but then i realized that they kept the "GAlinda" thing, clearly the key element of the book.
right.
it's still good though; it's just best to think of the book and the musical as two separate entities... that just happen to have the same name. and characters.
Of course they read the book - but very wisely decided to not make it 'by-the-book'. Can you imagine it if they had? If they had tried to make it accurate to the novel, people would have been so preoccupied with comparing, and nitpicking at the discrepancies instead of really appreciating the musical.
Besides, the novel and the musical has two different agendas/messages. The novel is a treaty on the nature of good and evil, the musical focuses largely on the deep, intimate friendship between two women that withstands some pretty hard stuff. So of course the plot had to change.
And the Gregory McGuire said that he was actually delighted with the Musical. Besides, he said, his book takes Baum's original Wizard of Oz and turns it on its head. Why shouldn't the musical take his and twist it around too?
If you understand that, maybe you'll be able to appreciate the genius of the novel and the musical - separately.
