Son of a Witch

Title: Son of a Witch (The Wicked Years #2)
Author: Gregory Maguire
Type: Paperback
Read: 27th May - 8th June
Rating: 4/5
Published: 2007 by Headline Review

Back in the land of Oz, the adolescent boy Liir was last seen hiding in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Bruised, comatose, and left for dead, Liir is tended to at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by a 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? In an Oz that, since the Wizard's departure, is under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enought to grow up?

It took me a while to read this book, as it did so with 'Wicked'. This is the second book in the series and it's after Dorothy has killed Elphaba. We learn or well find out more about Liir, who has been left at the castle and who decides to go with Dorothy back to the land of Oz. Originally parts of this did confuse me, it felt like it was jumping back and forth between time, and I soon realised this was the point. Liir is found naked along the roadside and is taken to the mauntry to either die or live. How he has become in the state he did is where the story starts. It is almost dream like status where Liir is in a coma or at deaths door and inside his head we find out almost what happens upto to the point. Then beyond that, when Candle takes Liir to the woods and they try to get more of his memory back. 

It's a slow book, most of the interesting stuff happens towards the end and thats what dragged it out for me. I wanted fun and adventure and drama straight away. But i think the slow build upto it was worth it in the end. Liir did make it to Oz with Dorothy but his quest is to find Nor, which takes him through the dangerous parts of the city and the hidden depths below. He meets Shell, Elphabas brother, sly and devious he is. He escapes, and joins the guards and surives for so long there. He grows up and all the while he keeps with him Elphaba's broom and cape. He doesn't have a clue if he is her son, or related to her in anyway shape or form. But he keeps the only things he has connecting him to Elphaba.

The crazy thing about this book, is the change we see Liir go through. From being immature to almost finding himself out. He seems to try everything that is thrown his way, even falling in love with Trism. Where i really liked that relationship, originally started out as a chance encounter to rid Oz of all the terrible things. They were a good pair together. But i also wanted him, to figure out his feelings towards Candle. Who was baring his child. And the ending of that, was wicked. I can only assume it answers the main question posed, was Liir, Elphaba's son.. 

This is the next magical journy through the wicked times. I loved the musical and the first book was good, but i certainly think you should read it before seeing the show. However the second is a little better. You can forget almost all of what you knew and see a whole new bunch of characters grow up. I can't wait to get my hands on the last two books. 

Go get it from: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones