Son of a Witch: A Novel this question feed

asked by lauren on November 8, 2006 3:08 PM

Ten years after the publication of Wicked, beloved novelist Gregory Maguire returns at last to the land of Oz. There he introduces us to Liir, an adolescent boy last seen hiding in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Bruised, comatose, and left for dead in a gully, Liir is shattered in spirit as well as in form. But he is tended to at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by the silent novice called Candle, who wills him back to life with her musical gifts. What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape—but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison, Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz that, since the Wizard's departure, is under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?

For the countless fans who have been dazzled and entranced by Maguire's Oz, Son of a Witch is the rich reward they have awaited so long.




Reviews

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If you read Wicked, then you must read this! I loved it! Couldn't put it down!!
reviewed by jazzman on November 13, 2006 8:04 PM

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Gregory Maguire has far surpassed Wicked with this book. Son of a Witch is far more exciting and suspenseful. I honestly had no idea how much I had read until I put the book down at the end of the night. Unlike wicked it moves very quickly, the whole way through; whereas with Wicked Maguire needed the first seventy pages or so to get into a groove that worked for me. But his prose are fantastic, his descriptions of the world around Liir are vibrant and far from pretensions. This is a good book to get lost and relax in, as well as an incredible book for a discussion group. There's something for nearly every kind of reader.
reviewed by waltersmith on November 22, 2006 3:15 AM

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As most everyone starts, I too enjoyed Wicked and I also really liked Mirror, Mirror but this novel was a disaapointment.

The first 200 pages of the book are a long journey for Liir, the main character, and for the reader of the novel as well. I have a dedication to finishing a novel when I start but it was a very difficult decision to continue this one.

Maguire's writing is still quite poetic if a bit choppy in this particular work, but ultimately the end of the story is intriguing.

I wouldn't rush out for this one.
reviewed by jrivera on November 24, 2006 4:29 PM

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Like others, I also enjoyed Wicked and have read it numerous times, but I've been disappointed by all of Maguire's other forays into this genre. This book, however, was by far the most disappointing. There should be a warning label on the cover that says, 'Warning! This sequel is nothing more than a setup for yet ANOTHER sequel.' Virtually nothing actually happens in this novel; it only opens up questions for the writer to try and suck you into a series. There's nothing wrong with series, however the writer should try and make each book stand on its own. This book does not do that. There is absolutely no closure and I actually found myself angry once I had finished it. If only Maguire could give me back the portion of my life that I wasted on this novel.
reviewed by ozone on November 28, 2006 2:37 AM

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as in "Wicked", is an understanding of what makes Oz tick. Since all the high-profile actors (Glenda, the military commander, Shell, and so on) are just puppets being manipulated by the real controllers, who are the real controllers? They never show up, or show their hand.

At least in the U.S. we know it's Cheney.

Despite my lack of admiration for Liir, who is rather untalented and amoral compared with Elphaba, I'm still interested in the next installment.
reviewed by 78704 on November 28, 2006 12:53 PM

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