Be careful what you wish for. In the beloved tale, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy tries tirelessly to return home. After Oz is the story of what happens when she gets there. Do the townspeople rush to receive her? Or does her tale seem not only delusional but even satanic to the religious and isolated townspeople? Sometimes ignorance is not bliss.
The book is a dark look into both the prejudices and mob mentality of small town life. After a local woman is found dead, the town accuses Dorothy of murder and sends her to an insane asylum. A psychiatrist takes an interest in Dorothy’s story and tries to prove that Dorothy is innocent.
While I enjoyed the idea of After Oz, I didn’t enjoy the obvious prejudices of the author against religious people. The entire book seems too heavy handed with hatred. The characters themselves are paper thin and mostly interchangeable. Even Dorothy herself is barely included. 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a review copy.