In vivid detail, Dorothy describes a fantastical land and its magical inhabitants, from the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion to the wizard and the witch. Her recollections are not only regarded as delusional, but also as pagan and diabolical in nature, especially when the body of a local spinster is found.
Making connections between the evil witch Dorothy claims to have defeated and the ill-tempered old crone, authorities find what they believe to be incriminating evidence, sentencing Dorothy to the Topeka Insane Asylum.
When 28-year-old psychologist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford arrives at the asylum to interview Dorothy, she begins to wonder if Dorothy truly committed the crime or if something unfathomable has really occurred.
In a small town full of insidious secrets, will Evelyn be able to save Dorothy from her terrible circumstances? Or is something menacing lurking just out of sight?"
Have you ever wondered what happened after Dorothy returned from visiting Oz? If you have, then you might After Oz, which tackles exactly that question, though with a bit of a specific framework in mind.
In After Oz, we follow Dorothy’s story after she returns from Oz after being swept up in the storm. The problem is, when Dorothy tells people about her adventures in Oz and insists that it was real, they think she’s merely raving like a madman and as a result send her to the Topeka Insane Asylum. And to make matters even more complicated, a local woman who is often referred to as a ‘witch’ by fellow townsfolk due to her less than pleasant demeanor is found dead in a manner eerily reminiscent of Dorothy’s description of ‘melting’ a woman by throwing a bucket of water on her while in Oz. Because of this, Dorothy becomes the prime suspect in the mysterious murder, with no one on her side except the mysterious visiting psychiatrist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford who shows up in the town of Sunbonnet to aid her.
The story is primarily narrated through letters written by Dr. Wilford to her mentor. This epistolary format allowed for what felt like a very comprehensive look into Dr. Wilford’s thoughts and both professional and personal observations, which really lets the readers have a more introspective look into everything happening in Sunbonnet (at least from Dr. Wilford’s eyes, anyway). I found her chapters to be thoughtfully written and rich in detail, which allowed her personality to shine through.
There are also some chapters interspersed told from the perspective of an unnamed townsperson who appears to be a spokesman of sorts for the town and therefore acts as a viewpoint into the ‘opposing’ side who believes in Dororthy’s guilt and develops a strong dislike for Dr. Wilford. I can’t say I enjoyed these chapters quite as much as Dr. Wilford’s, but I think the insight they provided for the rest of the town was vital to better understanding the dynamics at play in this story.
My only real complaint about the perspectives in this book is what’s lacking, and that’s any perspectives from Dorothy herself. I understand now that the focus of the book is clearly meant to be on the murder and events surrounding her, with Dorothy acting as the central focus that draws everything together, but I really expected and hoped for more from Dorothy given the premise.
After Oz has a very strong ‘whodunnit’ nature to it, which I wasn’t really expecting (although after reading the book I noticed it was published by Crooked Lane Books, a popular mystery publisher, so this might’ve clued me in if I’d noticed it, haha!), but which managed to keep me engaged throughout. The story is relatively fast-paced in a good way and maintained a very consistent flow to it that made it hard for me to put down. Many of the additional townsfolk were a bit cardboard-like in personality, but the way they were included and used in the story made them more engaging and even provided a nice foil to Dr. Wilford’s intellect and keen eye. I was also pleasantly surprised by some of the twists and turns that I think really kept this story exciting.
As previously mentioned, while I initially hoped for a bit more of Dorothy’s perspective on returning from Oz and re-adapting to her life in Kansas, the focus ont he mystery of the murdered woman and Dorothy’s return and repercussions was still very compelling. I still had a lot of fun with this and it makes me curious about what else could be done with this story without the murdered woman taking center stage? Would Dorothy still be sent to a mental asylum, and what would other repercussions be?
I listened to the audiobook version of After Oz and thought it was excellently done. The narrator succeeded in bringing the characters to life with distinct and entertaining voices and inflections for each. I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one if you are someone who enjoys the audio format!
Regardless, I found After Oz to be an engaging read that I finished quickly due to the engaging mystery elements and various twists that popped up around town. Overall, I’ve given After Oz 3.75 stars. While it may not have delved into the magical land of Oz itself or focused as much on Dorothy’s perspective, it was still a really fascinating look at a possible aftermath of such a unique and remarkable experience. If you like mysteries and classic tales, then I’d encourage you to give this one a read.
Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org
Even with your issues with the book, you have me convinced! What a unique take on a classic story.
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