Was the Wicked Witch of the West born wicked or did she have wickedness thrust upon her? Maybe what appears as wickedness began in the witch’s childhood. That’s what Massachusetts Author Gregory Maguire explores in his new book,

The author caught up with PEOPLE about his new book, creating his iconic protagonist and his reaction to the 2024 movie The world couldn’t get enough of Wicked when the blockbuster movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo premiered in November 2024.

Elphie, a new prequel novel exploring the childhood of Wicked's Elphaba Thropp, is now on shelves. In an interview with the Today Show, author Gregory Maguire talked about the long line of Elphaba performers and their influence on how he depicts the famed character.