Fellow Ozians: Here's what to listen to after "Wicked"

In the same way Wicked introduces us to Elphaba before she was the Wicked Witch of the West, Heartless introduces us to Catherine before she became the infamous and terrifying Queen of Hearts. Wonderland’s tormentor was once a girl who simply wanted to fall in love ... and open her own bakery. Cath longs to live her life on her own terms—but the monarchy, magic, and monsters around her have their own plans.

Who doesn’t love a twist on an old classic? The legend of the Evil Queen from Snow White is reimagined in this dark and mystical East Asian fantasy about an 18-year-old peasant’s quest to become an empress. Magic, romance, and high stakes combine to dazzle listeners in this gorgeous debut as we root for a villain/hero who lays bare all her complexities.

As Wicked teaches us, life isn’t always as simple as good vs. evil. The Elphie we know has showed us that a whole lot happened before Dorothy landed in Oz ... and maybe, just maybe, Dorothy’s version can’t be trusted. Amy Gumm, another Kansas native, certainly doesn’t trust it. She’s been trained by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and Oz is no longer the stuff of movies. The city is crumbling, and Amy has a mission to attend to…

Sisters Scarlett and Tella escape the tyranny of their abusive father and join an elaborate performance game hosted by the enigmatic Master Legend. Once at Caraval, Tella is kidnapped, and finding her becomes the object of the game—but the lines between reality and the game quickly blur, and Scarlett begins to lose herself as she desperately searches for her sister. Stephanie Garber’s language is gorgeous—as a listener you experience the rich colors and setting in the same way that Scarlett does (think vivid Ozian milieus), and narrator Rebecca Soler is the optimal companion through the dazzling and twisted world of Caraval.

There’s no denying that Elphaba is a badass. And when I think of high stakes and strong female leads, Katniss Everdeen always comes to mind. Suzanne Collins’s iconic heroine, performed by Tatiana Maslany, is blessed with innate survival skills and some pretty incredible archery abilities. But it’s her compassion and humanity in the face of an opulent and irrational governing body—much like Elphaba—that makes it impossible not to root for her.

If your favorite Wicked moments are those set at Shiz, then perhaps you’re ready to journey to a slightly more sinister school of magic: the Scholomance. Naomi Novik turns the magic school setting on its head in this deliciously dark trilogy centering on El, the most powerful student at the school (sound familiar?), and the monstrous creatures and complex magic that surrounds her.

Be honest: When was the last time you enjoyed L. Frank Baum's classic? Academy Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway performs the fairy tale that started it all. "It’s such a wonderful book and I was so happy to be a part of bringing it to life,” Hathaway said. “There are a lot of great voices in it. The more fun you have with it, the sillier and the more free you get with it, the better it is because it’s a story that can handle it. It’s amazing to be able to discover something new about something you feel you know so well.”

For many among us, Jonathan Bailey and the amazing "Dancing Through Life" dance sequence was undeniably our favorite part about Wicked. This listen is a tongue-in-cheek suggestion for the Fiyero-sized hole in your heart. Another major claim-to-fame for Bailey is his role as the oldest sibling and patriarch, Anthony Bridgerton, in the acclaimed Bridgerton series. Get lost in The Viscount Who Loved Me, which centers on his character.