Before I review "Son of a witch", I have to say to those who have only seen the musical and have not read the book "Wicked"-please read "Wicked" before reading "Son of a witch". There are a couple reasons on why I feel this is important. First-the tone of the book "Wicked" and the tone of the musical are quite different. The musical has a much lighter tone and the book has a much darker feeling. "Son of a witch" has the exact tone and feeling as "Wicked" the book, so if you didn't care for the tone of "Wicked"-you are really not going to like "Son of a witch". Second-there are many characters and events that happened in "Wicked" the book that do not happen in the musical. Liir-is the main example. There are quite a few characters that show up in "Son of a witch" and had appeared in "Wicked" the book only and not the musical. I hope it's not coming off that I hate the musical and love the orginal book because I love the musical and the book, I just wanted to warn people. I have seen some reviews on here from people saying that they say the musical but haven't read "Wicked" and picked this up and didn't like it because it was "depressing" and I think people should have fair warning that the Gregory Maguire Oz is a darker Oz that was ultimately put on stage.

Now on to my review: I have read "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire and I absolutely loved it and I was really curious to see what happened to Liir and whether he was Elphaba and Fiyero's son. Unless I interpreted wrong, I did get the answer to that question at the end of the novel. I don't think that "Son of a witch" is as strong as "Wicked". I have to say that I kind of missed Elphaba and I think that her character was what made "Wicked" good book that it is. "Son of a witch" just doesn't seem to have the same magic and at times I got a little bored. For me, the scenes between Liir and Candle were what made the book interesting for me. But Gregory Maguire is a fantastic writer and paints such an imaginative world. You almost believe that Oz is real with the descriptions. There is something about these characters that make you wanting more and I would love another book in this series, especially since the ending has many possibilities for a third book. Only the future knows. But if you loved "Wicked: the life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West", "Son of a Witch" is a must read.

I thought WICKED was good, but it's SON OF A WITCH that I really loved! Loved the imagination and fantasy aspects, yet I felt like I was reading historical fiction. I found it somewhat easier to follow than WICKED and it answered some of the questions I found myself confused by in the first. I loved that the whole story was about a search for one's past that was so effectively brought to light in the simple, last sentence of the book. A wonderful sequel - I couldn't put it down!!

This picks up where Wicked left off. It resolves some issues of Liir's birth and helps him resolve some of his childhood issues. He continues his mother's search for Nor and just misses finding her. He continues looking for Nor thoughout the book. Along the way, he meets up with numerous characters from the original book. It is well worth the read if you are a Wicked fan. The ending definitely left me wanting more and hoping for another sequel.

First I should say that I did not read Wicked but saw the touring musical. I loved the show and was excited to read the sequel. What a huge disappointment. The book is dark, dreary, and depressing. It could have more successfully functioned as a short story as most of the book dwells on Liir either denying his lineage or whining about his lack of direction in life. His character is poorly developed, in fact, it's not developed at all until the end of the book and even then he still let's life happen to him. And what a poorly concocted ending that merely sets up another book to milk the Oz name. Hopefully the talented folks who put the Broadway musical together can lend their magic to this sequel and do justice to the character of Elphaba we fell in love with on stage.

Wicked is one of the best novels that I have ever read. Son of a Witch is perhaps the worst, at least the worst written by a serious novelist. The book lacks everything that made Wicked a triumph: complex characters, thought-provoking allusions to contemporary and historical events, and masterful storytelling. Many of the same characters appear, including the title character, Lir, but they are all flatly drawn and down right boring. Even Shell, the younger brother of Elphaba and Nessarose, is boring. Given the expansive personalities of his sisters I would have thought that impossible. The last chapter of the book sets up a sequel to this sequel; if it's as bad as this book, we can only hope that Maguire keeps it to himself. Save your time and your money. Son of a Witch is a waste of both.

I'm over halfway through the novel and am thoroughly enjoying the story-line. The story is well written in Gregory Maguire's typical style. Gregory keeps it interesting by not following the linear story-line as in Wicked, but toggles back and forth between events that happened just after Wicked concluded and events that are happening currently where some 20 years have passed.

However, I am not enjoying Gregory's reading of the novel. His normal speaking voice is pleasant enough, but he only has 2 other voices for all of the various characters: a higher pitched version of his own voice which he uses for most of the female and younger characters, and a "gruff" voice which he uses for the male and older women characters. Unfortunately, the "gruff" voice is usually performed in a 'one...word...at...a...time' cadence. This gets annoying especially when multiple older women and male characters are in the same scene, and then almost all of the characters voices are done in this monotonous cadence.

I would have preferred that Gregory just read the book in his own voice and paid more attention to the rhythm and emphasis within the sentence structure.

I feel asleep in the middle of the book without the help of the poppy fields. Enough said.

