the slum he is living in is about to be 'cleaned up' by the authorities, and brings Elphaba's broom to Liir. Rain: Liir and Candle's daughter. Release details Son of a Witch was first released on October 1, 2005 in hardcover format by Regan Books. The paperback edition was released in the United States on January 1, 2006. Literary significance and criticism Overall, reviews for Son of a Witch were mixed. Some reviewers praised the book for its innovative look into an imperfect fantasy world while others disparaged the book's alleged lack of focus. Writing for The Boston Globe, Sarah Smith wrote, "Maguire has done it again: Son of a Witch is as wicked as they come," but Katharine Powers for The Washington Post called it "off-kilter and aimless." Kirkus Reviews keeps the middle ground of these two characterizations, writing, "The book works too hard to dazzle us; it's considerably more cluttered and strained than Wicked…but few readers will fail to stay its magical course. Once again, the myth of Oz proves its enduring power." In 2011, Gay-Nerds.com named Liir #1 on its list of Top Ten LGBT Book Characters. Notes 2005 American novels 2005 fantasy novels American fantasy novels Novels by Gregory Maguire Oz (franchise) books Sequel novels The Wicked Years Novels based on fairy tales ReganBooks books