I was fully prepared to give this 3 stars when I was halfway through.

The character of Liir, wandering aimlessly through life, really didn't give much of an impression that even the author knew what to do with him.

However, things took a turn around after a certain point in time.

The intrigue within the story increased as well, which added an element of excitement and kept me engaged.

It's extremely hard to follow up a book like Wicked, especially considering the circumstances of its ending.

Figuring out what to do with the loose ends and how to continue the storyline was no easy feat.

There's definitely the usual dark tinge to the character development, which serves as a morality litmus test.

This test, of course, tends to be very nuanced and complex.

Liir, being unsure about everything from his origins, his desires, his goals, and even his sexuality, leaves a lot to be desired in terms of being a likable character.

But it's not all just teenage hormones and emotional drivel.

There's depth and substance beneath the surface that gradually reveals itself as the story progresses.

All in all, it's an unusual follow-up but not a bad one by any means.

This sequel to the book Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, namely Son of a Witch, follows the adventures of Elphaba’s (implied) son, Liir. The story commences with the discovery of Liir’s body, which is badly injured yet not dead and with his face still intact, unlike the recent “victims” of a mysterious barbarian crime.

From that point on, the narrative progresses through a series of alternating present scenes and flashbacks, revealing Liir’s adventures and his arduous struggle to find his (perhaps) half-sister Nor and his sense of purpose and self-identity.

I have always been enamored with how encyclopedic Gregory Maguire made Baum’s Land of Oz, especially in Wicked. The politics and religion he crafted are intricately intertwined, and I highly admire how he created the characters with great intelligence. Liir is no ordinary protagonist; he is filled with doubts, and most of the time, he is confounded by his emotions, mainly due to the impact of Elphaba’s death on him. This poor soul-searching boy endeavors to make sense of his life by seeking the company of others, which is quite the opposite of Elphaba, who is content in solitude.

Apart from the search for self-identity, the book also delves into the issue: if you are a child of a powerful figure, does it necessarily imply that you can match what your parent can achieve? Liir often ponders what Elphaba—if she truly is his mother—would do if she were in his situation. Most of the time, his knees will tremble, overwhelmed by self-doubt, but there are moments when he will stand up to leave his own mark. This is not your typical bildungsroman.

However, there are certain sections where the prose becomes overly embellished and superfluous. I believe Maguire was somewhat pressured by the positive reviews regarding how superbly he (re)crafted the Land of Oz in Wicked, leading him to strive so hard to “amaze” the readers with this next installment. While this intention didn’t entirely fail, some elements were affected. The plotline twists and turns from one path to another and another and another, until the reader becomes lost and is left wondering: where on earth is this going? The ending didn’t quite satisfy me, but perhaps that’s why there is a third book. ;D

The best aspect of Son of a Witch, in my opinion, is that Maguire is able to demonstrate to the readers how a fairytale can be as dark and as real as the events in real life. The politics, religion, personal issues, and even sexuality are all addressed extremely well. I will most definitely keep an eye out for the next book, A Lion Among Men. *is just waiting for the paperback issue*

On my re-read, it earns a 3.5 for me.

I really appreciate how Liir ultimately discovers his true self, particularly after his humble beginnings in "Wicked". However, the story seems to have lost a great deal of its fascinating perspectives on religion and politics.

While there is indeed a political element present, it pales in comparison to that of the first book. It only truly starts to gain some substance and bite in the final section.

Fortunately, the book is redeemed by Liir himself. He is a perfectly flawed protagonist, and I find myself constantly wanting to shake him and yell at him (but in a good way). His character development and growth throughout the story make it worth reading, despite the shortcomings in other aspects.

Overall, it's an interesting continuation of the story, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of the first installment.

Maybe 3.5 ⭐️
The pacing of this story was a bit of a mixed bag.

Some parts were really quite slow, almost dragging at times, which made it a bit of a struggle to stay fully engaged.

And those chapters that were just about the maunts, well, quite frankly, I could have done without them.

They didn't seem to add a whole lot to the overall narrative and just felt like filler.

However, there were also some redeeming qualities. The characters, for the most part, were well-developed and interesting, and the setting was vividly described.

So while it wasn't a perfect read, it did have its moments.

I just wish the pacing had been a bit more consistent and the unnecessary chapters had been trimmed down.

Overall, it was an okay book, but it could have been so much better.

The intensity is just as great as the first one!! I continue to be passionately in love with the way the author writes the story along the margins until reaching the point where the protagonist is revealed. It's so beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

I'm devastated by the ending and with the entire life of Liir. He is among the top 10 characters who deserved just five minutes of peace and rest, but couldn't get it

Disappointing really.

I truly LOVED Wicked, and the story is indeed interesting. I was deeply invested in the characters and had a strong desire to know what would happen next. However, for some reason, the book seemed to drag on and on.

I suspect that perhaps the author's writing style becomes tiresome after a while. Each sentence is a bit overly crafted, and as a result, the important action seems to get lost or buried beneath the elaborate prose.