The book is wonderful, like all of Maguire's books, in my opinion. But if you listened to "Wicked" on CD, then you will be very disappointed by Maguire's performance of his sequel. Both novels are very dramatic, full of fantastic, extraordinary characters. And any rendition of them ought to be colorful and highly interpretive. Unlike "Wicked", Maguire's interpretation is bland and predictable, losing the emphasis on both the humor and the horror.

Buy the book instead.

Got this for my daughters, 13 and 23. They both found it boring basically due to the reader's voice and style. It was so unstimulating that they couldn't tell me if the story was interesting or not.

After reading The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and seeing the amazing musical Wicked, I felt compelled to read Son of a Witch. I was not dissappointed!! I fall into the category of readers who loved it.Yes, it created new questions but it answered so many other questions for me.I enjoyed the journey back to the Emerald City with Dorothy and Company.I really wanted to know how Glinda had fared and how it all effected the future of OZ. Reconnecting with Nanny, Chistery, the Maunts,Princess Nastoya, I loved it. All of the references to Elphaba warmed my heart, as I want to believe "Elfie lives". Seeing Liir come into his own was very satisfying for me.I'm sorry not to know exactly what happened to Candle. In her own quiet way she had demonstrated a lot of strength.The little "green" baby girl brought a smile to my face. As for Nor, Elphaba was unable to rescue her as well, we know she escaped that horrible prison, I agree with Liir, she was cunning enough to survive. I'm so hoping for another book. I'm hooked, no doubt about it! For now I'll continue to listen and sing along with the CD from the musical.

Author Gregory Maguire chose to narrate this reading of Son of a Witch. Wicked was narrated by John McDonough. Maguire's narration is adequate, and had he narrated Wicked, I would be more satisfied. But McDonough's narration was so good, Maguire's is a let down. This feeling is significant, because while Son of a Witch is an interesting story, the charm of Wicked fades as Maguire moves farther a field of the generally understood Oz universe. McDonough's soothing voice might have helped overcome some of this sequel's shortcomings.

As to the story, I did find it entertaining. None of the characters are as rich as Elphaba was in Wicked, but the plot moves well enough to be engaging. I was surprised at Maguire's portrayal of Glinda. It is as if Macguire, in his desire to be more edgy and real, has decided that a character of genuine goodness is too unrealistic. If there is a third book, I wonder if he will address Glinda's future role as guide, mentor, and mother figure to Ozma.

In an interview with Gregory Maguire, he explained the reasoning to writing the sequel. It wasn't "cashing in" as so many have guessed. He received letters from many fans asking what happened to Liir. He decided to answer the letters in the form of "Son of a Witch: A Novel."

As another reviewer mentioned, if you didn't understand the depth of "Wicked," you would never truly appreciate "Son of a Witch." Both have very intricate and complicated details surrounding a very simple, yet hidden, premise. Often times this mixture causes for unhappy readers. But it is one of those books you can read over and over again and see new things each time you do. The surface story is Liir searching for Nor, but the hidden story is Liir searching for himself - trying to figure out who he is. He's not sure if he's Elphaba's son, Nor's half-brother, Candle's man, or where he belongs.

The story doesn't have a "The End" in the traditional sense, but neither did "Wicked." They both finished out their simple premise, but allowed life and the world they were created in to continue.

I think that a lot of people saw the musical and expected a light fluffy story from "Wicked" the book. But the book is neither light nor fluffy, but can be construde as such if that is what you are searching for. Both "Wicked" and "Son of a Witch" are dark twisted novels, challenging the ideals of the musical and the original story on which they are based.

Look for the deeper meaning, and you will enjoy these books. Want fluffy and light? Read Disney.

The problem here is that Maguire seems to have shot his wad with "Wicked." He reminds me of Ann Rice in that respect, both in the fact that I started out extremely enthusiastic about their writing styles and stories only to watch them fizzle.* It was a mildly interesting read in parts, but extremely boring in others. Another reviewer advised to avoid comparing "Son..." to "Wicked" when reading the book, but as it IS intended to be a sequel I don't think one can or should forget about its predecessor. I found "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister: A Novel" and "Mirror, Mirror: A Novel," to be more intriguing, as they each had the grounding quality of being semi-historical novels.

*Actually, I overdosed on The Vampire Chronicles. One can read about vampires going out to kill and then spending the rest of the evening in a museum swooning over Italian art only so many times.

I agree with the reviewer that stated if you enjoyed the true intent of Wicked, you will love the sequel just as much. While I admit that the thirll of meeting some of the characters for the first time in Wicked is not present in this book, the truths you discover as you read this make it a must-read for the Wicked fan. This is a book you must read carefully and not skim over, because hidden revelations are everywhere, tucked away into small paragraphs and in the reactions of characters to events. It all comes together in the end, but not in such a nice little package. There are still questions left unanswered. DO NOT turn to the last page and read it first. The last line of this book is worth the entire journey. You must save it for your final surprise.

