in L. Frank Baum's series about that magical country. After his beloved uncle is petrified at the home of the Crooked Magician - the creator of the Powder of Life, first introduced in
The Marvelous Land of Oz
- Ojo, in the company of Scraps the Patchwork Girl and Bungle the Glass Cat, embarks on a mission to track down the ingredients necessary for the antidote to this magical mishap. But where will he find a six-leaved clover, the left wing of a yellow butterfly, a gill of water from a dark well, three hairs from a Woozy's tail, and a drop of oil from a man's body? And how will the other residents of Oz that he encounters - the Shaggy Man, the Scarecrow, Princess Dorothy, Princess Ozma, and the Tin Woodman - react to his quest...?
Although by no means a favorite, when it comes to Baum's Oz books - that honor goes to the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , and to the third, Ozma of Oz - I have always enjoyed The Patchwork Girl of Oz, finding both Ojo and Scraps engaging characters, in their separate ways. I suppose that as a girl I identified with Ojo's rebellious resentment, in the matter of the six-leaved clover - not understanding the purpose of the law against picking it, he thought it grossly unfair - while I enjoyed Scraps' thoroughly amoral joie de vie. I imagine that readers of the time, horrified at the prospect of no more Oz books - in the previous installment, The Emerald City of Oz , Baum declared that Ozma had made her kingdom invisible to the outside world, and that there would be no more stories from Oz - were overjoyed at this return to the beloved world of fairy and magic. As for me, rereading this as an adult, I'm struck by the negative depiction of cats - Bungle here, and Eureka in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz - so far in the series. I wonder if perhaps Baum disliked them...?
Although by no means a favorite, when it comes to Baum's Oz books - that honor goes to the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , and to the third, Ozma of Oz - I have always enjoyed The Patchwork Girl of Oz, finding both Ojo and Scraps engaging characters, in their separate ways. I suppose that as a girl I identified with Ojo's rebellious resentment, in the matter of the six-leaved clover - not understanding the purpose of the law against picking it, he thought it grossly unfair - while I enjoyed Scraps' thoroughly amoral joie de vie. I imagine that readers of the time, horrified at the prospect of no more Oz books - in the previous installment, The Emerald City of Oz , Baum declared that Ozma had made her kingdom invisible to the outside world, and that there would be no more stories from Oz - were overjoyed at this return to the beloved world of fairy and magic. As for me, rereading this as an adult, I'm struck by the negative depiction of cats - Bungle here, and Eureka in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz - so far in the series. I wonder if perhaps Baum disliked them...?
October 20, 2015
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Things have got very repetitive with this series. Baum had a formula that worked and everyone wanted more, so he gave it to them. These are perfectly enjoyable children's stories, but as an adult they're not my preferred reading experience. Here's looking forward with hope to the next seven...
August 12, 2018
Another installment in the magical land of Oz has come to an end and I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed this adventure pretty much the same as I have all the previous ones.
Yes, it is very simple.
Yes, it follows the same formula that made the original successful.
Yes, I don’t care. It was fun to read nonetheless.
Characters: 4
This is the main attraction of Oz adventures to me. I am expecting a travelogue, since that is just what it is, but what never ceases to amaze me is Baum’s ability to create whacky characters who are too ridiculous to be thought of as characters in just about any other piece of fiction on earth.
I mean think about it:
A talking gramophone not good enough? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone. Not good enough still? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone that everyone in the story hates!
Oh also there is a sort of a girl made from sawn together pieces of quilt (all multicolored like a gleeman’s cloak in R.Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series. Not sure why this is the association that i get.)
And oh, lets not forget a dog of sorts, made from stacked up rectangles who speaks, has exactly 3 hairs which are impossible to pull out on its rectangle tail, thinks it has the most fearsome howl and shoots fire from its eyes.
I mean...this is either someone high on some illegal substance, or someone with imagination that acts the same way as it the person was high on some illegal substance.
I don’t even know who the main characters are and I really don’t care.
Oh almost forgot!!! Horners and Hammerheads??? Fantastic. Simply fantastic.
