Should I read Wizard of Oz series?

By smallViolet

Hey! I first grabbed Wicked when I was a teenager because I got into the musical, but it totally went over my head and I never finished it. I decided to try again recently and I actually really liked it. Now I’m trying to read more of the series, but I thought it might help to read the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in between Wicked and Son of a Witch, just so I’d have a better feel for where all of Wicked’s stuff is coming from. I’m almost done with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and… wow, I didn’t enjoy it much. The writing feels really plain and straightforward, and even though it’s quick, it didn’t really do anything for me. I did like spotting the connections to Wicked, but that was pretty much it. So I’m kind of wondering—does it make sense to keep reading more of L. Frank Baum after this? Are there other good connections I’d want to look for? And does the writing get more interesting or more complex later, or is it pretty much the same the whole way through? I know everyone’s focused on the movie right now, but I’d still love any thoughts or advice from people who’ve read the books and the musical stuff. Thanks!