Doctor Who: The Wonderful Doctor of Oz

Doctor Who Puffin Crossovers #1

by Jacqueline Rayner

When a sudden tornado engulfs the TARDIS, the Thirteenth Doctor and her fam find themselves transported to the magical land of Oz. With a damaged TARDIS and an unexpected stowaway from the 1930s, their only hope of getting home is to follow the yellow brick road.

But when an army of scarecrows ambushes them, they quickly realise that everything is not as it should be, and they're thrown into a fight for survival against a mysterious enemy. As each of her companions becomes a shadow of their former selves, only the Doctor is left standing.

Desperate to save her friends, she must embark on a perilous journey to seek help from the mysterious Wizard of Oz - and stop whatever forces are at work before she and her friends are trapped in the fictional world forever.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel, Fiction, Aliens, Adventure

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 10, 2021

About the author

Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.

Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Paul Cornell's Virgin New Adventure novel Oh No It Isn't! for the audio format, the first release by Big Finish. (The novel featured the character of Bernice Summerfield and was part of a spin-off series from Doctor Who.) She went on to do five of the six Bernice Summerfield audio adaptations and further work for Big Finish before going to work for BBC Books on their Doctor Who lines.

Her first novels came in 2001, with the Eighth Doctor Adventures novel EarthWorld for BBC Books and the Bernice Summerfield novel The Squire's Crystal for Big Finish. Rayner has written several other Doctor Who spin-offs and was also for a period the executive producer for the BBC on the Big Finish range of Doctor Who audio dramas. She has also contributed to the audio range as a writer. In all, her Doctor Who and related work (Bernice Summerfield stories), consists of five novels, a number of short stories and four original audio plays.

Rayner has edited several anthologies of Doctor Who short stories, mainly for Big Finish, and done work for Doctor Who Magazine. Beyond Doctor Who, her work includes the children's television tie-in book Horses Like Blaze.

With the start of the new television series of Doctor Who in 2005 and a shift in the BBC's Doctor Who related book output, Rayner has become, along with Justin Richards and Stephen Cole, one of the regular authors of the BBC's New Series Adventures. She has also abridged several of the books to be made into audiobooks.

She was also a member of Doctor Who Magazine's original Time Team.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating is 4.5 stars.

This is a book based on the television series. It features The Thirteenth Doctor with Ryan, Graham, and Yaz. Our characters travel back in time and they soon discover that no one knows about The Wonderful World of Oz. They investigate.

This is really a strong five star read. I deducted the half star because of the cover. In the words of River Song "Spoilers!". They really should have went with The Doctor and the fam traveling on a yellow brick road. As for the story it is fantastic. The author does an amazing job of mashing up these two worlds to create one world. This one world has characteristics from each of the worlds that evoke the fantasy of Oz and the science fiction of Doctor Who. The characters that we know from the television show are portrayed perfectly and I had no problem picturing them. This story had a strong message and this universe thrives when it has a message. The only flaw which was so minor is that there is another twist with a new character. There was very minimal foreshadowing throughout for this twist. I have no problem with the twist. I just think it would have been more impactful if it was hinted at better throughout the story.

I have read many stories in this universe and this one is easily in my top five. I was fascinated through the whole read. It captivated my inner child with the world of Oz and it captivated me as an adult as I am now a fan of the Doctor Who universe. The question I have now is when will this be adapted to the television show and when do we get to visit The Land of Fiction again. A terrific read.

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why oh why spoil this book with the cover
What thing to do Missy as The Wicked Witch of the West
The whole thing is you don't know
Worst cover Award 2021
This an Oz who story of red shoes and dogs
Graham goes bananas
Know your Oz.

[hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

the ending made me SOB. what a heart warming adventure😭😭😭 my fave dw book yet <3

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like nothing I was expecting. This isn't simply a mash-up of "Doctor Who" with "The Wizard of Oz"...this is a tale about self-discovery & identity that alternates between laugh-out-loud comedy (some of it absolutely sublime), melancholy tragedy, and full-out creepiness. In fact, you'll be surprised just how dark this story can get at times. The 13th Doctor and her "fam" are characterized to perfection, the not-so-surprising guest star is her usual twisted self, the use of fanwank is absolutely inspired...and the conclusion, featuring the novel's guest character, is a 21st century punch-the-air moment as only "Doctor Who" can do...and is going to cause bigots and haters to self-destruct. For that alone, I would have given this novel a 5 star rating.