If you were a fan of the true intent of "Wicked" you will like this book. Reading the negative reviews I am only left to conclude that those who rated it so lowly didnt ever really read "Wicked" they must have just seen the play or did not pay atention while reading the first novel. This book is every bit as good as the first and if you actually read and "got" the first book, this one will be sure to please. So ignore the nay-sayers and give it a try if you are a true "Wicked" fan.

Although not as good as Wicked was, Son of a Witch should be a noteworthy sequel to it. The book goes with a much different storyline then the first, and it seems that this book was only written to wrap what happened to Liir, and only raises more questions. Enough questions, infact that a third book might just be planned. Maguire recreates a magical world rich with detail and wonderment. Although i wish there was a little bit more character development, but hey, what can you expect from someone in a coma? But I am hoping for a third novel, at least to tie up some ends.

I loved Wicked so I was looking forward to this book. The book seems to have several stories it's building and none of them go anywhere. It's as if it is setting up for another book. A couple of the story lines don't even seem to have much relevance. Personally, I thought it was a mess.

Purchased after seeing the play Wicked. It is a dark and dreary and twisted story. Didn't get past the first chapter.

I was so excited to get this book when it came out I was on the waiting list. Unfortunately when it came I was so busy I had no time to read so I got the audio! I was also very excited to see that the author was doing the naration when they do it really makes the story more interesting because they can bring in a very personal dimension to the reading. He didn't do his first novel, WICKED, but who ever did did an excellent job and he should have got him to do it again! Or with the money he made on the play he could have got a whole bunch of great actors to do it. He just shouldn't have done it himself he was the worst story teller I have ever tried to listen too. PLEASE GREGORY DO NOT EVER DO THAT AGAIN! As for the story, it is SO BORING what a total disapointment! I can't tell you how many times I had to rewind sometimes I didn't even care if I missed something I just wanted it to be over. The story just never gets off the ground. There is so much useless stuff in it I had to wonder if his editor ever read it. I really hate that he left the book unfinished and so obviously open for a sequel. It's bad enough they do that in movies but in ADULT novels it really bugs me. No wonder 'teenage girls' are the ones that are sending you the fan mail! Not worth your time. BIG SNORE!

Each of the episodes in this highly meandering story was interesting in its own right, but if I had to summarize the plot (or even identify the main plotline), I'd be at a loss. Perhaps this is appropriate for the story of a clueless, wandering, cynical-but-hopeful young man trying to figure out who he is and what he wants (or at least what he can expect) from life, but I didn't find it very satisfying. Towards the very end I thought for a brief moment that everything was coming together, but even that climax turned out to be more of an anticlimax, and Liir himself admits that nothing he did made much of a difference. I liked him, I was rooting for him, and I hope he's happy, but I'm not sure I'd read another book about him -- despite the cliffhanger ending which just screams "insert sequel here."

The political message was a bit heavy-handed as well. I was curious about the political and cultural developments in Oz in the wake of the Witch's death and the Wizard's departure, but wish Maguire had focused more directly on that rather than showing us unconnected flashes of it, only as they pertained to Liir. I'm not sure whether this lack of cohesiveness was intentional, or just the result of writing too fast and editing too little, but it left me feeling more confused than enlightened.

I am gaga for this book and have not even finished it yet...don't want it to end. Liir's life is so enchanting and poignant. My heart goes out to him. His adventures are exciting, shocking and so moving. You want to cheer the poor thing on the whole way. Go Broom!!!
(always keep the dictionary nearby; but really need it for G.Maguire's books) Reading Wicked first is a must, before Son O.W.

The little boy who emerged in Wicked, Liir, is more confused about his background than the reader himself. In Son of a Witch, he grows up to be a young man. One also learns of his two love interests. Not believing in his abilities, he goes through life hurting. The story starts with Liir on his deathbed. Then the recollection begins while he is in a coma. After he comes out of it he faces more adventures. Mr. Maguire's language is still beautiful as his other works. The dialogues are still funny although in this particular tale, they are a little bit of the current time. There are too many unanswered questions especially one big important one regarding a missing friend that opens up an opportunity of another journey involving Liir in another novel. The ending is a little bit on the gloomy side.

If you enjoyed Wicked you will like Son of a Witch too. Son of a Witch is a bit of an easier read compared to Wicked but still has as interesting characters and an intriging plot as Wicked. Most enjoyable and worth your time!

As I read this book the haunting notion that I already knew this story kept floating to the surface. It was not until I heard an interview with Gregory Maguire that my notions were proven correct. This is a harsh book to get through. It is not a hard read but hard to read. Shocking at times but nonetheless it smack of a thin veil of our political climate, as sad as that it is, to reveal a masterful story. You go Elphaba!

great book - don't feel like explaining it - read it for yourself (only if you read wicked 1st.) - have fun - OH! GREAT ENDING! - keep a dictionary on hand

The wide divergence of views about the second of McGuire's Oz books, I think, is because the two books will commend themselves to different audiences. In Wicked, while we are given one of the most memorable of characters, the story is really an exploration of preconceptions, an exploration that works best in a world that we at least think we know. Liir's story in the Son of a Witch is about Liir, the obvious parable of 21st Century US not withstanding, and it just happens to take place in the world we left at the end of Wicked.