Plot: 3
Basic but steady. Much the same like in all the other Oz stories. There is not much to really say. If you have read all the previous Oz books, (and I imagine pretty much just about everyone would not be starting a series on #7) you know exactly what to expect from a plot. Although I did think that the ending was a bit rushed. It felt like Baum just kept going on and and and on and thought, oh wait, I kind of need to wrap this up. And BAM.
Setting: 4
I really enjoyed the setting in this books also. In truth, this rating is a bit inflated. I did not exactly enjoy this specific book setting enough to warrant 4 stars. I gave 4 stars to the overall Land of Oz. The build up and familiarity at this point are innate. I know what country is where, I know who lives where, I know some of the characters mentioned here and there, which makes me feel immersed in the land faster and faster. I imagine this is why Baum was getting requests to write more books after he wanted to wrap up the entire series. The story at this point would need to be really bad for me to not like it, so there goes the unfair 4 stars.
Overall, if you are this deep in the series, keep reading. Might as well wrap it up.
I know I will surely be coming back to Baum’s OZ in the near future. Plus probably delve into some of the retelling as well.
Roman “Ragnar”
Yes, it is very simple.
Yes, it follows the same formula that made the original successful.
Yes, I don’t care. It was fun to read nonetheless.
Characters: 4
This is the main attraction of Oz adventures to me. I am expecting a travelogue, since that is just what it is, but what never ceases to amaze me is Baum’s ability to create whacky characters who are too ridiculous to be thought of as characters in just about any other piece of fiction on earth.
I mean think about it:
A talking gramophone not good enough? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone. Not good enough still? Ok. I give you a broken up talking gramophone that everyone in the story hates!
Oh also there is a sort of a girl made from sawn together pieces of quilt (all multicolored like a gleeman’s cloak in R.Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series. Not sure why this is the association that i get.)
And oh, lets not forget a dog of sorts, made from stacked up rectangles who speaks, has exactly 3 hairs which are impossible to pull out on its rectangle tail, thinks it has the most fearsome howl and shoots fire from its eyes.
I mean...this is either someone high on some illegal substance, or someone with imagination that acts the same way as it the person was high on some illegal substance.
I don’t even know who the main characters are and I really don’t care.
Oh almost forgot!!! Horners and Hammerheads??? Fantastic. Simply fantastic.
Plot: 3
Basic but steady. Much the same like in all the other Oz stories. There is not much to really say. If you have read all the previous Oz books, (and I imagine pretty much just about everyone would not be starting a series on #7) you know exactly what to expect from a plot. Although I did think that the ending was a bit rushed. It felt like Baum just kept going on and and and on and thought, oh wait, I kind of need to wrap this up. And BAM.
Setting: 4
I really enjoyed the setting in this books also. In truth, this rating is a bit inflated. I did not exactly enjoy this specific book setting enough to warrant 4 stars. I gave 4 stars to the overall Land of Oz. The build up and familiarity at this point are innate. I know what country is where, I know who lives where, I know some of the characters mentioned here and there, which makes me feel immersed in the land faster and faster. I imagine this is why Baum was getting requests to write more books after he wanted to wrap up the entire series. The story at this point would need to be really bad for me to not like it, so there goes the unfair 4 stars.
Overall, if you are this deep in the series, keep reading. Might as well wrap it up.
I know I will surely be coming back to Baum’s OZ in the near future. Plus probably delve into some of the retelling as well.
Roman “Ragnar”
March 20, 2017
This wasn't my favorite Oz book, but it was still enjoyable. I especially liked the vain glass cat with pink brains and the Hoppers.
August 13, 2024
I do so hope that at least one of my grandchildren come to love the Oz books as much as I do! This is #7 in the series and there hasn’t been a stinker yet. In fact, I have loved every one of them!
