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moose_goose's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
scrooge3's review against another edition
4.0
Other than the story takes place almost entirely outside of Oz and that Tik-Tok is at most a secondary character who doesn't show up until 25% of the way through the story, this is still a fun and enchanting tale filled with lots of silly new characters and a few old friends. Considering this was first published in 1914 at the start of World War I, much of the book successfully satirizes war and all its follies.
kelly_tyler's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
birdmanseven's review against another edition
2.0
Not the strongest in the series, but a quick read at least. Overall, I'm a fan of this series.
We discussed the whole Oz series and many more on our Fantasy spotlight for the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-252-fantasy-isthmus
We discussed the whole Oz series and many more on our Fantasy spotlight for the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-252-fantasy-isthmus
ladybouse's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
So first off I think Baum being either tired of writing or low on ideas was really evident here. Oogaboo? Seriously? Why not Gobelty Gook? 💁♀️🤦♀️
Spoilers beyond this point 👉
I try to overlook or find alternative reasons for continuity issues but some you just can't imagine your way out of.
Glinda all of a sudden resides in the North in spite of being the Good Witch of the South. The Shaggy Man and Polychrome act like they've never met before. (Star Wars Droid flashbacks...What do you mean you don't know who they are Ben!?) The Love Magnet has to be seen now? Also why, why change the Nome King's name? Ozma told him his name *after* he drank the Oblivion Water! Maybe we can write off Ozma not using the Magic Belt as her "training" the Wizard, but that's not how it reads at all.
And we finally get the answer to why Toto doesn't talk. I honestly preferred him not talking. It seems like a much more special bond when he understands everything she says and by the wag of his tail she understands him perfectly...
Overall the story was fine but a little more forgettable than the rest. I liked the quest to find the Shaggy Man's brother, but the ending where he may not be allowed to live in Oz was a really terrible plot point from someone so "wise" and kind as Ozma. This one was really lacking the charm and whit the others have given us in abundance.
Quotable Quotations 🗣 📢
"One can be ugly in looks, but lovely in disposition."
"If we didn't want anything, we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our longings are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't go far wrong."
“One who is Master of himself is always a King, if only to himself."
Quox Quietly Quits
"I will have my nomes throw him out.”
“Then please throw him as hard as you can.”
"I s’pose she’ll be a good deal happier with her sisters in the sky palaces.”
“To be sure,” returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. “It’s her home, you know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no home, can realize what that means to her.”
The same spell has affected Toto, I assure you; but he’s a wise little dog and while he knows everything that is said to him he prefers not to talk.”
“Goodness me!” exclaimed Dorothy. “I never s’pected Toto was fooling me all this time.”
“Just one word, Toto — and then you may run away.”
He looked at her steadily a moment.
“All right. Here I go!” he said, and darted away as swift as an arrow.
Spoilers beyond this point 👉
I try to overlook or find alternative reasons for continuity issues but some you just can't imagine your way out of.
Glinda all of a sudden resides in the North in spite of being the Good Witch of the South. The Shaggy Man and Polychrome act like they've never met before. (Star Wars Droid flashbacks...What do you mean you don't know who they are Ben!?) The Love Magnet has to be seen now? Also why, why change the Nome King's name? Ozma told him his name *after* he drank the Oblivion Water! Maybe we can write off Ozma not using the Magic Belt as her "training" the Wizard, but that's not how it reads at all.
And we finally get the answer to why Toto doesn't talk. I honestly preferred him not talking. It seems like a much more special bond when he understands everything she says and by the wag of his tail she understands him perfectly...
Overall the story was fine but a little more forgettable than the rest. I liked the quest to find the Shaggy Man's brother, but the ending where he may not be allowed to live in Oz was a really terrible plot point from someone so "wise" and kind as Ozma. This one was really lacking the charm and whit the others have given us in abundance.
Quotable Quotations 🗣 📢
"One can be ugly in looks, but lovely in disposition."
"If we didn't want anything, we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our longings are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't go far wrong."
“One who is Master of himself is always a King, if only to himself."
Quox Quietly Quits
"I will have my nomes throw him out.”
“Then please throw him as hard as you can.”
"I s’pose she’ll be a good deal happier with her sisters in the sky palaces.”
“To be sure,” returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. “It’s her home, you know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no home, can realize what that means to her.”
The same spell has affected Toto, I assure you; but he’s a wise little dog and while he knows everything that is said to him he prefers not to talk.”
“Goodness me!” exclaimed Dorothy. “I never s’pected Toto was fooling me all this time.”
“Just one word, Toto — and then you may run away.”
He looked at her steadily a moment.
“All right. Here I go!” he said, and darted away as swift as an arrow.
tori_storydelver's review against another edition
2.0
This addition to the Oz series was so full of inconsistencies that I felt distracted while reading it. Firstly, and most distractingly, The Shaggy man and Polychrome do not seem to recognize each other despite having spent a whole book together previously. The same book, I should mention, where both characters were first introduced. Also, the love magnet worked differently, and needed to be shown to someone to have an effect on them. Lastly, the Nome King has changed his name, the reason being that he had forgotten it when he drank from the Fountain of Oblivion in The Emerald City of OZ. Only, I distinctly remember Princess Ozma telling him what his name was after he drank from the fountain.
Despite the things mentioned above, Baum continues to actually have a plot and introduce new and exciting characters. Though I did feel like he was repeating some of the same ideas he had in other books, the rose garden/vegetable garden or the similarities between General Jinger and Queen Ann Soforth. The ending was alright, although parts of it were just as easily resolved as you can expect from an Oz book by now, and he finally answered why Toto doesn't talk, although that hardly makes up for everything that is wrong with this book.
Despite the things mentioned above, Baum continues to actually have a plot and introduce new and exciting characters. Though I did feel like he was repeating some of the same ideas he had in other books, the rose garden/vegetable garden or the similarities between General Jinger and Queen Ann Soforth. The ending was alright, although parts of it were just as easily resolved as you can expect from an Oz book by now, and he finally answered why Toto doesn't talk, although that hardly makes up for everything that is wrong with this book.
jrrreads's review against another edition
3.0
Despite recurring inconsistencies as other reviewers have already pointed out, I found this little tale to be enjoyable & a bit more engaging than some of the previous. The plot felt more tangible, and truthfully, I just really enjoy Shaggy as a character. He's charming & simple & to the point. I don't quite feel this was an adventure ABOUT Tik-Tok as the title would suggest, but another where he's more or less just along for the ride. I enjoyed the drift away from Dorothy, lovely as she is.
lisafweeks's review against another edition
3.0
I'm sure I read all of the OZ books as a kid, and I still enjoy many of them now. This is not one of the stronger ones as there are too many characters and some not all that likeable.
tashawallace95's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jackphoenix's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Though notoriously featuring very little Tik-Tok, this is just as enjoyable as prior Oz books.