As an another reviewer pointed out, Liir is looking for himself and he starts with nothing to work with and that's the point. Because of how Liir is created as a character in Wicked, doing it in Oz in the wake of the death of the Witch works well. It provides an explanation for why Liir lack's a self conception and also provides a fantasy world in which he can develop that conception all without needing to completely rediscover and reexplain everything. The same could have been done by trying to place the story in the "real" world but frankly it works better placed in a fantasy world where the author can make anything happen.

Unlike others, I did not find the book boring at all and love Maguire's writing. In the end Son of a Witch may not be as good a book as the excellent Wicked but it is nevertheless very good and well worth reading. But again, Liir is not the same kind of character as Elphaba and more to the point, while the world may be the one we first entered in Wicked, the story is not. In other words, this is not a "sequel" so it is hardly surprising that some who loved the first book are disappointed in the second. Still, I suspect that most readers who come to the book without carrying to many preconceptions, particularly those who enjoy stories told through the means of fantasy worlds, will enjoy themselves.

It's certainly not a sequel. I give you that. However, Son of a Witch pales in comparison to its predecessor. Wicked artfully conglomerated politics and plot into a delightful story, flip-flopping all of the notions of Oz that were planted into our heads as children. Elphaba becomes a heroine, Glinda seems more vapid than a kiddie pool but oddly clever at the same time -- everyone is relatable.

Son of a Witch's overriding weaknesses are its over-reliance on skimpy metaphors, its pale and unrelatable characters (it wasn't just Elphaba who shone in Wicked), and its too overt political message. Politics are all well and good, but leave the reader to do a little bit of the work . . .

We've seen all of this before: flying on brooms, identity crises, an attempt to visit powerful politicals . . . Give me a break. Give me a better plot. And give me characters I can root for.

Gregory Maguire's complex and dark revisionist telling of the life and avdentures of the Wicked QWitch of the West, WICKED, is something of a contemporary classic: more than just a reexamination of the imaginative worlds of L. Frank Baum, it's a very toughminded philosophical and political novel brilliantly told (and it improves in the re-reading). He has been beleaguered with requests for a sequel since the first novel's release, but unfortunately this follow-up, chronicling the further adventures in Oz of the Wicked Witch's possible heir, Liir, following the death of Elphaba and the departure from Oz of both the Wizard and Dorothy, doesn't seem to have much of a point to it. Even darker and more cynical than its predecessor, SON OF A WITCH seems a re-telling of the Waste-Land myth, with Liir acting as Parsifal to the Amfortas of the Winkie Princess Nastoya; but there seems to be little point to his actions, and the book suffers greatly from the fact that it touches much more tangentially on Baum's Oz books than its predecessor did. Though Tip and Mobi (and her four-horned cow) and the Hungry Tiger make the briefest of appearances, Maguire's book seems to make little sense when read against the events of THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ--which makes the whole revisionist project seem a bit pointless. But the tale does showcase Maguire's bracing philosophical cynicism and his strong narrative drive.The novel does seem to position itself open for another sequel at its ending, so we can hope that there will be more to come that will make sense out of what is a promising but disappointing follow-up to the excellent WICKED.

After reading some of the reviews of those who hated "Son of a Witch," I felt it my duty to write in favor of Maguire's work and to address some of the points other reviewers brought up. If you hate the novel, that's your perrogative, but it also means that you missed the boat.
"Son of a Witch" isn't a "sequel" (Maguire himself professed this point to USA Today). Sequels suggest the same protagonist and usually antagonist. This tells the story of what happened in the aftermath of the death of the reknowned and powerful Elphaba Thropp, Wicked Witch of the West. If you read the novel without any preconceived expectations of what should or shouldn't be within it, the true nature is allowed to shine through.

Liir is, primarily, somewhat of an existentialist. He is searching for who he is and why he is alive. He has no tangible concept of "self" because he doesn't even have the knowledge of what all others in the novel take for granted: identity. He only has the remnants of what his maybe-mother Elphaba gave him, which isn't much. THAT in itself is why the reader MUST feel for Liir. He is a nameless, naive soul among a world extremely new to him.

As far as Candle goes, her chracter traits are fitting, believe it or not. Elphaba was a very strong female character in "Wicked," allowing Liir no real room for development. Candle had to be someone of meager, if not annoying, existence in order to allow Liir to become someone! Liir had only known the rages and rants of Elphaba's emotional and erratic behavior. Candle had to be just the opposite. This forced Liir to look into himself for his meaning, unlike when he was with Elphaba. She gave him his direction. Without her, Liir had to MAKE his direction. The only other female character who could hold a candle to Elphaba (no pun intended!) is missing throughout the entire story (Nor).

