Son of a Witch, by Gregory Maguire

I am continuing the Wicked Years novels and have completed book 2 - Son of a Witch.  This is, of course, another re-read, but I love the books so much.  This installment tells the tale of Liir, the young boy who followed Elphaba out to the Vinkus.  The story picks up right after the Witch's death and follows Liir through a little more than a decade.  There are many questions about his parents/beginnings and Liir spends a lot of time in his memories trying to figure out the answers to these questions.  There isn't very much that is very explicit about Liir's origins, but lots of foreshadowing, subtext and hinting abound.  It is a great way for the reader to become involved and invested in Liir. 

There were a lot of minor details that I had forgotten or that had passed through my mind unnoticed on previous readings.  I became truly involved in Liir's life on this reading and find his story exciting and wonderful.  One of the main themes of this novel is how knowing (or not-knowing) who your family is affects your life and your choices.  In Liir's case, many other characters assume he is Elphaba's son, but Liir doesn't know for sure.  As Liir spends the course of the novel attempting to discover who he is and who he will be, I found myself right there with him.  How does what other people think or believe about me affect my actions and choices in life.  I truly enjoy this series, and Gregory Maguire as an author.