In this episode, we are introduced to yet more of Mr. Baum’s imaginative characters–malign and benign. In the first category is the famous Crooked Magician, Dr. Pipt, who is practicing his ‘art’ in the Kingdom of Oz against royal decree. He has created a ‘Powder of Life’ – which was used in an earlier book to bring to life Jack the Pumpkinhead and has done the same for the pompous Glass Cat who loves to brag about her pink brains visible through her transparent glass ‘skin’.
Dr. Pipt is almost ready with another batch to enliven a Patchwork Girl which his wife, Margolotte, had sewn together from an old quilt. She is to be used as the household servant.
The Patchwork Girl falls into the second category along with Ojo the Unlucky and his uncle, Unc Nunkie the Silent. However, in the process of bringing Scraps, as the Patchwork Girl is called, to life, a bottle of Liquid of Petrifaction gets overturned on Margolotte and Unc Nunkie and they are turned to solid marble which unfortunately, was what this particular invention of the Crooked Magician was supposed to do.
Ojo is devasted as his uncle was his only family. He sets out with the list of ingredients to the antidote to the Liquid of Petrifaction, which he must somehow procure, if he wants his uncle to ever be freed from his marble tomb. Scraps and the Glass Cat agree to accompany him and before long they are joined by a whole host of other Oz comrades, some new and some old familiars.
Of course, we meet up with Dorothy and Ozma and perhaps we are not too surprised to discover that the Scarecrow is quite taken with the Patchwork Girl. He thinks she is quite beautiful, and she thinks the same of him 🩷– though no one else is quite so convinced. 😉
Another delightful romp through the Land of Oz that ends happily ever after!
On to #8!
In this episode, we are introduced to yet more of Mr. Baum’s imaginative characters–malign and benign. In the first category is the famous Crooked Magician, Dr. Pipt, who is practicing his ‘art’ in the Kingdom of Oz against royal decree. He has created a ‘Powder of Life’ – which was used in an earlier book to bring to life Jack the Pumpkinhead and has done the same for the pompous Glass Cat who loves to brag about her pink brains visible through her transparent glass ‘skin’.
Dr. Pipt is almost ready with another batch to enliven a Patchwork Girl which his wife, Margolotte, had sewn together from an old quilt. She is to be used as the household servant.
The Patchwork Girl falls into the second category along with Ojo the Unlucky and his uncle, Unc Nunkie the Silent. However, in the process of bringing Scraps, as the Patchwork Girl is called, to life, a bottle of Liquid of Petrifaction gets overturned on Margolotte and Unc Nunkie and they are turned to solid marble which unfortunately, was what this particular invention of the Crooked Magician was supposed to do.
Ojo is devasted as his uncle was his only family. He sets out with the list of ingredients to the antidote to the Liquid of Petrifaction, which he must somehow procure, if he wants his uncle to ever be freed from his marble tomb. Scraps and the Glass Cat agree to accompany him and before long they are joined by a whole host of other Oz comrades, some new and some old familiars.
Of course, we meet up with Dorothy and Ozma and perhaps we are not too surprised to discover that the Scarecrow is quite taken with the Patchwork Girl. He thinks she is quite beautiful, and she thinks the same of him 🩷– though no one else is quite so convinced. 😉
Another delightful romp through the Land of Oz that ends happily ever after!
On to #8!
January 24, 2024
I really enjoyed this read. It felt like when I read the first three books for the first time. Then, some books later, it felt like if the author imagination began to fade away sometimes. Also, let's not forget about several important inconsistencies from one story to another... That was, of course, before the outcome.
First of all... I felt sad for the Phonograph. Why was everyone so mean with the poor Phonograph? 😢
And, also, it is: "three hairs from the tip of a Woozy's tail" or three hairs from The Woozy's tail, since Mr. Baum says later: "As this is the only Woozy that has ever lived, either in the Land of Oz or out of it". Honestly, I wish he'd had left out that last part. Only one Woozy in all fairylands and they found it at first, so easily.
"...for this is the first time for anyone has merited arrest since I can remember". So, Eureka's arrest and trial in The Road to Oz didn't count? At this point in the story, I could feel the same anger and the puzzlement of Ojo against Ozma and her laws since his crime is so absurd. Other people did worse things in the Land of Oz than plucking a clover, Jinjur herself did much worse and she was never arrested or punished for her crimes.