As far as the violence and Liir's sexual exploration, I feel that it was only expected. The only sentiment that Liir received from Elphaba were harsh and brash, though well-intended, comments and actions. This became Liir's definition of affection, because it was better than nothing (which he realized whenever he thought of Elphaba). The conflict with Trism and ultimate relationship further that idea. Hatred and love, as the saying goes, is only separated by a thin line. For Liir, there was no line. Hate and love were intertwined. He bore witness to this during his early life with Elphaba. Only through simultaneous love and hatred could Elphaba really cope with Frex, Glinda, Nanny, Liir, Sarima, Shell and even Fiyero.

In the end, I feel that "Son of a Witch" is worth reading. You must allow your mind to explore the possibilities alluded to within the text. A reader must always remember, as my college professor said, "Nothing in literature is accidental." Maquire gives you, as the reader, little pearls of possibility within his writing. My mind reeled at the possible true identity of Mother Yackle and the role she has played in both Elphaba and Liir's lives (her prescence is not minimal in scope, though it may be in words). As far as the ending, I felt the initial ping of unsatisfaction, but eventually felt sated. True, I do want to know how the loose ends Maguire left are tied, but if he did that in "Son of a Witch," he wouldn't be true to his style, now would he? He did answer one question about Elphaba and Liir's relationship that had been neither proved nor falsified. For now, that is enough. Maybe Maguire will take us on another trip to the wonderful world of Oz.

When you love a book as I loved Wicked, there is nothing better than a sequel. Our imagination doesn't have to do all the work! In this case, however, don't get your hopes up too high. While the story is worth reading, Son of a Witch doesn't possess the same "depth" as Wicked. While the book provides the same intelligent and challenging writing style, Liir is the only character fully explored. I also found myself unsatisfied by the ending, not that it was comedy or tragic, but the main plot (finding Nor) was unsolved. Unless there are plans for another book, your imagination will have to do.

Well, after being quite bowled over by the imagination and artful insight that Gregory Maguire showed in 'Wicked' I was excited at the thought of a sequel: so much so that actively sought it out for some months.
What a disappointment!
In a world that no doubt has changed since the death of the main protagonist of the first novel, the character of Liir is simply not interesting enough to warrant the energies of reading the novel.
The insights, in flashback, into aspects of 'Wicked' along with what could have been a very touching finale (if one had not lost interest some 200 pages earlier) were the only redeeming features of one of the most difficult reads of recent times.
Don't bother.

I plowed through this after the awesome ending of 'Wicked' (this did not dissapoint in its ending either, I think that might be Maguire's strongest aspect of writing). Liir is unlike any othere character I remember encountering, unsure of his place in the world, yet very sure he is unimportant. His is a pretty perplexing fellow.

Overall, I liked this book alot better than 'Wicked', possibly because it is now very much Maguire's world I am in and not Baum's, before I was angry and dissapointed at what he had done to my beloved fairyland. This is Oz in name only now, so what is going on in this world is easier for me to seperate from the original.

Liir is really one very confused individual, in just about every way that he could be. Sometimes he has a sense of honor, other times he doesn't, he hasn't been given the best example in life of course.

I can understand Maguire's exploration of his sexuality, but its done in such an abrupt way, neither of Liir's encounters seem to really be wanted on his part (one of them certainly isn't). he just seems to go along with what's happening.

There are several interesting characters that pass along through these pages, Liir's uncle, Shell possibly the most intriguing, since both Thropp sisters are dead. I found Candle a really, really REALLY annoying presence. Her crutch for being a boring character, her 'weak' voice--what does that even mean? All the cool and strong female characters in the last book and this time we get Candle? The weirdly sexual innocent whiney almost mute? I dunno, I felt cheated there.

Never mind Maguire's painful depiction of Dorothy the country bimbo.

Rock on to the Mombi and Pip cameo though, if he comes out with a third book, that cameo is the reason I will be picking it up, to see what he does with that story line. (After all here we have a fellow who is possibly attracted to both men and women, and Pip--someone who is both a girl and boy....this could be a match made in heaven, never mind all the lovely political knots it would tie up)

I just finished this book. It was nothing more than an act of desperation and need for funds. I was caught in the story line of Wicked and felt for the characters as the story played out. I had no connection to Liir. he could have been killed off and I am not sure it would have made a difference.

The whole love plot of this book seemed like a cry for attention. It had no flow or rhythm with this book at all. The fact he left this open for yet another book, frankly scares me.

It was a waste of money and I am really disappointed.