[Robbie Newell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What grabbed my attention to this is the beautifully designed cover; while it is in the newer style of the Doctor Who branding with the current logo, you can’t help but admire the beauty of it even if it contains one massive spoiler! (Although, to be fair, not entirely unexpected so in that sense could it be considered a spoiler?)

The book opens in 1939 with the thirteenth doctor and her “fam” trying to find the premier of The Wizard of Oz only to find that it’s not only not occurring but the book seems to have vanished from the annals of society!

After encountering a quiet young chap by the name of Theodore, they soon find themselves in a world that’s very Oz-like and must try to find a way to get back to their own time and space!

While it could be said that this is a “simple” retelling/mash up of The Wizard of Oz with Doctor Who, it grossly oversimplifies matters as what this novel gets right is the characterisations of The Thirteenth Doctor, along with Graham, Yaz and Ryan; in fact I found that I discovered a good insight into them all but more in particular the Doctor along with Theodore, who isn’t a Mary Sue but indeed a really well developed character with their own insights and believes and self doubts.

While none of the major reveals are surprising in any way, the way they are revealed and fleshed out is, in my opinion, very well done.

Without giving too much away, the ending of this novel is simply one of the most heart warming I’ve read in fiction in a long long time- and I read a lot of fiction! The ending is, at its core; very simple and life affirming while also drawing tears of happiness to ones eyes; it’s further proof of what science fiction and Doctor Who does best and that is to accept without judgment.

[Ekaterina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful and catching book! It felt like I was watching a good episode of Doctor Who and I absolutely love the way the Doctor and her fam were inside the book! Actually I think I’ll read the original book!

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super fun story, I love how Jacqueline Rayner interprets all of these characters! Other than The Thirteenth Doctor and crew, K9 and Missy make major appearances which is always a treat. Also there's an ongoing trans storyline which was very welcomed.

[P.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the title, I was intrigued enough to purchase this book. Maybe if "The Doctor" had been portrayed by one of the other incarnations, I would not have become bored with the story. This book was the third in a series of DW books involving fairytales. For me, my favorite thing about the book was the embellished cover.

[Sapphire Detective · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big Doctor Who fan, and I'm a big Oz fan, so with Wicked coming out this past Friday and today (yesterday at time of writing, but only by an hour) being the anniversary of the first airing of Doctor Who, when I saw there was a book combining the two, I knew I had to try it. Unfortunately it wasn't one of the better who books I've read, but I didn't hate it. I'll admit, I wasn't the biggest fan of the Thirteenth Doctor's era, more because I don't think they gave the characters good enough scripts to work with. But I did like the Doctor and her fam in this era, so a story set in this era not written by the TV writers had potentially. It was a bold choice, though, to spend most of the book with the "Fam" not acting like themselves, hampered by the same problems Dorothy's travelling companions did. So a good half of the book, in my opinion, was not what I'd really come to this era's books for. However, the rest of the book helped make up for that. The Doctor and Theodore's interactions, especially when they're solo towards the end of the book, are very fun, as are the interactions with "The Witch" (I won't spoil who is is, though the answer might be obvious by the cover, but it is one for the whovians). And on that note, there's a lot of fun references for the fans, both of Oz and Who, so I was pleased. I wouldn't go out of my way and say this is a must-read, but there are certainly worse books to spend your time with.

My rating: 3.5/5 (rounded down)
Would I own/re-read?: Probably not.
TW: Abuse, Body Horror, Death, Dementia, Fantasy Violence
Does the animal die?: No animals explicitly die, save for some of the "monsters" in Oz, though an emerald green dog is kicked at one point.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thirteenth Doctor and her fam, Ryan, Graham, and Yaz, travelled back to the 1930s to see the premiere of The Wizard of Oz. However, when they land, they discover that no one has ever heard of L. Frank Baum or The Wizard of Oz. Then, the Tardis is pulled into a tornado, landing them in the land of Oz. The Doctor and her friends, along with a young man named Theodore who stowed away in the 1930s, have to follow the yellow brick road to see the Wizard and save Oz.

