Son of a Witch - Gregory Macguire

After Dorothy killed the Wicked Witch of the West she clicked her heels together and headed home to live happily ever after. But, back in Oz, one young man isn't enjoying such a happy ending.

Lur is found bruised and comatose in a gully. Taken to the Cloister of Saint Glinda he is willed back to life by a silent novice. What dark force left Lur in this condition? Is he really the Wicked Witch's son? He has her broom and her cape - but what of her powers?

In an Oz that is under new and dangerous management, can Lur keep his head down long enough to grow up?

Published by: Headline Review - Fiction
Year: 2007
Pages: 503
ISBN: 978-1-4722-1214-6

'Son of a Witch' is the second in the series of novels by Gregory Maguire that tells the alternative story of the Wizard of Oz and number 18 off my 'yet to be read bookshelf'.  In the first book titled 'Wicked' which is the novel that inspired the musical, the wicked witches have both met their demise. When Elphaba left the mauntery she took with her a young boy Lur. Everyone believes him to be the son of Elphaba and Fieryo but Elphaba has no memory of giving birth to a child.  After the death of Elphaba all that Lur has is the witches broom and cape.  In this sequel Lur goes in search of Nor his childhood friend and possible half sister.  Along the way he will make many acquaintances but one in particular is Candle who helps him recover from injuries incurred along the way.  Lur will also establish the truth as to who is his mother. 

Although this was another great novel from Gregory Maguire I did think there was something lacking in it for me. That said it would not put me off reading the remaining 2 novels in this series. We have all read a sequence of books haven't we where we thought there was one not quite so good as the others.

If you are a Wizard of Oz fan I would recommend you read this series of alternative novels to the original Frank Baum books.

Happy reading one & all.

Mx