Also, is Ozma omniscient? Because one thing is having a Magic Picture, and another is knowing when someone has broken the law. She already knew the Patchwork Girl name before anyone else told her, but she didn't know who made her.
I can't help but feel like the Ozma and the Wizard are the true villains of this book. I can see where Danielle Paige got inspired for her Dorothy must Die! book. Ozma, the Wizard and Glinda wants the magic for their own. It was all a failed adventure. Ojo managed to make the impossible possible only to find out it was a useless quest. I couldn't be more disappointed.
First of all... I felt sad for the Phonograph. Why was everyone so mean with the poor Phonograph? 😢
And, also, it is: "three hairs from the tip of a Woozy's tail" or three hairs from The Woozy's tail, since Mr. Baum says later: "As this is the only Woozy that has ever lived, either in the Land of Oz or out of it". Honestly, I wish he'd had left out that last part. Only one Woozy in all fairylands and they found it at first, so easily.
"...for this is the first time for anyone has merited arrest since I can remember". So, Eureka's arrest and trial in The Road to Oz didn't count? At this point in the story, I could feel the same anger and the puzzlement of Ojo against Ozma and her laws since his crime is so absurd. Other people did worse things in the Land of Oz than plucking a clover, Jinjur herself did much worse and she was never arrested or punished for her crimes.
Also, is Ozma omniscient? Because one thing is having a Magic Picture, and another is knowing when someone has broken the law. She already knew the Patchwork Girl name before anyone else told her, but she didn't know who made her.
I can't help but feel like the Ozma and the Wizard are the true villains of this book. I can see where Danielle Paige got inspired for her Dorothy must Die! book. Ozma, the Wizard and Glinda wants the magic for their own. It was all a failed adventure. Ojo managed to make the impossible possible only to find out it was a useless quest. I couldn't be more disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2012
Making Oz invisible did nothing for the stories leaking out. Apparently Ozma didn't have any more control over the media than other rulers. But I liked this one. There is a plot besides Dorothy getting lost and wandering around until she manages to get to Oz, plus some new characters of reasonable weirdness.
Ojo is a young Munchkin lad, raised in isolation by a very taciturn uncle (Unc Nunkie - I wouldn't talk much either). The leave their isolated forest - food isn't plentiful and there is no one around to share - and run into trouble on their first day out. While visiting a magician who practices his craft illegally, Ojo's uncle is turned to marble (along with the magician's wife, which seemed less tragic). At the same time, the Patchwork Girl is brought to life - her body was made by the magician's wife, but Ojo tampered with the makings of her brain and the result was a rather Joan Cusack-like Patchwork Girl. Ojo, the Patchwork Girl and the Glass Cat set off to gather the items needed to save the marble statues. They end up in the Emerald City, where the prison system is very modern in its approach to punishment, and Dorothy decides to join them in their travels to finish up the list.
While the general sense of the land is tolerance and sharing, Dorothy and the Scarecrow show themselves to be a bit less than open-minded. Kinda bothered me, actually. Overall, the sense is that this tale may not have leaked out so much as been fed to the media on the outside.
Ojo is a young Munchkin lad, raised in isolation by a very taciturn uncle (Unc Nunkie - I wouldn't talk much either). The leave their isolated forest - food isn't plentiful and there is no one around to share - and run into trouble on their first day out. While visiting a magician who practices his craft illegally, Ojo's uncle is turned to marble (along with the magician's wife, which seemed less tragic). At the same time, the Patchwork Girl is brought to life - her body was made by the magician's wife, but Ojo tampered with the makings of her brain and the result was a rather Joan Cusack-like Patchwork Girl. Ojo, the Patchwork Girl and the Glass Cat set off to gather the items needed to save the marble statues. They end up in the Emerald City, where the prison system is very modern in its approach to punishment, and Dorothy decides to join them in their travels to finish up the list.
