Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving her beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone else.
Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established a home in a farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.
The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.
Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor will be published June 17, 2025. Berkley Publishing Group provided an early galley for review.
Growing up, The Wizard of Oz was always a favorite of mine. Something about that fantastical land called to me. So, whenever an Oz-adjacent story pops up, it grabs my attention. I also found the cover of this upcoming novel to be very eye-catching.
The prologue tugs at familiar elements of the classic series while the opening chapters constrast it with the darker urban tones. And the familiar allusions continue to be peppered throughout the story in creative ways. Gaynor's writing is full of rich, vivid imagery that this reader found a joy to consume.
This Oz-adjacent tales does a good job, even with some minor tweaks, at adding to the foundation of the franchise that Baum did not explore. For me, I found these additions strengthened the original without taking anything away from it.
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