Goodreads Review - "Oz, the Complete Collection, Volume 4"

Oz, The Complete Collection, Volume 4: Rinkitink in Oz / The Lost Princess of Oz / The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This volume was one of my favorites so far.

Rinkitink in Oz (4 stars)

I really liked this book in the series after that last few that I have read that I rated 3 stars. There's always an adventure and something to overcome. I'm a bit confused at why the title was about Rinkitink when he wasn't even the main character but the story was still good. The ending for King Gos and Queen Cor was not something I expected. And last, the story line for Bilbil, the goat, was a great twist at the end.

I really did love this quote about Zella who is Nikobob's daughter: "She was a brave little girl and poor people are often obliged to take chances that rich ones are spared."

Side note: It's extremely important to remember that this book was published in 1916 which means that some words are used in a different context like the word 'molest' which was used quite few times in the book. The older definition and the use for the word was: "to bother, interfere with, or annoy." It has since been updated in the dictionary to reflect the current definition.

The Lost Princess of Oz (4 stars)

This story was actually really good. There's always an adventure and something to overcome. Princess Ozma goes missing (along with other magical items) and the characters have to go on a journey to rescue her. I love that a lot of the main characters from the beginning were more present in this story. The Mysterious City was one of my favorites and how they (well it was Scraps) figured out how to get in was quite fun to read.

There was a section in the book where they were comparing beauty and who was the most beautiful and the Lion responded with the following and I loved this: "Were we all like the Sawhorse, we would all be Sawhorses, which would be too many of the kind; were we all like Hank, we would be a herd of mules; if like Toto, we would be a pack of dogs; should we all become the shape of the Woozy, he would no longer be remarkable for his unusual appearance. Finally, were you all like me, I would consider you so common that I would not care to associate with you. To be individual, my friends, to be different from others, is the only way to become distinguished from the common herd. Let us be glad, therefore, that we differ from one another in form and in disposition. Variety is the spice of life and we are various enough to enjoy one another's society; so let us be content."

Another favorite part was when Toto lost his growl and said "But how about my lost growl?" and the Lion responded with, "The growl is of importance only to you. So it is your business to worry over the loss, not ours. If you love us, do not afflict your burdens on us; be unhappy all by yourself."

And lastly this quote from Ugu the Shoemaker said: "For many days of quiet thought have shown me that only those things one acquires honestly are able to render one content."


The Tin Woodman of Oz (4 stars)
This one was another favorite in this series. You would think that as many books as there are in this series, the creativity would run dry but it hasn't yet. This story follows the Tin Woodman's story about a munchkin he was suppose to marry before he got stuck in the woods until Dorothy came to his rescue in the first book. After encouragement from Woot the Wanderer, they go on a journey to find his first love and marry her.

I was not expecting how much would happen and how they linked a lot of it to the books before like the nine tiny piglets and where they came from originally before they now live with the Wizard of Oz. We get to find out what became of his body parts after the Wicked Witch had cursed his axe. And last, the ending to the story was not predictable as I thought it would be and I loved it. I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil anything.

There were a few quotes that I loved in the book so I'll share them here: "When one travels, it is foolish to miss any interesting sight." - the Scarecrow

"I'm glad they didn't invite us in. I hope I'm not too particular about my associates, but I draw the line at pigs." - Captain Fyter

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A Note on Empathy by Jeff Guenther, LPC

It makes sense if you don't feel a deep well of empathy for someone who made a career out of refusing to show it for others. 

I want to normalize that because sometimes when a public figure dies especially in a tragic way, people rush to say, you have to be compassionate right now. Don't speak ill of the dead but if that person spent their life dismissing other people's pain, mocking it, minimizing it, even actively contributing to it, it makes sense that your empathy tank might run dry. 

That doesn't mean you're celebrating. It doesn't mean you're cold hearted. It just means your compassion has limits and those limits are often shaped by how much compassion someone showed in their lifetime. 

There’s actually something psychologically healthy about noticing that boundary. You're not obligated to manufacture sorrow for someone who never extended any to you, your community, or people you care about. 

You can hold both I don't wish this on anyone and I don't feel sad about it either. That's not cruelty. That's honesty and it feels really weird and uncomfortable to hold both of those in your body at the same time. 

This isn't about telling you not to be compassionate. It's about giving you permission to notice whatever you honestly feel or don't feel and trust that it's valid. 

- Jeff Guenther, LPC