While the general sense of the land is tolerance and sharing, Dorothy and the Scarecrow show themselves to be a bit less than open-minded. Kinda bothered me, actually. Overall, the sense is that this tale may not have leaked out so much as been fed to the media on the outside.
December 21, 2017
I have to give major applause to the author in how he brought the Land of Oz back to life. This was like Reichenbach Falls (Sherlock Holmes reference) for Dorothy Gale. And how does the Land of Oz come back, even though we were cut off from Oz in the last book, with brand new stories for readers?... Through the clever device of... the telegraph. (Mind blown.)
So I was basically ready to give the book 5 stars just because of how the author wheedled his way out of that tight fix he put himself in.
Oh, and secondly because there may just be love in the air for the beloved Scarecrow. (This strangely excites me to no end.)
Anyways, on the main gist of the book. Here we are along for the ride of another interesting trek through Oz. This time it is quest that a Munchkin boy named Ojo is on, to collect some very vital ingredients for the Crooked Magician. The reader gets to meet a variety of intriguing individuals, make some new friends in Oz, and overall have a wonderful time.
So I was basically ready to give the book 5 stars just because of how the author wheedled his way out of that tight fix he put himself in.
Oh, and secondly because there may just be love in the air for the beloved Scarecrow. (This strangely excites me to no end.)
Anyways, on the main gist of the book. Here we are along for the ride of another interesting trek through Oz. This time it is quest that a Munchkin boy named Ojo is on, to collect some very vital ingredients for the Crooked Magician. The reader gets to meet a variety of intriguing individuals, make some new friends in Oz, and overall have a wonderful time.
June 2, 2011
This is my second time through reading this one, its got a different feel than most of the other Oz books, most likely due to the main characters being brand new ones, and the old favorites like Dorothy and the Shaggy Man only coming in half way through the book. I always feel bad for the living phonograph, he seemed to only get abuse. Perhaps that's it, in this book it shows that not everything is nice in Oz. The wilderness has bad as well as good parts, there are hungry giants, and squabbling cities, and not everyone is delighted EVERY DAY. (its also really cute to see the Scarecrow fall in love.)
July 3, 2021
If the Judy Garland film is all you know of The Wizard of Oz...you don't know the half of it!
Seriously, this was fun, with charming illustrations.
Seriously, this was fun, with charming illustrations.
June 9, 2024
The seventh 'Oz' book I have read and by far the best. It's the most imaginative, quirky, inventive, amusing and unusual of the lot so far. The characters are good too. It's true that I thought The Marvelous Land of Oz was excellent, and some of the others have great moments, but in terms of a sustained adventure, Patchwork Girl is the clear winner. Having said that, I still have another seven of the Baum books to read, so maybe it will lose its ranking eventually.
As I said, the characters are good. Ojo is a wide-eyed wanderer with a good heart, naive but bold, willing to undertake any adventure to restore his beloved Uncle to life. The Woozy is amusing. The Shaggy Man is entertaining. The Glass Cat is hilariously self-absorbed. And the titual character, Scraps, the patchwork girl, is refreshingly independent of spirit.
For me, the only sour part of this book was the middle section, in which the travellers enter the Emerald City and meet the insufferably pompous and controlling Ozma of Oz. It was a relief when they left her to continue their quest and entered the Country of the Quadlings, where they end up inside a mountain at the start of a war between the Hoppers and the Horners. The jokes flow thick and fast at this point and showcase Baum at his best.
Almost ten years ago, I began reading the 'Oz' sequence, but after six volumes I gave up, because the books were becoming slightly inspid. On a whim, I decided to give the seventh volume a go anyway and I'm glad that I did. This book has restored my faith in the 'Oz' saga.
As I said, the characters are good. Ojo is a wide-eyed wanderer with a good heart, naive but bold, willing to undertake any adventure to restore his beloved Uncle to life. The Woozy is amusing. The Shaggy Man is entertaining. The Glass Cat is hilariously self-absorbed. And the titual character, Scraps, the patchwork girl, is refreshingly independent of spirit.
