Nevermoor : The trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Lothian, 2017. ISBN 9780734418074
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Fantasy. Adventure. Sorcery. Good and
evil. Mystery. Jessica Townsend's debut novel unveils the
mystifying, magical world of Nevermoor filled with 'Wunder',
extraordinary larger than life characters and gothic drama. The
countdown is on. Cursed child Morrigan Crow, born at midnight on
Eventide, is destined to die on her twelfth birthday. Unfortunately,
time speeds up and her life is to be cut short a year early. While
her distant family, her father Chancellor Crow, her stepmother and
grandmother tolerate the child and pay for her misdeeds, Morrigan is
resigned to her fate. Fortuitously, she receives two last minute
bids for her to study under two different mentors. Mysterious
Jupiter North rescues the terrified child and they travel far away
to Nevermoor, a magical city protected from the Hunt. North
nominates her as a candidate to become a pupil at an elite school
for the smartest and most talented students.
Life in Nevermoor is intriguing. Morrigan resides at the amazing
Deucalion Hotel with fantastical rooms, including the sensory Smoke
Room and an ever-changing bedroom filled with amazing decor.
Fenestra the talking Magnificat, is the larger than life housekeeper
who provides guidance for the young girl. Morrigan finds friends who
help her understand the four challenging trials she has to compete
in. From five hundred children, the elders of the Wundrous Society
will accept only nine candidates.
The trial of Morrigan Crow compellingly delivers the
quintessential fantasy in a beautifully crafted world. In this
coming of age story, Morrigan is a survivor who shows determination,
courage and resilience, questioning her life, her destiny, and her
talents. Townsend builds her layered plot, with poignant and
descriptive language, with colourful characters, magical places
filled with light and shade and emotional heights and depths. She
explores the themes of political unrest, bureaucratic power and the
impact of the energy crisis. Transportation takes on a creative
twist: Octavia the mechanical spider carries them across the border,
and there is dragon-riding in the trials and flying with magical
umbrellas. Townsend takes the reader on an exciting journey and
leaves us wanting so much more; where to next for Morrigan?
Rhyllis Bignell