Very dense. The pacing is slow and it was honestly a bit of a struggle to get through the beginning where Elphaba wasn't the most likable or relate-able character. I had actually started reading it before and put it down and forgot about it. This time, I made it through the first half and found the second half to be much more lively. Towards the end it was amazing how interested I was in a character that I could sympathize with - if not actually relate to. 
 I've seen the play multiple time and I love it, it is one of my favorite Broadway performances. That being said, the book is very different, the characters are harsher, the story is harsher, and, unlike the play, there isn't really a happy ending.