Title: The Gnome King of Oz

Author: Ruth Plumly Thompson

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 240

Rating: 3/5

This is the latest in my read through of the Oz series, and at this point I’m at the 21st book and counting. I was reading these as a buddy read with Joel Swagman, but he’s dropped out because he was reading the royalty free versions and by now, I think it’s back under copyright.

Thompson did a good job of continuing L. Frank Baum’s work to begin with, but it feels as though she’s already ran out of steam. This book is pretty much as derivative as they come, which is fine as long as you know that that’s what you’re getting into. But if you’re expecting something new and exciting then you’re in for a disappointment.

I guess the good thing is that there are a lot of familiar faces to enjoy, from the gnome king to the Patchwork Girl of Oz. The plot feels super familiar though, because it’s yet another instalment that focuses around a country losing its ruler and trying to find a replacement. There are only so many times you can get away with doing that.

I think that if I wasn’t 21 books into the series and pretty determined to finish it off, I would have bailed by now. But oh well, that’s life I guess.

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