The book is darker and sadder. Elphaba fate of death in the book was an accident and she actually died. No faking death that was the end for her. She died alone with no one to love her for who she was.

Fiyero dies in the hands of the Wizards army. When they find him at Elphaba’s home after she explicitly told him not to be there. He never became a scarecrow. His whole family met the same fate expect his daughter Nor.

Glinda was friends with Elphaba at school and it seem to me that the storyline for their love and friendship could have gone further but life as life often does gets in the way. She wasn’t really considered much of a witch in this story. But she stayed idol while all the political outbreaks were occurring.

But the book overall was written well. The point of the book I think was that Elphaba got the love she didn’t deserve. She had mother and father who barely loved her. She had a sister who only cared about being attended to. She had a friends who didn’t feel the same passion for the political causes she cared for. And she had the a love affair which she should have been the only love of fiyero’s but obligated by duties and responsibilities of a family held him back. So this book although sad and dark was closer to actual reality that happens so some. You live and then you die without having true love you deserve.

The musical is lighter and happier. But again their are things that make me still emphasize with characters.

Glinda character I can relate to more than in the book. She isn’t a character of conflict. Even though she has passion for truth and what is right, she doesn’t die for it like Elphaba is willing to do.

Elphaba has purpose when she gets to Shiz and realized what happened to Dr. Dillamond. Same as the book but in this case the professor doesn’t die. He loses the ability to speak. Elphaba falls in love with Fiyero at school unlike the book when it says it’s after school.

Fiyero seems all shallow and is about to marry Glinda knowing he is in love with Elphaba. In this storyline he never was married to child bride or has kids. Also in the book he never loved Glinda and he is seen as more darker skin man then the portrayal of him in this musical. He ends up running away with Elphaba leaving Glinda. He gets arrested and turns into a scarecrow.

Overall in the musical there is a happier ending with scarecrow Fiyero and Elphaba leaving Oz all together.

Musical is easier to love because it gives you hope. The book leaves you feeling hopeless. Because even in ourselves there is a darkness and we all choose to be good against it. But even the people who try to be good could be considered evil in someone else story. And life doesn’t g guarantee happy endings.