I will rely on the other reviewers' descriptions of the plot and character issues. However, beyond the concern that this novel is a bit dull, I would sumbit that this storyline tends to include suggestions of gratuitous violence and sex in a context that seems, well, gratuitous. Here, the mention of deviant behavior seems to have no other place than simply an attention-getter. Where Wicked and Maguire's other works have interesting, well-placed themes with details that may be provocative, similar details in Son of a Witch seem provided as part of a formula. This is a formula I would typically relate to a B movie or "campaign" book with a more limited audience, rather than Maguire's previously demonstrated literary style. I wanted to be intrigued, but it was nothing we haven't seen before in the most basic of comic books.

I'm listening to this one immediately after finishing Wicked, and I have to say I'm disappointed. Wicked was a good story itself, but the reading by John McDonough was brilliant and made it everything an audio book should be. I didn't look at the narrator when I reserved this from the library and assumed McDonough would be doing this one as well; I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong. Maguire is a talented writer, but however passionate about the story, his reading falls flat. Odd intonation, melodramatic rhythm, indistinguishable character voices, and an overall lack of modulation in his voice make this, so far, a very dull listen. I don't know that I'll be able to finish, regardless of how interesting the story may be.

Liir is the (maybe) son of Elphaba, the notorious Wicked Witch of the West. After her death, he sets out to find his (maybe) half sister Nor who was abducted by the Wizard's soldiers and presumably imprisoned in the Emerald City. Liir's quest is anything but simple, taking him from the depths of dungeons to splendid palaces. Along the way he meets elephant princesses, talking birds, dragons, more (maybe) relations, and a young girl with a peculiar musical gift.

I found Wicked interesting mostly because of the pure novelty of Maguire's radical and different view of Oz. He turned the traditional story upside down and in the process, Elphaba emerged as one of the strongest female characters in recent fiction. The smashing success of the Broadway musical based on the book should settle any arguments about the quality of Maguire's earlier work.

It is no wonder that Son of a Witch cannot equal its predecessor. Maguire makes an effort, but this story is a bland mess that goes nowhere for great periods of time. The world of Oz is not as interesting, the quest not as engrossing, and Liir is not a strong enough protagonist to carry the weight of the story the way Elphaba did. It is a serviceable enough story, but not a great one. I found it very telling that Son of a Witch was stocked on my library's shelves while there is still a three-month waiting list for Wicked.

Son of a Witch feels very obligatory, like it was written simply to milk the cash cow, not out of any real passion for the story itself. Maguire leaves the door wide open for a third installment, but I hope he won't bother. It's time to move on.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! Well, that is if you hold any sort of unexplainable loyalty to the author, to Oz, or to BOREDOM.

I saw this book on the top-seller's list at a local bookstore, so when I saw my library had the audiobook version read by the author, I instantly reserved it.

I am so grateful that I checked this Audiobook out from the library instead of buying it. I regret I didn't read the reviews on here before checking it out and wasting several hours of precious reading/listening time.

Other reviewers (such as "Bookish Girl") hit the nail on the head when they said The book "Son of a Witch" is "utterly boring, incredibly dull with no real action, nothing truly moving or exciting to grab hold of. The story just kind of was there." I went through more than half the book without caring about the main character, Liir and feeling half confused as to what the author's point was in several places as a lot of jabber seemed to be made simply in order to make the book longer.

I about choked on my lunch as I read another reviewer (gensparkie) who claims the audio book version makes all the difference because the author himself reads it to us. That's the same version I listened to!! It was HORRIBLE! I am an avid audiobook listener, and this book was still a struggle to listen to even when the author himself read it. He has a boring, uninteresting tone that almost put me to sleep as I listened to it in my car on a long drive. He is the second worst audiobook reader I've ever listened to (regardless of whether the book itself was good or not). I had to switch to the radio. I guess it doesn't help that I listened to this book right after listening to such a GREAT book as in The Bartimaeus Trilogy, which is an absolute master-piece in audio form! The reader of THAT series is truly a master, but Gregory Maguire reading his OWN book is boring, dull, monotone, and definitely lulling. Even the author reading his own book couldn't redeem it. He does not keep your attention with his voice, or his plot (if you can even call it a plot) and writing style. If you are looking for a book to entertain you, or keep your attention, this is not it. The only other reason I know of people reading books is for knowledge, and you won't find that here either...so I would suggest looking elsewhere.

If, as reviewers claim, the audio version is tons better than the book, then I can't imagine how DREADFULLY boring and uninteresting the print version really is.

Truth is, I really struggled to get through this book. I had to fight to continue listening to it in the hopes that it would get better soon. By the time I got to the halfway point, I just couldn't take it anymore. I have read hundreds and hundreds of books both in print and in audio. Some of them boring and some of them I even hate, but I have finished them all even when I disagreed with them, I hate to give up on books and stop. This is the first book I finally gave up on. I couldn't take it anymore and decided to check out the reviews on Amazon to see if the book does actually get any better. From everything I read by other readers, it doesn't get better. Some give it ok reviews because of some psychological loyalty to the author because of his other works, or prequels or because it's about "OZ". I am not loyal to author myself in any way, and I am sure this will be the last book of his that I ever read.

