Author Gregory Maguire made a name for himself with his startling revisionist view of the Wicked Witch of the West in his novel “Wicked.” Now that the musical adaptation of his work is enjoying a highly successful run on Broadway, Maguire thought the time was right to revisit the Land of Oz and the characters he created in his first journey to the mythical land. The joyful product of this return to the author’s roots is the excellent sequel to “Wicked” – “Son of a Witch.”

“Son of a Witch” focuses on a boy, Liir, and his journey to manhood in an Oz that is far more dangerous since the death of the Witch and the departure of the Wizard. Liir is alluded to being the son of Elphaba, the Witch, and her lover, Fiyero. The narrative jumps between Liir in the past and in the present. In the past, the story follows Liir’s search for his probable half-sister, the Princess Nor, after the death of the Witch. In the present, Liir lies beaten and comatose. He is left under the care of the young Candle, a woman with strange powers relating to music.

If one expects to see many of the characters they already know from the Oz saga, such as Glinda and Dorothy, disappointment should also be expected. These characters make only cursory appearances which provide Maguire’s unique take on their characters added depth, though in occasionally negative ways.

Maguire chooses to focus his story on the characters he creates. This allows readers to get to know more of the exceptional cast the author has created.

None of the characters in Maguire’s world can be exclusively labeled good or evil. Instead, the author presents the populace of Oz in all the glorious shades of gray that are found in humanity.

Shell, Elphaba’s brother, helps Liir obtain entrance to the Southstairs prison in the Emerald City in the course of the boy’s search for Nor, but later Liir recoils in horror when he learns what his possible uncle accepts in payment for his services in the prison. Another mysterious character is the infirm Mother Yackle, an enigma who makes several appearances in Maguire’s original book about Oz. This woman seems to have a hand in guiding the fate of all those connected to Elphaba and again steers the destiny of several Ozians with her influence and actions.

The only drawback one might find in this well-written book is the graphic nature of some of the scenes. Although the author has toned down some of the sex scenes and violence found in “Wicked,” neither of these topics are ignored in “Son of a Witch.” Maguire does not shy away from presenting topics of a seemly nature, so the reader should be prepared to read some things they might find disturbing. For the most part, however, these scenes do not detract from the novel but instead give the Land of Oz just another layer of depth.

Oz and its story are practically held sacred in American culture and Maguire has successfully taken a story that once belonged to someone else and made it uniquely his, in a tale that is exceptionally narrated. “Son of a Witch” weaves together a coming-of-age saga and the all too relatable task of discovering one’s self with an exploration of the faults of a society, even that of a mythical land like Oz. Relish the chance to revisit a childhood destination in all of the glory of adulthood in Maguire’s “Son of a Witch.”