This story was a clever combination of The Wizard of Oz and Doctor Who. The Oz that they visited was mostly based on the book, which is slightly different from the movie. In place of some of the characters from Oz, were Doctor Who characters, such as the Cyberman who stood in for the Tin Man. Each of the Doctor’s companions also faced the same problems that Dorothy’s companions faced in the original after some accidents: needing a brain, a heart, and courage.

Gender was an important part of the story. The Thirteenth Doctor is the first female Doctor. In this story, she meets the Doctor’s longtime enemy the Master, in her female form, called Missy. This was an interesting meeting since these two female characters never met on the TV show. Though Missy is on the cover, she wasn’t in the story for very long. I would have loved to see more of her on the page because she’s an interesting character. There was also a clever ending that you’ll have to read to find out!

The Wonderful Doctor of Oz is a fun Doctor Who story.

[Emily Wrayburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Bit of a shame that the cover spoils the identity of the villain, given it's not revealed in the text until the last 40 pages or so.

Having read a number of Doctor Who novels and collections this year, I'm coming to the conclusion that Jacqueline Rayner's writing just isn't for me. I know the old adage "show don't tell" is overused in writing advice, but insofar as it is valid, this book is definitely more tell than show. I also felt it had a bit too much going on. There were things from a bunch of different Who eras thrown together to make the retelling work.

[Katya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I surprisingly didn't love this one, but I just might have had to high expectations. The cover spoils a big part of the plot and the story pattern is a little repetitive. I did like the solution of the adventure in the last few pages, but I didn't love the rest of the story, that felt like a fan fiction.

[jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was lowkey really good i really loved it!!! missy as the wicked witch of the west was so funny and the whole seeing characters without their number one trait was so cool as well as seeing the source material adapted in a new light!!!

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this one started out a little slow, once it picked up I could not put the book down. Tue characterizations were all spot-on and I loved the new character of Theodore. The ending was very touching.

[Tim Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute, a great mashup of Doctor Who and the creatures of Oz. Very nicely done.

[tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! Bloody loved it. Especially Yaz's development is perfectly done and shows her character so well I adored the tie in to Yaz's throw back in the episode 'Can You Hear Me?' it made me so emotional.
The ending with Dorothy was so beautiful I adored it. So grateful for LGBTQ+ rep in Doctor Who.

Although, I definitely think the cover could've been something else because it's just a massive spoiler.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

While attempting to attend the premier of 'The Wizard of Oz' in Hollywood, 1939, the Doctor and her friends are shocked that no one appears to have heard of the film, or the famous book it was based on.

Rayner's ode to 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' hits all of the best beats in a 'Doctor Who' adventure, with a nice twist or two along the way.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh! Well-written, but the plot structure left a bit to be desired, and the attempts to "sound" like the various characters was off-putting. In the case of Missy, it was just irritating. Great concept, but the execution wasn't very successful.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like if "Doctor Who" met "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," then look no further. Jacqueline Rayner’s "The Wonderful Doctor of Oz" is exactly what it sounds like. After traveling to 1939 LA to see the world premiere of "The Wizard of Oz," the Doctor and her friends are shocked to learn nobody’s ever heard of the film, the book, or its author. Even more shocking is when a tornado carries the TARDIS (and all of its occupants) away to a suspiciously Oz-like land. To escape, the Doctor, Graham, Yaz, Ryan, and a stowaway named Theodore have to act out the events of the book and find the Wizard of Oz before the mysterious Wicked Witch gets to them. It sounds like it’s gonna be a big gimmick, but it’s surprisingly emotional. "The Wonderful Doctor of Oz" is a quick, fun read that exemplifies the endless possibilities of "Doctor Who."