The book was getting NOWHERE. I am convinced, as other reviewers stated, that this book was written as a marketing ploy to capitalize on the popularity of books like "Wicked". Unless you have some unexplainable loyalty to "Oz" (which is hardly talked about anyway) then skip this book, or at least check it out from a library. I don't think it's good to support and reinforce popular authors for writing rushed, half-quality books. The author could've put more time into making this a quality read as he did with some of his other books. Using computer terminology, I can't help but think this book accidentally got printed while in a "BETA testing" stage.

I have nothing against the author himself. But reading another of his books would be similar to having a Satelite reciever that almost always says "Searching for Satelite Signal" all the time
consistently and continuing to stare at the TV hoping that maybe sometime it will turn on. Who knows, it could happen. Personally, I will WAIT until the author's next popular book with extraordinarily GOOD reviews before I do something as crazy as touching the stove a second time after it burned me the first time around. I'll wait till someone convinces me it's turned off and cool...or in the author's case...waiting until someone convinces me his writing genius finally turns back on. I don't hate the author himself, so if that happens, I will read from him again.

Don't take my word for it (some people think you have to taste dog crap for yourself to know it tastes bad after all)...read the other reviews (Even the people who actually claim to have LIKED the book nearly unanimously agree this book is boring for the first entire half, and even those who liked the audio version admit the author's voice is unusual, and lulling). Check this book out from the library to find out for yourself if you must (this is assuming you won't find anyone to admit they actually got suckered into buying the book, who you can borrow it from...it was on the best sellers list at my bookstore afterall...).

ps I give it two stars instead of one out of sheer sympathy to the author for my review...afterall, this book is evidence of apparent financial desperation...

This book is horrible. The world of frank l. baum is twisted from a lovable happy place in to a barbaric and nausiating tragedy. if you are an ancient old lady who reads the hoorifying romance novels this is for you.

A lot of reviewers talk about getting bored in the first half of this book, and I agree that had I read this in book form, I likely wouldn't have gotten to the second half of the book. But listening to this book on audio make the experience a truly enjoyable one from beginning to end.

The author narrates this audiobook, and he has a really unusual voice - perfect for narrating each of his characters. His voice is measured, and he intones each syllable in a methodical way that is strangely lulling. It took some getting used to, but once I did, the characters took on a weird magic and I couldn't get enough of this book.

There are flaws to the book itself - as other reviewers point out, very little actually happens in this book plot-wise. We learn more about Liir and the man he is becoming, and are introduced to some new people, but largely, our questions are unanswered and we are left, once again, imagining for ourselves what might have happened in the past or what might happen in the future.

Even with the lack of substantial plot though, the lyrical voice of the author and the beautifully disturbing world he has imagined was worth every moment of my time, and I will certainly buy a sequel if it comes out. But, I will buy it in audio form, because I really think the magic of this story was enhanced or even in large part created by the author's narration.

If your imagination was caught by Wicked, give this a try on audio to brighten up your commute or your chores.

This is the sequel to Wicked. It was slow to get going but eventually got it's rythm. Rather disappointing.

I thought it was a fantastic sequel to Wicked, although the ending was a bit anti-climatic. The characters are still as interesting as before, and develop through the course of the story in a very moving way. I cannot wait to read Mr. Maguire's other works.

I read the reviews on this one before purchasing. I don't agree with most people that Liir is not an amusing character. I think he is a very conflicted character, which makes him very interesting. It just takes him so long to do anything of interest in the book that I found my mind wandering. There is a point when the book picks up, but it's over half way through. However, I am glad I read the book because I did enjoy it. I just wish that the first half was more exciting.

Though a sequel to Wicked seemed a little unnecessary, the novel, Son of a Witch, turns out to be a capturing and intriguing work of literature. True there are some slow and dull parts as others have mentioned, but Maguire's excellent writing skills cover for the loss of excitement.
The protagonist Liir, is a complicated character who is more than anything trying to find his place in the world. He is not certain whom his true parents are, where he came from, or what purpose his life has, if any.
And as for the setting: Maguire's vision of Oz is one of a land twisted between religion, cultures and political powers. Such detail to atmosphere makes Oz seem as real and alive as any place on earth.
Ultimately, Son of Witch is a grand sequel by an accomplished author. In my opinion, the book is definitely a keeper.

After finishing reading "Wicked" I couldn't help but reading Son of Witch. All in all I enjoyed it a lot, but not quite as much as Wicked. I agree with other reviewers that some parts are a bit dull, and it slows down for a while towards the middle. However the end picks up again and it has a nice and surprising twist that is worth waiting for in my opinion.

Great continuing story from his book, Wicked. Maguire keeps you captivated from beginning to end. I hate writing book "reports", so, if you liked Wicked or any of his other books, this is a keeper too. But read Wicked first.

