HarperCollins announces Oz-inspired series ‘Dorothy Must Die’ — EXCLUSIVE
By Stephan Lee
More than a century after L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Emerald City continues to shine brightly in pop culture. Debut novelist Danielle Paige signed a three-book and three-digital novella deal with HarperCollins. The series will start with Dorothy Must Die, described as “The Wizard of Oz meets Kill Bill“, in April 2014. In this re-imagining, a twister rips through Kansas and transports Amy Gumm — most likely inspired by Judy Garland’s birth name Frances Gumm — into Oz, which has been transformed under Dorothy’s tyrannical misrule. In a complete twist from the original, Amy must steal the Scarecrow’s brain, remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, and take the Lion’s courage. And ultimately — destroy Dorothy.
“Growing up, I read all of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books too many times to count,” said author Danielle Paige in a press release. “Getting to revisit Oz and explore the darkness alongside the Technicolor is a thrill.”