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Science Fiction & Fantasy |
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Son of a Witch: A Novel
written by Gregory Maguire
Studio : Harper Paperbacks
by Harper Paperbacks
Release Date : 2006-09-26
Publisher : Harper Paperbacks
Released : 2006-10-01
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780060747220
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 210 reviews)
List Price : $16.00
Our Price : $7.25
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Product Description |
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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. |
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Gets better as you read |
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I highly recommend that you read Maguire's "Wicked" before attempting this book or you may easily get lost in the characters and plotlines. "Wicked" is a tough act to follow and "Son of a Witch", while good, isn't as enchanting. It tends to feel less substantial in characters and plot but isn't a bad book; it's just that "Wicked" was better. Most of the interesting things in this book happen in the last 1/8 so keep at it even if you might feel like the plot is a little slow. That last 1/8th comes at you like an arrow shot from a crossbow. If you enjoyed "Wicked" this follow-up is a must-read. I can't wait for the third book, scheduled to come out on October 16, 2008, "A Lion Among Men" I think it's called. Hopefully,some of the plotlines in this book will be wrapped up; a bit of a cliff-hanger was "Son of a Witch". |
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Lost time. |
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I liked Wicked. He did a great job creating a backstory and giving the characters depth. The "big" events in Wicked didn't need to be written as we're to remember them from the movie. Son of a Witch was written in the same way (i.e. just mentioning big events) but without giving the characters any depth. Just poorly done all the way through. Constantly waiting for something to happen, for some suspense to be created, but it didn't happen. Since I've only read two of his works, I don't know if he phoned this one in as a way of cashing in on the musical or if this is par for the course. What I do know, however, is that I won't be finding out 'cause I won't be spending any more money on his novels. Unfortunate. |
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an insult to Baum and readers |
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Liir, presumed son of the Wicked Witch (Elphaba), is on a quest to find his identity and his (maybe) half-sister. And nothing happens. As a fan of Baum's quirky and lovely original books, I can't quite get on board with Maguire. He sucks the magic and mystery out of Oz by soaking it in political and religious rhetoric and endless boring discussions on those matters. It is as if he doesn't trust readers of fantasy to be able to understand allegory. Baum did, and he was writing for children. Maguire's story is bogged down with these aspects, taking away from the characters and the magic, and boring his readers to tears. The novel rambles and seems to lack any point at all. His language is as silly as it is pointless, particularly is constant similes/metaphors, for instance, comparing the Cowardly Lion in the rain to "a stone lion in a fountain". He uses obscure vocabulary that breaks the flow of the reading. And, as a fan of the original works, I can't understand why he even bothers to place his work in Oz except as an excuse to cash in on another's work and shock the readers by making something so fluffy and light as Oz into a dark and political world. It's pretentious. I won't be reading anything else by this author, and I chucked out all his other books. Grade: F |
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A pointless read |
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To start off, I have to say that I enjoyed reading "Wicked," and have waded through all of Maguire's work with varying degrees of interest. As for "Son of a Witch," I stopped reading after 72 pages - it is horrible. Maguire is increasingly and pointlessly genital-centric in his novels, which becomes both frustrating and antagonizing after just the first few scenes. While I certainly have no problem with sex and sexuality in fiction and literature, Maguire is simply absurd. Freud would have had a field day with him - I just couldn't make myself turn another page. |
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NOT A FANTASY ENTHUSIAST! BUT THIS IS GOOD! |
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I must a be honest...I never read "Wicked"...So I cannot pick up on anything or give any comparison to "Son of a Witch." Liir, the son, has so many problems, and of course he is adapting to the loss of his love one. I found this real...about the only thing that was real! Thank goodness it is fantasy, as the author can take total control. It is obvious Gregory Maguire has an outstanding imaginary ability. I guess I should call it the ability to fantisize. A friend suggested I read more fantasy,and recommended this book. I must admit it is quite different from my normal read. It was entertaining reading...but yet...some of the segments, to me, did not fit together. But...it was well worth the read, and Mr. Maguire is a most talented writer. Peggy Inez, Author, ISBN:978-159858-400-4 The Gully |
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