Son of a Witch: A Novel (Wicked Years)
by Gregory Maguire
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Book Reviews of Son of a Witch: A Novel (Wicked Years)
Book Review: No where near as good as Wicked
Summary: 3 Stars
Meh. So this sequel was a bit disappointing when compared to Wicked. Maybe this is because I thought Wicked was so great, but I think really it is because it simply isn't as good.
The biggest issues I had were with the first 130 pages: it is not until half-way through that the book really becomes interesting. But after getting through that first part, the book was much better and I really got into the story. The other characters... well, I found them less appealing, especially Candle, whose character is almost as boring as her name. I was incredibly pissed about one particular change in a character and how it's presented because it felt to me like it smelled of sloppy character building.
The entire book was like this in that it felt to me like an early draft more than a finished book. There were parts that were clear and focused, and it was definitely interesting (after the first part), but there were too many holes and thin bits in the plot, that just didn't stick right.
So while if you absolutely loved Wicked, you might at least want read this to satisfy your curiosity, I really don't recommend it.
Book Review: The Son is nothing like the Mother!!!
Summary: 1 Stars
I started to read this book about a month after I read the fabulous Wicked. I did not know however, that I would not finish this one. Going into this book is a disaster. I had to skip the first 30 pages because of boredom. After the next ten pages I sadly decided to stop reading it. Many reviewers have their different opinions why it went so bad. My idea and solution is that GREGORY MAGUIRE WROTE THIS TEN YEARS AFTER WICKED!!! His heart wasn't still in the story, he didn't remember the wonderful characters and world he created. I did read however, the last couple of pages in the book and saw that there might possibly be a third book but I highly doubt it. If he is writing a third book and once I hear of it I will get the audiotape of this book and finish it that way so I don't have to waste a lot of my time.
P.S. I also wanted to stop reading the book because I absolutely love Wicked and it is my favorite book in the world and I didn't want my opinion to change because of this book.
Book Review: Expected as a sequel to a great book
Summary: 1 Stars
I am greatly disappointed after just completing the book. I dove right into it after finishing Wicked. I suppose, I should have just thought about it for a minute. A popular precursor? A sequel a few years later? What will it bring? Major disappointment.
Combined with a boring plot (the writer seemed to get lost up until 250ish) and was stringing (barely) a few different situations together, which, in the end, came up to be a huge mangled mess with an open opportunity for a sequel.
One thing that caught me off-guard with this novel was the romantic situation with Liir and Tism. What? Where the heck did this come from? Just did not seem to fit. A crush or something would have been acceptable and would fit perfectly because of Liirs' past and his lack of a father figure, but to create a big love triangle right at the end, what?
Full attention is needed for this book. You will be reading and suddenly get ADD. BE WARNED!
Book Review: Children aren't the same as their parents
Summary: 4 Stars
It's a mistake to start reading this book with too many expectations from the first book WICKED. It's the sequel - and it's a wonderful book. But once you have told the story of Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West - what's left? If you are familiar with the full series of Oz books, this leaves you confused, since there is no effort to coordinate with those - and heaven help you if you read this without having first read the other.
But with all those caveats and quibbles, it's a wonderful story. A little dark - ok, a LOT dark. Not many laughs or happy moments, but a well-structured meandering in a consistent and creative fictional land. I am sure they will make a movie of the first book, especially with the great success of the musical - one can only hope they will also do a sequel film, because the special effects alone will be worth seeing.
Buy it and enjoy it, but take it for what it is on its own.
Book Review: decent enough read
Summary: 4 Stars
*spoiler alert*
liir was such indecisive character. He spent most of his time either escaping reality or thinking about how possible it was that elphaba was his mum. The story was extremely slow at times, but as if on que would pick up the pace once it got too droll. I didn't really have anything against the excessive self discovery/realisation bits, but I was definitely pissed off at how after all that happened, he was still the same wishy washy character he was at the start of the book. After all his wanting to be emotionally attached to someone, he just HAD to go and mess things up by being indecisive. Ah well, if only the end didn't leave you in the dark about so many things, like: Is he a bi? Has realising who his mum is, changed his perception of himself? Did the chic abondon him because of the baby(or his divided affections), or did she really try to lead the soldiers away from him?