For me, the only sour part of this book was the middle section, in which the travellers enter the Emerald City and meet the insufferably pompous and controlling Ozma of Oz. It was a relief when they left her to continue their quest and entered the Country of the Quadlings, where they end up inside a mountain at the start of a war between the Hoppers and the Horners. The jokes flow thick and fast at this point and showcase Baum at his best.
Almost ten years ago, I began reading the 'Oz' sequence, but after six volumes I gave up, because the books were becoming slightly inspid. On a whim, I decided to give the seventh volume a go anyway and I'm glad that I did. This book has restored my faith in the 'Oz' saga.
September 2, 2019
Madcap Scraps is great fun, and the hint of clumsy romance between her and the Scarecrow are hilarious. Unk Nunkie is one of my favorite secondary characters (taciturn, silent, but loves his grandson dearly), the animated record player is a hoot, and Ojo's journey from Ojo the Unlucky to Ojo the Lucky is a delight. Also we have some mild social commentary, specifically prison reform and animal rights; it's always fun to spot these little things that make you wonder about Baum's political views (he was after all the son-on-law of reformer/early feminist Matilda Joslyn Gage).
September 22, 2023
You know I'm having a bad time if I'm going back to the Oz books. They're just such light, episodic fun what can I say.
"That's radium," answered the Chief. "We Horners spend all our time digging radium from the mines under this mountain, and we use it to decorate our homes and make them pretty and cosy. It is a medicine, too, and no one can ever be sick who lives near radium."
Sentences written moments before disaster.
The Patchwork Girl was just annoying, not whimsical. Baum was definitely trying to capture lightning in a bottle again; another ragtad group (a glass cat, a woozy [yeah], Ojo, the quilted menace) and it just doesn't land! Then it turns into a greatest hits tour. I'm oddly determined to read all the Baum Oz books.
"That's radium," answered the Chief. "We Horners spend all our time digging radium from the mines under this mountain, and we use it to decorate our homes and make them pretty and cosy. It is a medicine, too, and no one can ever be sick who lives near radium."
Sentences written moments before disaster.
The Patchwork Girl was just annoying, not whimsical. Baum was definitely trying to capture lightning in a bottle again; another ragtad group (a glass cat, a woozy [yeah], Ojo, the quilted menace) and it just doesn't land! Then it turns into a greatest hits tour. I'm oddly determined to read all the Baum Oz books.
January 12, 2016
I really liked this story of Oz. Like many people in Oz, I found the Patchwork Girl charming, Ojo's story broke my heart every time it was told, and I was happy with how it was resolved. However, I feel like the more I read into the series, the less I like Ozma, I just can't put my finger on why yet.
March 16, 2021
“But I have noticed that those who continually dread ill luck and fear it will overtake them, have no time to take advantage of any good fortune that comes their way.”
The seventh book in the Wizard of Oz series follows Ojo the Unlucky on a journey to collect the necessary ingredients to restore his uncle after he’s been turned into a statue.
While I like the idea of a story where the characters are on a quest to collect things in order to save people, the characters really let me down in this one. I’ve always been a big fan of the characters and beings Baum creates but this one just wasn’t it. The first half of the book is spent with a new cast of characters and almost all of them were annoying. There is a glass cat that is particularly irritating. Later on, we see some more familiar characters including my guy, the Shaggy Man, but it was too late. I do think there are some interesting things going on here as far as thinking about the ideals of Oz; I am particularly interested in the story opening with people who don’t have enough food because that just isn’t something I expected to happen in a place like Oz. I also thought a lot about the Patchwork Girl and the fact that she was brought to life in order to be a servant for the family who created her. I don’t want to spoil the ending so I can’t say more but something happens with that. Lastly, I can’t talk about this book and not talk about the racist depiction of what is likely the Khoekhoe people from southern Africa. They don’t play a major role in the story but do prove to be a minor obstacle to the main plot. I can’t say I was surprised to see it given when it was written. It reminded me of a less intense version of what was going on in the last book in the Narnia series. Overall, the worst in the series so far.
