"Son of Witch" companion, not sequel, to adventures in Oz

Gregory Maguire prefers to call "Son of a Witch", his latest novel, a companion book rather than a sequel to Wicked. After success in bookstores and a recent incarnation on Broadway, fans have been anticipating the continuation of Maguire's tale of Oz's famous witches. \nThe story does pick up at the last scene from "Wicked," in which Dorothy accidentally kills Elphaba (better known as the Wicked Witch of the West). But some readers may miss the main characters from the first novel. Though Glinda appears a few times, Elphaba and Fiyero have died, and the Wizard has fled the country. In their absence, the story follows a new central character -- Liir, the young boy who traveled with Elphaba and is supposedly her son. So, Maguire's story becomes a boy's journey in the world Elphaba left behind. \nIn alternating chapters, the author takes the reader through two eras of Liir's life. In one, he shows Liir's recovery from a coma and his search for answers from his past; in the other he follows Liir's journey after his alleged mother's death ten years earlier. \nThe plot takes a while to get rolling, but how fast can a novel move when its hero is in a coma? If you can make it through the first quarter of the book, the rest moves at a faster pace.\nAfter Elphaba's death, Liir accompanies Dorothy and her friends to the Emerald City, where he learns about the corruption of Oz's political system (which he will encounter later during a stint in the Munchkinland Army). He then decides to search for Nor, his childhood companion and, if the rumors are true, his half-sister. Equipped with the witch's infamous broom and cape, Liir meets people from her past; Glinda, her college roommate, and Shell, Elphaba's corrupt younger brother, who agree to aid Liir in his search. \nIn the chapters following Liir's older days, a mute girl in the monastery revives him with her music, and they start a life together. Liir then goes to the Emerald City once more to continue his search for Nor and discover the secrets of his past, an effort he failed at ten years before. \nWhile Liir does find quite a bit of information on his past, some of the major plot points from the beginning of the novel are never fully developed. We never find out as we would expect what became of Nor, and a few scenes involving an Elephant princess seem to exist for no reason.\nMaguire gives his characters an endearing mixture of humor and cynicism. \nReaders will not likely identify with his characters on a deep emotional level, but perhaps they will identify more with the experiences of the characters. Like Elphaba, Liir is strong willed and courageous, but he differs from her enough to keep him wondering whether he is actually her son. Sister Apothecaire and Sister Doctor, the nuns who retrace Liir's trail to discover his history while he is in a coma, are a humorous duo -- a welcome sight in the serious themes of the novel.\nAnyone who has read Maguire's work knows he tends to be wordy. "Son of a Witch" is no exception. While the text can be overwhelming most of the time, Maguire puts his words to good use. The imagery in this book is amazing, intensely describing sights, sounds, smells, and all other aspects vital to Liir's experience, such as this description of the night in the first chapter:\n"Upon the knee of the horizon balanced the head of a jackal moon, so-called because, once every generation or so, a smear of celestial flotsam converged behind the crescent moon of early autumn. The impact was creepy, the look of a brow and snout. As the moon rounded out over a couple of weeks, the starveling would turn into a successful hunter, its cheeks bulging." \n"Son of a Witch" is an effective vehicle for Maguire's social commentary. The structure of Oz's society and corrupt military influence in everyday life is reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and Liir and his friends have to face racism that exists among humans, munchkins, and animals.\nThough the prequel "Wicked" can give the reader content and familiarity, it is not necessary to read before "Son of a Witch." It is nice to know the story leading up to Elphaba's death, but the first part of this book gives a solid history of its characters. \nIf you haven't read "Wicked," this book is a good introduction to Maguire's ideas on the "real" Oz. For those who have read the prequel, this book will seem more like a bridge in a Maguire trilogy -- a shocking discovery in the final pages of the novel is a clear setup for another sequel. \nEven if you don't like this book, the final sentence is enough to keep Maguire fans longing for a continuation of the story.