Review: Nevermoor. The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Author: Jessica Townsend
Edition: audiobook
Publisher: Hachette Audio (December 1, 2017)
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
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Synopsis
A cursed girl escapes death and finds herself in a magical world – but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination
Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she’s blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks–and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.
But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.
It’s then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city’s most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart – an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests – or she’ll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.
My thoughts
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is a magical adventure for readers of all ages. It’s full of wonder and mystery but also a lot darker than I assumed. Jessica Townsend takes her readers seriously and trusts children to be able to handle darker themes such as death and complicated family dynamics.
Plot and Pacing
I don’t read a lot of Middle Grade books but Nevermoor showed me that I am missing out! I have rarely loved getting to know a fictional world as much as I loved exploring Nevermoor. It’s vibrant and fantastical in unique and unexpected ways and kept getting more and more interesting! I would move into the Hotel Deucalion in a heartbeat if I could. There are so many whimsical moments around every corner and I can’t wait to see the world expand in the sequels.
The main plot follows Morrigan as she completes the trials to become a member of the Wundrous society. The trials were exciting but I liked that there were enough other interesting sub-plots happening that Nevermoor didn’t feel like just a straightforward adventure story. Jessica Townsend managed to weave all these strands of action together masterfully in a way that felt genuinely exciting, there wasn’t a single boring moment in this book!
This is very much a personal preference, but I adored the writing. Nevermoor has such a strong sense of voice, it is whacky and funny and fit the characters perfectly. Speaking of narrators, Gemma Whelan did a fantastic job with the audiobook. She truly brought the characters to life by giving them unique voices that fit their personalities. Her performance truly captured the magic of the story and made for a wonderful reading experience.
Characters
My favourite part of Nevermoor had to be the characters. Morrigan as an almost Wednesday Adams style goth kid was a lovely juxtaposition to colourful and quirky characters such as Jupiter North and I immediately fell in love with her. She is an unusual main character but incredibly endearing in her childish defiance, especially in the beginning of the book. Watching her grow and gain confidence throughout the book was delightful and I can’t wait to see where her adventures take her next.
Jupiter North was absolutely wild in the best way possible. He is the kind of weird character that I love, larger than life and still somehow like a person you might know in your life. Like all adults in Nevermoor, he is not perfect or exempt from making mistakes and I liked that the book acknowledges this.
In the following books, I really hope we get to see more of Jack! He was an interesting character and I was kind of sad that we didn’t get to know him better. And of course, I am always here for more Fen content. What can I say, I am a cat lady, after all.
Overall, I fell head over hells for Nevermoor and its colourful cast of characters. It’s truly a book that deserves to be a children’s classic, but I strongly encourage readers of all ages to give it a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
This book is for you if…
…you love unique middle-grade novels with quirky characters that are really for readers of all ages
…you’re looking for a book to sweep you off your feet and take you into a magical world.
4 Comments
Olivia-Savannah
I am so happy reading your review of how much you ended up enjoying this one! I loved the world and the whimsical element of it. I did want a few more things explained. And Jupiter’s North entrance was absolutely iconic and we love to see it ^.^
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