The seventh book in the Wizard of Oz series follows Ojo the Unlucky on a journey to collect the necessary ingredients to restore his uncle after he’s been turned into a statue.
While I like the idea of a story where the characters are on a quest to collect things in order to save people, the characters really let me down in this one. I’ve always been a big fan of the characters and beings Baum creates but this one just wasn’t it. The first half of the book is spent with a new cast of characters and almost all of them were annoying. There is a glass cat that is particularly irritating. Later on, we see some more familiar characters including my guy, the Shaggy Man, but it was too late. I do think there are some interesting things going on here as far as thinking about the ideals of Oz; I am particularly interested in the story opening with people who don’t have enough food because that just isn’t something I expected to happen in a place like Oz. I also thought a lot about the Patchwork Girl and the fact that she was brought to life in order to be a servant for the family who created her. I don’t want to spoil the ending so I can’t say more but something happens with that. Lastly, I can’t talk about this book and not talk about the racist depiction of what is likely the Khoekhoe people from southern Africa. They don’t play a major role in the story but do prove to be a minor obstacle to the main plot. I can’t say I was surprised to see it given when it was written. It reminded me of a less intense version of what was going on in the last book in the Narnia series. Overall, the worst in the series so far.
January 21, 2021
Fantastic and captivating tale of Scraps The Patchwork Girl. The book begins in the Munchkin Country forest where a young Munchkin boy named Ojo lives with his Unc Nunkie. Unc doesn't talk much, nor does he ever take Ojo beyond the forest. This makes for a lonely life for the lad.
This changes one day when Unc decides to pay a visit to his acquaintance Dr. Pipt the Crooked Magician.
Ojo and Unc Nunkie's visit coincides with the bringing to life of The Patchwork Girl. The girl in question is a tall, human-sized doll made by the magician's wife to be a servant. During a moment alone with the subject, Ojo adds some extra wit and sense of self to the girl's brains. The result is a being not quite as subservient as Pipt and Margolotte expected.
The book is filled with adventure and conundrums. The Shaggy Man makes an appearance. Dorothy and the Scarecrow get involved with the story. The book marks the first appearances of Scraps, Bungle the glass cat, Vic the phonograph, and The Woozy.
This changes one day when Unc decides to pay a visit to his acquaintance Dr. Pipt the Crooked Magician.
Ojo and Unc Nunkie's visit coincides with the bringing to life of The Patchwork Girl. The girl in question is a tall, human-sized doll made by the magician's wife to be a servant. During a moment alone with the subject, Ojo adds some extra wit and sense of self to the girl's brains. The result is a being not quite as subservient as Pipt and Margolotte expected.
The book is filled with adventure and conundrums. The Shaggy Man makes an appearance. Dorothy and the Scarecrow get involved with the story. The book marks the first appearances of Scraps, Bungle the glass cat, Vic the phonograph, and The Woozy.
March 4, 2022
This is one type of fantasy I prefer, with funny ideas that stick in your mind. As long as it takes itself seriously and the ideas are creative, I'm not going to complain much about consistency or plot holes, because that's not the point. Although, I wouldn't mind if something in this style got a little deeper eventually.
Unfortunately, in my experience, when I try to write like this people say they don't get it. I'm not good at introducing people to the fantasy world, I just like to start telling stories in it.
As a side note, I would LOVE to animate this.
Unfortunately, in my experience, when I try to write like this people say they don't get it. I'm not good at introducing people to the fantasy world, I just like to start telling stories in it.
As a side note, I would LOVE to animate this.
May 11, 2021
Fortunately, this book is wacky and fun and has some lovable new characters, particularly Scraps and Ojo. Unfortunately, we also get another character assassination like what was done to Ozma in the previous book, only this time it was done to one of my dear favorites, The Tin Woodsman. I won't spoil it here, but I will say #notmytinman.
August 19, 2017
Easily one of the best in the series. Baum spins a marvelous quest story with some of his best characters. Truly a delight from beginning to end!
January 6, 2022
Some amazingly annoying characters, and the stupidest ending yet
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