false 13521 0060747226 9780060747220 10595 1328 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166564765m/13521.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13521.Son_of_a_Witch_A_Novel 7025 Gregory Maguire 125050 15443 5 0 false Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 06 03:32:46 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 13 05:41:43 -0700 2009
In SON his main character Liir plays the existential hero (if there's a such thing) trying to define himself and carve some type of legacy in the absurdity that is Oz. Whereas WICKED was a more religious bildungsroman, SON seems more philosophical. I sense Jean Paul Sartre's inspiration (or uninspiration -- I don't find Sartre too terribly inspiring) in these pages (existence precedes essence).

Lots of bizarre characters and symbolism (like in WICKED). SON is more cohesive than WICKED, for instead of dedicating each chapter to key stages in Liir's life (like he did with Elphaba), Maguire compacts the story, adding a sense of connection that WICKED lacked.

SPOILERS FOLLOW: I didn't leave the book with as many questions as I had after reading WICKED, but I am wondering about the necessity of the singing scraped faces. I know that they are symbolic of the importance of remembering the past (as is the drawing of Nor and the broom and cape) but why such a twisted and disturbing ceremony? Also, at one point in the novel, Liir rises above his own body. I took this as his soul or spirit, something that Elphaba yearned for but never had. Am I right? I hope to post some more thoughts connecting Sartre to Liir, but that's for another time.

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