I felt the same way when I read Wicked. Of course I knew what the Witch’s fate was supposed to be but I kept hoping Maguire would say to hell with it all and just change it. I realize he couldn’t; not without pissing people off but I’ve never been a very big fan of The Wizard of Oz myself so the alternate ending wouldn’t have troubled me at all.

I’ve read most of Maguire’s other books and I’ve found them all lacking. Wicked is really his best work in my opinion. For that reason I expected Son of a Witch to be better. I was disappointed by it however. It doesn’t at all have the same feeling or rythm that Wicked does. And the son doesn’t have the same appeal as Elphaba. Quite honestly, if it wasn’t for the fact that I was on vacation and determined to finish all the books I’d taken with me, I don’t know if I would have bothered to finish it.