Despite this, there is a good foundation laid for a third novel, and since I have a great love for Oz, I'm certain that I'll read that one as well.

Here's hoping that Mr. Maguire can improve and deliver a more engaging and tightly-paced story next time.

Liir sets out on his own after the fall of the Witch. His mission is to find his possible half-sister Nod. As he embarks on this journey, he discovers that Oz is in a state of political change with the departure of the Wizard.

Son of a Witch isn't a great book. I would consider Wicked a great book, but Son of a Witch isn't bad either. The problem with this book is that it feels like filler for a much bigger story. It does touch upon some of the questions that were left over from Wicked. Despite now being a "series", I don't think Wicked was originally intended to be anything but a stand-alone novel.

The book does develop the character of Liir, which is a positive aspect. However, unfortunately, it seems to just be getting started when Maguire suddenly ends it. This gives the impression that Maguire intended to continue the series, as he has indeed done. But this isn't necessarily fair for the readers. It would have been much nicer if the story had been wrapped up a little better, providing a more satisfying conclusion.

Overall, Son of a Witch has its merits, but it also has its flaws. It leaves the readers with a sense of unfinished business and a desire for more.

Although this book initially began as excruciatingly slow as "Wicked", it gradually became more interesting and captivating as the story progressed.

Did Maguire spend too much time on the maunts? Perhaps, but that's beside the point. The profound character development of Liir was truly unexpected. In the previous book, he wasn't a particularly remarkable character. However, as he grew and learned, finding his way through the trials and tribulations of Oz, you couldn't help but cheer for him.

His affection for Elphaba and the memories they shared were incredibly endearing, especially considering that she was never overly kind to him, just a bit soft. He managed to keep her memory alive and constantly strived to channel her and do what she would have done when facing adversity.

I enjoyed reading about his evolving relationship with Candle and his curious explorations of his sexuality with Trism. It added great depth and many dynamic aspects to a seemingly simple character like Liir. I also appreciated the finality of his relationship with Princess Nastoya and the birds of the Conference of the Birds. Additionally, I liked getting to know more about Shell, who was barely mentioned in "Wicked". Overall, I did enjoy the book and was once again drawn into reading another entire work by Gregory Maguire. Will it happen again with "A Lion Amongst Men"? I'm quite certain.

I still have an unwavering love for everything that Gregory Maguire has accomplished regarding the world-building in expanding the world of Oz. His work in this regard is truly remarkable. This particular installment was an interesting continuation of the story. It carried a lot of similar themes to the first book, "Wicked". It was fascinating to witness what transpired next in the enchanting land of Oz and to follow along with Lir's journey. However, I must admit that the ending left me with a tinge of dissatisfaction. It didn't quite meet the expectations I had set based on the engaging build-up throughout the narrative. Nevertheless, the overall experience of delving into this expanded Oz universe was still highly enjoyable and值得回味.

In 2025, the world will witness significant changes.

Technology will continue to advance at an astonishing pace. We may see the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence in various fields, transforming the way we work and live.

The transportation sector could experience a revolution with the emergence of self-driving cars and more efficient public transportation systems.

In the field of medicine, new breakthroughs may lead to better treatments and cures for various diseases.

Moreover, 2025 might bring about greater environmental awareness and a push towards more sustainable practices.

People will be more conscious of their carbon footprint and strive to make a positive impact on the planet.

Overall, 2025 holds great potential for progress and innovation in multiple aspects of our lives.

It will be a year of exciting possibilities and challenges as we continue to shape the future.

3.5

This wasn't my favorite sequel book, obviously based on the rating.

In the least arrogant way possible, I consider myself to be a rather intelligent person. However, I was truly struggling to understand this book.

It reached a point where, at the end of each section, I had to rely on CHATGPT to summarize each part of the book just to ensure that I was comprehending it correctly.

All things considered, I might attempt to pick up the other two books at a later time. But for now, it has really put me in a reading slump.

If I don't quit reading this book now, I'm afraid I'll tank my reading goal for the year.

I hope that by taking a break from this particular book, I can regain my enthusiasm for reading and approach the other books with a fresh perspective.

Maybe then, I'll be able to better appreciate the story and the writing.

I can usually breeze through any book, especially those of the fictional genre. However, much to my chagrin, I'm throwing in the towel on this particular piece of garbage right here.

I embarked on this book a mere 10 days ago, and yet I've only managed to get through 120 pages. This speaks volumes about how little enjoyment I'm deriving from it. In fact, the deeper I delved into its pages, the more I dreaded picking it up, and the more I yearned to be reading something else. Literally anything else would do.

Liir is hands down one of the most uninteresting main characters I've ever come across. It's not that I loathe this character, nor am I completely indifferent towards him. It's more of an actively hostile ambivalence. Whatever it was that endeared the other characters to me in Wicked seems to be completely lacking here.

To make matters worse, the pacing is utterly atrocious, and the plot line is a snooze-fest. So, yeah, I'm done. Fuck this dull, shapeless, grey goo of an abomination.