Mirror Mirror

Since I'm waiting for the books I want to come back to the library, I decided to pick something off of my own shelves. I own a few books I haven't read yet, so I picked one up.

When I was in high school, the musical "Wicked" first came out. I was obsessed with the soundtrack (it doesn't get much better than Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith); I couldn't get enough. So my father bought me the novel "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire, which the musical was (loosely) based on, along with Maguire's other novels: "Son of a Witch," "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister," and "Mirror Mirror." Well, I only read "Wicked," and I didn't particularly enjoy it. It was a very slow read. It's a great story, but Maguire managed to make it drag on and on and on and kill the immediacy and adventure.

So the rest of the books have just been sitting on my shelves, not doing much else but collecting dust. And I don't like the idea of owning books I haven't read. Hence, I'm reading "Mirror Mirror."

I'm barely six pages into this book, and I'm already wanting to put it down. There is something very off-putting about the way Gregory Maguire writes. It's like he's trying too hard. There's something almost archaic about his writing. It doesn't keep my attention. The words get in the way of the story.

Granted, I'm less than six pages in, and I should give it more of a chance, but I don't know how long my attempt will last.

I hope the books I want get back to the library soon.