Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor | Review

We all know Dorothy Gale; the young girl who finds herself ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ in the magical land of Oz. We know she lived in Kansas with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, but how exactly did she come to be there? From a tale where we’re told relatively little about the guardians in Dorothy’s life, we’re brought behind the scenes when we open ‘Before Dorothy.’ In this book Hazel Gaynor creates the world of beloved Auntie Em, aka. Emily Gale. Who exactly was Emily Gale and how did she become Dorothy’s guardian? 

Hazel’s imagining of Emily Gale was both heartwarming and intriguing. Emily’s Irish heritage felt authentic and I loved learning about how Emily came to be in guardianship of Dorothy. The story was written in a way that linked intrinsically with the original picture, and it stayed true to the characters and storyline that we know and love. Themes and motifs from the original motion picture permeated the text and I really enjoyed how Hazel imagined the life of the characters before Dorothy’s trip to Oz. The ways in which certain words and phrases were used were brilliant, laying a clear path for Dorothy’s subconscious mind when she’s struck down by the horrific weather conditions.

As with all Historical Fiction novels, I loved learning about the history of Kansas at the time. I enjoyed learning about the culture and economy, and just how drastic the living conditions got as the weather progressively worsened. I particularly loved the character of Adelaide; she provided great respite from the secrecy that we witness from most others throughout the book. She was the dash of colour that was needed in a dull and dreadful landscape. 

I’d recommend this book. I loved how Hazel Gaynor decided to write about the woman behind the heroine; the woman who raised and taught Dorothy as though she were her own. Hazel has seen the importance of showing the women who teach, the women who help, the women who raise people to be brave and firm and sure of their values. Gaynor’s Emily is a strong, brave woman who casts fear aside to prove time and time again that she can do anything required of her. I enjoyed her character and getting to see what lead her to the prairies of Kansas. 

Before Dorothy will be published on the 19th of June 2025. 

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.