by Eva Pasco

Oz and Kansas Revisited in Slick, Modern Writing 

L. Frank Baum did not write in vain. His imaginative legacy continues to ripple through contemporary storytelling, reminding us that fantasy is not escapism, but a way of understanding ourselves. In Mr. Wizardo, Eva Pasco revisits the spirit of Oz — not by imitation, but by transformation.

Set in Baxter Springs, Kansas, the novel follows four troubled former classmates — Doreen Gale, Scott Crowe, Lyle Forrest, and Tim Woodman — drawn back home by the funeral of their former guidance counsellor, Oscar Wizardo. Each carries personal demons, unresolved wounds, and the quiet weight of lives that never quite unfolded as hoped.

Pasco’s allusions are subtle yet unmistakable: the yellow brick road, the rainbow bridge, the familiar archetypes we carry with us from childhood. But this is not Baum’s Oz — it is darker, grounded, and deeply human. Fantasy here walks hand in hand with realism, each illuminating the other.

Doreen echoes Dorothy, red slippers and all (a nod to the film rather than Baum’s silver shoes). Scott reflects the Scarecrow, lacking emotional connection. Lyle embodies the Lion without courage. Tim mirrors the Tin Man, struggling with reason and direction. Yet the most important inversion lies at the centre: Mr. Wizardo himself is no illusionist hiding behind smoke and gears. He is real — profoundly so — and his power lies in compassion, patience, and genuine understanding.

What makes Mr. Wizardo so effective is its balance. The prose is slick and modern, the pacing assured, and the symbolism never overbearing. Beneath the fantasy framework lies a deeply humane message: that we need courage, wisdom, imagination, and love not to escape reality, but to face it with generosity and grace.

This is an engaging, thoughtful, and quietly meaningful novel — a reminder that sometimes the magic we seek has been waiting patiently for us all along.

Bravo, five stars! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read the Goodreads review here.