A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

Well, I found a book about a kitten, of sorts. At a friend’s request, I have just finished reading A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire. It is the third of the Wicked series, Maguire’s personal vision of what really happened in the land of Oz, and it tells the story of the Cowardly Lion before and after his famous encounter with Dorothy.

Now, I have a disclaimer to make. I have not read the previous two books in the series. (Though I did see and enjoy the musical version of Wicked.) So, I don’t feel entirely qualified to rate the story-telling aspect of this novel. There are obviously many intricate and subtle tie-ins with the previous novels, many of which allusions I did not fully understand, and many more of which I may have missed altogether.

That having been said, I feel that I can competently review at least two aspects of the work, namely the writing style that Maguire employs and his ability to build believable characters.

While the book focuses primarily upon the Lion, whose name is Brrr, it also explores the life of an ancient maunt (nun) who calls herself Yackle. The novel begins with Brrr, now an employee of the emperor of Oz, interviewing Yackle about her history, and specifically her involvement with Elphaba, the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. But Yackle is not content to simply give answers; she wants some answers of her own, and thus strikes a deal with the Lion: she will share her own history if he will, in turn, share his.

The bulk of the novel takes place in the series of memories that these two characters share with one another. But we, as readers, do not hear what they say to one another. Rather, we see the memory as they see it. We are inside their heads, reliving their pasts with them. This allows Maguire to infuse their stories with an introspective tone. We experience all the self-doubt and self-recrimination that the characters feel. We know the depths of their shame and confusion. We see the events of their lives through the filter of the thoughts and emotions that accompanied those events. It makes for very interesting reading, and very realistic characters. (Well, as realistic as a gentrified lion and an unwittingly immortal crone can be.)

Often in their reminiscings, Brrr and Yackle tend toward the philosophical. With no recollection of family or origins, they both try desperately to make their lives fit into some pattern, something greater than themselves. This leads them to questions about existence and the workings of fate. Often these questions are worded so beautifully, so poignantly, as to make the reader stop, breathtaken. Through his poetic prose, Maguire opens to the reader brand new avenues of thought, just beckoning for exploration.

There were at least a dozen instances in my reading of this novel when I wanted to stop and read a line or a paragraph over and over again, soaking in it, letting my mind expand with it. This is, to me, the mark of a true poet. Maguire chooses words so precisely and turns phrases with such skill that it makes the reader re-imagine parts of their reality in an entirely new light. This alone makes A Lion Among Men worth reading.

The character development is complete; the plot is compelling; the writing is both creative and provocative. In short, read this book. Though (having failed to do so myself) I would recommend beginning at the beginning.