"The Wonderful Doctor of Oz" is pitched as a crossover between "Doctor Who" and L. Frank Baum’s "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." And that’s exactly what it is. The general plotline follows the original Oz tale pretty closely. The gang is greeted by “munchkins” and told to follow the yellow brick road to a wizard who can fix their problems. Along the way, they encounter scarecrows, “tin men,” poppy fields, porcelain dolls, lions, flying monkies, a reclusive wizard, and an evil wicked witch. All of whom are given a delightful "Doctor Who" twist.

Most of the "Oz" creatures are pre-existing "Doctor Who" aliens—some from the classic era, some more modern. It’s a lot of fun seeing the way Rayner ties the more explicitly "Doctor Who" elements into the world of "The Wizard of Oz." But all of these easter eggs—and there are a lot of them—are just appetizers for the main course.

While the original "Wizard of Oz" is about discovering your inner strength, smarts, heart, and bravery, Rayner explores what might happen if these inner qualities were literally ripped away from you. What happens if a scarecrow removes Graham's wit? Or if a tin man removes Ryan's kindness? Or if lions remove Yaz's bravery? Who are the companions when their defining characteristics are gone? Who is the Doctor when faced with a threat that’s robbing her friends of their very essence? And how is poor Theodore, a total stranger to the Doctor’s world, supposed to help save the day?

This is where I feel the heart of the book is—characters losing who they are and having to rediscover themselves. Watching Graham, Ryan, and Yaz act so differently than they normally do hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting. It honestly hurt a little bit. Fans of these characters are going to find parts of this book difficult to read because of that. But the payoff to it all is so sweet. Theodore steals the show, though. I don’t want to say much about Theodore’s arc because I think it’s worth experiencing in the context of the narrative. Let’s just say that Theodore is the emotional core of the novel, and I love the way Rayner develops them. It’s surprisingly emotional and I think a lot of fans are going to love the direction it goes.

If I had one complaint, it’s that everything is a bit short and predictable. To be fair, it’s a middle-grade book intended to follow the plotline or another book. So, it’s doing exactly what it sets out to do. Plus there’s the added mystery of who’s behind everything that should make the book a bit more interesting. The problem is that the mystery isn’t very compelling because it’s immediately obvious who the villain is. I mean, the book’s cover literally telegraphs it. And that’s a shame because the book waits so long to execute this painfully obvious reveal that you end up spending so much time just waiting to see the thing you already know you’re going to see. And it takes your attention away from everything else. Even worse, the book still treats the reveal like it’s a surprise. And maybe it would’ve been, if the cover hadn’t, ya know, given it away. Still, the strength of the emotional arcs vastly outweighs the slight disappointment in the mystery. Even with the subpar mystery, I adored this book.