After loving "Wicked" several years ago, I wondered if I would recall enough of the original to enjoy the sequel. Or even like it. After all, the original was a twist on a well-known children's story. This book was not a twist on the next OZ novel by Baum.

I need not have worried. Maguire managed to patch up all the holes in my memory without tedious exposition. Better yet, the protagonist, Liir, was as complicated and engaging a character as you could ever wish for. Richly written, with delightful moments of humor -- black and otherwise -- this was an outstanding addition to Maguire's list of credits. When the final line indicated a third book was in the offing (though not necessary -- this book stands on its own), I was delighted. I believe you will be, too.

Write on, Maguire.

This book is only second to its predecessor, Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of The West.
Both books weave an intricate and dark tale the likes of which I have never read before. Sad, tumultuous, romantic, wonderful...you'll never see Glinda the Good Witch the same way again! For those who grew up with the old movie, this is not the perky little tale of Dorothy and her friends finding they had what they needed all along, this story leaves you sympathizing with the "bad" guy (wicked witch) and loving her and her family very much. I read each book twice, and have now purchased every novel written by Gregory Maguire.

I read this book when it first came out and I really liked it. Some of the parts were very confusing though. Some chapters I would read threw multiple times and I did not get them still. I got the main idea of the book and that was good.

I think that some of the mediocre reviews on this one have missed the boat.

True, this is not as good a novel as "Wicked" -- but, then, how many are? Judged on its own, I think it's a pretty fine read. I was initially uncertain how Liir could be expanded into a lead character, but Maguire puts his confusion over his own identity -- Liir's confusion over a lot of things, actually -- front and center, and while this does make for something of a static and difficult read at times, I think it's well worth the effort. I ended the book quite moved by Liir's struggles.

The Ozian touches are fewer in this volume than in the previous one; that's not a complaint, just an observation (I almost typed 'ozservation', and decided against it). But though they may be lessened, they are definitely present; there's even a cameo from one of the major characters of "The Land of Oz"! There may be others, too; my memory of most of the Baum novels other than the first one is sort of lacking in clarity.

This is a good novel, very well-written and ultimately quite engaging; give it a try!

"Son of a Witch" isn't perfect, and it probably isn't as good as its predecessor, "Wicked". So what? I get the distinct impression that Maguire isn't done with Oz yet, which would make "Son" the middle book of a trilogy - traditionally the weakest slot anyway. So I'm going easy on it.

Most of the weaknesses in this book become much more explainable, if not excusable, if you look at it as the placeholder that second books usually are. Liir, the main and title character in "Son", was a minor character from "Wicked" who is suddenly thrust front and center, and he's not really up to it. Particularly compared to the amazingly complex Elphaba, Liir is frustratingly one- (occasionally two-) dimensional, opaque and even dull at times. (This is even overlooking the parts when he's in a coma.) Candle, the novice who saves his life and becomes his sort-of romantic interest, is, if possible, even duller. Only Trism, Liir's army buddy (in the Brokeback sense of "buddy") has any depth or personality, and he doesn't become a major character until the last 1/4 of the book.

In addition, the story itself is somewhat vague and meandering. I finished the book not quite sure what the point was, except to fill in the gap of the ten years after Elphaba's death and set the stage for an anticipated third book. This is a typical middle-child problem in almost every series, so I'm used to it.

Now, enough kvetching. I really did enjoy this novel, as I enjoy most of Maguire's work. (Except "Mirror Mirror" - and this book was miles ahead of that snooze fest.) His Oz is as imaginative as L. Frank Baum's, if not more so. It doesn't entirely mesh with the original, but they do overlap in places. I guess you might call Maguire's books an alternate history of Oz. (And for the record, I highly, *highly* recommend that you READ both "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and "Wicked" before you read "Son". The movie and the musical are NOT the same as their source material! Reviewers who complain that they didn't "get" this book, but have only seen the Broadway play of "Wicked", have only themselves to blame.)

Even in his blandness, Liir is a sympathetic character. He is torn between his desire for a normal existence and loyalty to his possible mother, Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba's followers keep turning to him, expecting him to pick up her causes and continue her legacy, but Liir is (at least at first) so markedly ordinary that it's easy to understand his frustration and the sense of hopelessness that occasionally threaten to paralyze him. Liir's journey from being moved along by outside events, to taking part in them, to shaping them and taking up Elphaba's torch (or at least her broom) make up the arc of this book, and the payoff at the end is both surprising and gratifying.

A chance encounter with a certain old woman, her four-horned cow, and a young boy named Tip should give fans of Baum's original series a good clue as to what's in store for the next book. (A hint that has me, if possible, even more excited about this series.) For those of you who haven't read "The Marvelous Land of Oz" (which you should - it's available for free on Project Gutenberg), the last sentence of "Son" should still be enough to give you a delightful thrill of anticipation.

No, "Son of a Witch" isn't Maguire's finest work. But it's still a darn good read, and it keeps the magic of Oz alive for one more go-around.