Search - Son of a Witch (Wicked Years, Bk 2)

While I thought this book was much better than Wicked, I found it to be just as depressing as the first one. It was only in the last fourth of this book that the story finally started to get interesting. The main character Liir, like his mother before him, never seems to accomplish much until nearly the ending of the book. He is neglected and abused his whole childhood and he doesn't fare much better in early adulthood. The dialogue between the characters has to be read carefully as well -- facial expressions, thoughts, and body language are not described when the characters are speaking to each other so sometimes it is difficult to tell if the conversational remarks are humorous, used with sarcasm or are meant to be cruel. If there is a next book in this series I will probably read it just to find out if the story continues to improve.

I enjoyed this book and felt it ended too soon. I can't wait for the sequel. (There'd better be one as it left you hanging!)

A great premise, but hard to muddle through at times.
(this is going to be pretty short)

This book is good. I won't say it isn't. It just wasn't my cup of tea this time around. I feel like it was too removed from the greatness that was Wicked - the dialogue felt stilted, the characters lackluster, the plot hard to get through compared with the former book. This book falls unfortunate victim to the old malady of 'sequelitis.' As a standalone, it's interesting enough, and well-done in its own way. But in the shadow of Wicked, it just doesn't please me as much.

Gregory Maguire is an excellent writer. In spite of what I felt were weakened characters and awkward dialogue, the main character Liir still managed to connect to me. I felt engaged it certain points by him, or intrigued by other characters. The main problem is the long dumps of boring or no action - I continually felt myself wanting to put the book down.

The story is just as sad and heart-breaking as the first, the perspective as woe-begotten as the former. It's well done, but heart-rending.

If you enjoyed Wicked, by all means, pick up this book. For the attentive and dedicated reader, it will engage and inspire. If you're feeling ADD, I recommend leaving it until you're ready to get focused. :)

I liked it. Definitely shows a different perspective of the Land of OZ. You feel for the wicked witch and her "son". It was easy from the writing to envision the land and details of the adventure of the Son of A Witch.

Bruised, comatose and left for dead in a gully, Liir is shattered in spirit as well as in form. At the Cloister of Saint Glinda the silent novice Candle tends to him, willing him back to life with her unusual 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 half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prisin 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?

This book is the 2nd in a series (Wicked is the first one), telling the "Wizard of Oz" story in a different perspective. Elphaba is the Wicked Witch of the West, who was killed by Dorothy.

The characters are developed well, the story flows and there are mysteries within mysteries to keep the reader interested.