Overall, "The Wonderful Doctor of Oz" is absolutely delightful. It’s a middle-grade book that reads like one. But middle-grade books are a lot of fun. And "The Wonderful Doctor of Oz" simply bursts with creativity. The blending of the "Doctor Who" universe with the "Wizard of Oz" universe is so perfect it makes you wonder why it’s never been done before. And the character work is beautiful and goes to some surprisingly emotional places. Rayner brilliantly captures the voices of the Doctor, Ryan, Graham, and Yaz. These characters sound exactly the way you remember them and they come right to life on the page. Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about the book, even if I found parts of it disappointing. Theodore’s arc, alone, is worth reading the book. And everything else is just icing on the cake. If you love the Thirteenth Doctor, you’re gonna love this book. It’s creative, energetic, fun, and—most of all—hopeful.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quando un tornado improvviso inghiotte il TARDIS, il Tredicesimo Dottore e la sua “fam” si ritrovano trasportati nella magica terra di Oz. Con un TARDIS danneggiato e un clandestino inaspettato degli anni '30, la loro unica speranza di tornare a casa è seguire la strada di mattoni gialli.
Ma quando un esercito di spaventapasseri tende loro un'imboscata, si rendono subito conto che non è tutto come dovrebbe essere, e vengono lanciati in una lotta per la sopravvivenza contro un nemico misterioso. Mentre ciascuno dei suoi compagni diventa un'ombra di sé stesso, solo il Dottore rimane in piedi.
Disperata di salvare i suoi amici, deve intraprendere un viaggio pericoloso per cercare aiuto dal misterioso Mago di Oz - e fermare qualsiasi forza sia al lavoro prima che lei e i suoi amici siano intrappolati nel mondo immaginario per sempre.
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Un libro molto piacevole e divertente che ben unisce gli elementi di Doctor Who, con numerosi riferimenti sia alla serie classica sia alla nuova, a quelli del Mago di Oz.
Il team di Tredici, Graham, Ryan e Yaz è perfetto in questa ambientazione e incanalano bene le virtù e le lezioni morali trasmesse dalla storia, sposandosi con lo stile dell'era di Chibnall. Ad accompagnarli c'è Theodore, ragazzo scappato di casa finito per sbaglio lì con loro, e un K9 nuovo di zecca che il Dottore ha costruito sul momento a fare la parte di Toto.
Con la landa di Oz alterata in modo tale da riservare molti più pericoli, ai membri del team Tardis viene rispettivamente sottratto il cervello, il cuore e il coraggio (metaforicamente parlando, si intende), mettendo sfortunatamente Graham, Ryan e Yaz un po' nell'ombra nella parte centrale del libro, ma lasciando al Dottore e Theodore più spazio.
Interessante la scoperta di chi fosse il Mago e di dove si trovino realmente (anche se è intuibile da chi conosce la serie classica), mentre purtroppo l'identità della Malvagia Strega dell'Ovest è già spoilerata dalla copertina, nonostante nella narrazione questa rivelazione venga costruita lentamente e si sia cercato di sviare i sospetti su un altro personaggio.
Naturalmente la parte migliore, anche se purtroppo breve, è proprio l'incontro tra Tredici e Missy: quest'ultima è stata caratterizzata perfettamente e salta fuori dalla pagina.
Anche se è un libro destinato ad un pubblico un po' più giovane, non è banale (forse solo un po' prevedibile, perché in fondo segue la trama di un classico), però include un paio di momenti abbastanza creepy e si sviluppa intorno a un solido nucleo emotivo riguardante la scoperta e l'accettazione di se stessi.
Considerando il cambiamento di genere del Dottore, nonché i temi sociali trattati nell'era di Chibnall, è strano che in TV non abbiano ancora affrontato il tema dell'identità di genere. Qui si ovvia alla lacuna in un finale che bisognerebbe essere senza cuore per non trovare commovente, che ha in più il bonus di rispecchiare la conclusione del secondo libro “The Marvelous Land of Oz”.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0-3.5

I picked up “Doctor Who: The Wonderful Doctor of Oz” mostly due to the cover and the brilliant crossover it hinted at (even if it is a massive spoiler). The book follows the 13th Doctor and her “fam” first discovering that The Wizard of Oz books and the movie don’t exist anymore in the Doctor Who universe only to then be transported to a land that resembles Oz. What follows is a trip down the Yellow Brick Road with an accompanying mash up of Wizard of Oz and Doctor Who characters (i.e., K9 is Toto, emotionless Cybermen take the place of the heartless Tin Woodsman, etc.).

Picking up the book, I did know it was a book meant for younger Doctor Who fans and takes place during the 13th Doctor’s seasons (which through no fault of Thirteen's performer Jodie Whitaker I dislike due to Chris Chibnall’s writing) so I maybe unfairly tempered my expectations. The book was “just okay”, it follows the expected storyline of the events of The Wizard of Oz playing out in a twisted fashion that only a Doctor Who story could do. There is a clever twist on the meetings of the scarecrow, tinsman, and lion in a manner that is reminiscent of the opening of the 1939 film. Yet its effect on these characters can be grating after a while (although I think that partly has to do with me not caring for some of the Chibnall created characters). The Doctor Who style twist on the Wizard of Oz story can still be entertaining and they found a few interesting ways to incorporate easter eggs from the show into the book. The big draw of the book was the cover and the reveal goes as a Doctor Who fan can expect (although the book tries to lay a false trail about the twist but it's not an effective one considering the cover). It’s a shame the cover had spoiled the twist but I bet it would have been easy for any Who fan to predict it.

Ultimately I thought “The Wonderful Doctor of Oz” met its expected potential as a children’s book for young Doctor Who fans while simultaneously not living up to the potential of the bonkers crossover. I personally think I’d have enjoyed it a bit more with a different Doctor and set of companions although I suppose fans of the 13th Doctor will be content with this. Ultimately neither the best Doctor Who book I’ve read but not absolutely horrible.

[Owen Townend · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun spin on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Rayner is a reliable writer for Doctor Who and has been for many years. The Wonderful Doctor of Oz isn't the best story I've seen from her but it has a lot of charm, not to mention clever references.

Without giving too much away, the Thirteenth Doctor and her 'fam' (Yaz, Graham and Ryan) are sucked into a land calling itself Oz, along with a young American stowaway named Theodore. However, this Oz doesn't quite match L. Frank Baum's descriptions, populated by Chumblies instead of munchkins and flying Ogrons instead of Flying Monkeys. Also the Wicked Witch is an old frenemy of the Doctor (the cover spoils it but I won't). As they follow the key plot beats, the fam lose their brains, heart and courage, making a visit to the Wizard imperative. But does the man fit the legend?

My favourite parts of The Wonderful Doctor of Oz are the crossover characters. I loved seeing K9 join the team and the way Rayner works aliens from the Whoniverse into the key characters of Oz. The resolution of Theodore's plot was unexpected but I appreciate how it fits into the Oz books and one of the core messages of the Thirteenth Doctor's run. Not only this, I learned a lot about Baum too, namely his support of women's suffrage. That being said, this novel avoids his other political leanings which was probably for the best, considering it's targeted at young fans of the show.

That being said, I do feel the book was overlong and the fam's behaviour after losing their standout qualities became a little too comical to be believed. It was a bit of a slog to finally see the Doctor confront the villain, but I'm glad I persevered.

Rayner didn't hit the bullseye with this Doctor Who tale but she gets a decent yarn out of a novelty premise. I recommend The Wonderful Doctor of Oz for another good Thirteenth Doctor adventure, particularly if you also like the Oz series.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I really liked a lot of this book, there were so many times where the story felt rushed (for example: if they needed to escape, they just would in one tiny paragraph so, you know, it all seemed a little too easy/ patched together). It also often felt a little dumbed down and over explained (eg, the doctor would explain something, then they would go over what she had just said again and again and so on…). Similarly the “twist” at the end about Dorothy - although I appreciate that representation, I didn’t love that it was used as a twist to aid the story along. It could’ve, in my opinion, been better represented throughout the entire story instead and not thrown on as what seemed like an after thought.

Also her randomly thinking the Rani was involved kind of came out of nowhere for me (like they wake up the next day and despite not much new evidence she’s convinced it’s the Rani instead of Missy and then, it isn’t. Sooo kind of a crammed in throw back in my opinion). Obviously it’s also a shame that the cover spoiled the reveal of Missy - not really sure what the thinking behind that was!

But overall, despite a lot of issues, the story was pretty fun, charming and nostalgic, and I liked the links to the original Oz stories. I also always like it when doctor who stories focus on historical figures like Baum and fun facts (such as the Oz theme park) so can appreciate that premise. Just not so much the execution.

[Nicolas Lontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacqueline Rayner est une valeur sure quand vient le temps d'écrire une histoire dans l'univers de Doctor Who et ce récit ne fait certainement pas exception.

Mobilisant et tissant une prodigieuse histoire à l'aide d'un intertexte revisité, révisé autant au niveau des motifs, que de l'intrigue, des thèmes, des personnages, etc. on ne s'en tient pas qu'à l'allusion intertextuelle ou à la simple réécriture, mais à la mise en abyme constante, avec la confusion intentionnelle du film et de la série de livres dans le récit pour jouer sur les attentes du lectorat. À la fois un bel hommage à la série de Lyman Frank Baum (et n'oubliant pas du tous les autres livres de la série en les intégrant aussi au récit, chose que je vois très rarement), mais aussi une bonne histoire distincte et réussit de réécriture ++ du magicien d'Oz. De beaux revirements de situation, de belles et nombreuses inscriptions politiques fortes et marquées et une belle continuation du projet de Baum de faire figurer des femmes protagonistes qui découvrent et marquent un nouveau monde.

Au final, un beau récit pour la jeunesse qui emprunte du meilleurs des séries Oz et Doctor Who pour livre un récit unique bien qu'amplement allusif (sans être nécessaire de connaître toutes les références pour comprendre le récit) et intéressant en soi.

[Rhys Causon · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the cover gives away a perfectly good twist, I’m sure there were much better covers that could be thought up to keep that a secret, the story itself is rather enjoyable and you can tell that Jacqueline Rayner is a huge fan of Doctor Who herself because somehow she managed to make something from the long history of Doctor Who fit with all the main beats of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

And one thing I have to say she does very well is capture the voices of characters. The spoiled Missy twist made me realise how much I missed Missy and Michelle Gomez’s portrayal but the way Rayner wrote her was spot on in my mind.

And the supporting cast are all done well, one character in particular stands out (the reason this is marked for spoilers even though I won’t give away too much) especially near the end. I honestly did not see that ending bit coming but it felt good to read and felt genuine for the character of Theodore.

I would recommend this one for Doctor Who fans, but like most people just wish that cover hadn’t spoiled anything.

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 ⭐️

Todavía soy relativamente nueva en esto de leer Doctor Who, pero creo que mi principal problema es que mi idea de Graham, Yaz y Ryan es un poco distinta de la de la autora de este libro, y esas disonancias me sacan un poco de la narrativa. Eso sí, el punto de la Doctora lo tiene mejor pillado, me parece a mí. Por lo demás, la acción del libro
es estilo fanfic, entretenida pero un poco sin más, y tiene momentos bastante entrañables. Se deja leer.

Lo de la portada es una pena, porque arruina un poco algo que el texto pretende que sea un plot twist. Durante un par de capítulos, la Doctora está convencida de que quien se está haciendo pasar por la Bruja Malvada del Oeste es otra persona (la Rani, concretamente), pero es imposible pensarlo, como lector, porque la de la portada es evidentemente Missy.

[John Parungao · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent mash-up between Wizard of Oz and Doctor Who with Missy in the role of the wicked witch, mash-ups of Orgrons and flying monkeys and classic Doctor Who monsters in emerald green. Loved the part where Missy says she was expecting to see the twelfth Doctor instead of thirteen and the fam. I also loved the plot device of Graham, Yaz, and Ryan each going from technicolor to monochrome as they lose their brains, courage and heart. It's a nod to both Wizard of Oz the film and Doctor Who the tv series; as both start out in Black & White and then go to color. It was also a nice touch to have a captive L Frank Baum being used to turn the Land of Fiction(see The Mind Robber) into the Land of Oz.

[Ryan Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wish the cover had been different, it would have really aided the twist and surprise of the book that the Villian was Missy. Especially given The Doctor initially thought it was The Rani.

Jacqueline Rayner once again writes a wonderful story that fits in perfectly with the bonkers universe that is Doctor Who.
The ending brought a tear to my eye giving Theodore, an awkward person the ending they deserved and helped re-iterate that people find happiness in different ways.

The characters were written arcuately and you could hear the way in which they would speak the words on the page, especially The Doctor. I wish this was a story that could be brought to live action for it would certainly bring some wonderful visuals.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insane that the cover spoils a reveal that comes 3/4 into the book. It'd be another story if the reveal happened very early on. The reason for the use of a character named Theodore is also obvious, and it's somewhat frustrating that it takes almost the whole story for Team TARDIS to realize the significance, though the sentiment at the end is well-meaning. I also kind of figured a certain setting from Classic Who would be involved in this, and it was. Surprised to see a certain Classic Who character, for what it's worth. Gotta admit bits of this felt like reading fanfiction, the way the Oz bits were being incorporated.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

not a perfect story. missy isn't in it nearly enough for me to care about her and its about a hundred callbacks too many for me to not view them as much more than buzzwords to keep fans engaged. but Theodore is fantastic. the story stays fun and bizarre even beyond the bizarre nature of Oz. and it's a very cis idea of coming out as trans. but it's fantastic to see doctor who finally doing stuff to represent trans identities, and I won't lie, I cried. thank you Jacqueline Rayner