Book Review

Title: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Nevermoor Book 1)

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mental Health

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After Game of Thrones took up so much time for the book club to read and I also put it down due to my mental health at the time we decided for something easier to read for March and that was the first book in the Nevermoor series. The opening to The Trials of Morrigan Crow was interesting as we are introduced to Morrigan, a cursed child, meaning she is going to die on her 12th birthday and she is also the daughter of an important politician, Corvus Crow but neither he or her stepmother seem to care about Morrigan and her impending death. Despite this her father does let her attend bid day, where children receive bids from the wealthy for further education and she ends up receiving four bids which has never been heard of, especially for a cursed child. Corvus believe this is a prank since no one turned up to interview Morrigan but she was speaking with a man said to representing Ezra Squall, the more important man in the kingdom but this was also a ruse. However, the season is changing which means Morrigan is going to die in a few hours but a mysterious man named Jupiter North turns up to escort Morrigan to her new home as her patron and helps her escape the Hunt for her. Right now things are a little confusing but I have a feeling that things will begin to make sense soon.

Jupiter takes Morrigan to Nevermoor to the hotel he owns and runs where she will be living from now one and she is trying to adjust to this new strange and delightful world that she has been brought to but she is still harbouring fears from her upbringing. When Morrigan learns of the trials she is going to go through to try and gain entry into the Wundrous Society she realises that for Jupiter to bid on her she has to have a knack or talent but she doesn’t believe she has one. One night she encounters to assistant for Ezra Squall in the hotel and realises that Squall’s bid on her wasn’t a hoax and the offer is still open to her but she wants to give Jupiter and chance but she has to know whether or not she has a knack because she doesn’t believe she has one or that her curse is the knack which scares her even more. The following morning she discusses it with Jupiter and we get to see their almost father and daughter relationship and he explains that she does have a knack she just doesn’t know what it is yet and he explains that the Society will provide her with the family she has always wanted and this almost makes Morrigan cry.

Morrigan is really stressed leading up to the first trial but she has managed to make both friends and enemies. The first trial is a combination of a written and oral test but nothing is like it seems and Morrigan who isn’t from Nevermoor actually figures it out before many of the others and secures her entry into the second trial. She has the summer between the first and second trials so she uses this time to relax but there are things happening around Morrigan that she is beginning to question. The first is how she felt burned by the fireblossoms when they haven’t bloomed in a long time and how Squall’s assistant knew things that were happening when Morrigan mentioned nothing about them but she can’t think on it too much since the second trial is coming up soon. The second trial is a chase where they have to locate targets and hit only one to secure their place in the next trail. Morrigan is going to secure one of the easier targets but her “steed” Fen, the hotel’s housekeeper and giant cat decides they are going for one of the gold targets to get Morrigan a place at the secret dinner but Noelle’s minions are trying to prevent her from getting a target since Morrigan is technically illegal because Jupiter smuggled her in to Nevermoor using a loophole in the law.

Morrigan technically fails the second trial and is due to be kicked out of Nevermoor but thanks to another candidate cheating she is given admission to the third trial which again is a few months away. Around Halloween, Morrigan ends up accidently going through the Fright Trial which brings her darkest fears to life and she makes it through that by the skin of her teeth but now her nightmares are coming to life as the final trial looms closer and closer with each passing day. Morrigan has repeatedly asked Jupiter about her knack and he is evasive but when Morrigan overhears a conversation about the consequences for Jupiter and the other if she is confirmed to be an illegal makes her decision for her. During her time in Nevermoor, Morrigan has come to see these people as her friends and family so she asks Jupiter to remove her from the trials and take her back before anything bad can happen and surprisingly Jupiter doesn’t try to change her mind this time as he has in the past.

The final trial and the all the reveals that come with that was amazing as we get to see the true nature of Morrigan Crow and what that potentially means for Nevermoor. This reveal does put some strain on the relationship between Jupiter and Morrigan but I’m hoping that will be mending in the second book. I really liked the way Townsend inserted a discussion on mental health into the story but it didn’t affect the reading if you don’t pick it up. The only downside for me was there was a lack of character development and depth but this is most likely because the book was targeted at a much younger audience but overall was a really solid read.

This is such a fun book and a fun series that I encourage any young and older read to check out. It goes so much deeper than just being a children's book and draws you in to the powers of magic and belonging. The charaters develop so much throughout this and it was a real pleasure to watch there jouney throughout

Nevermoor was just incredible! A world steeped in magic and chaos and one that I devoured! I loved Morrigan and the way she was determined to change her path. Also Jupiter North was such a unique character and probably my favourite, despite his constant disappearances. This is such a great start to what I can see being an incredible middle-grade series.

The whole book world has been searching for the next Harry Potter since that series ended. Is this that book? That series. Possibly not, but only because there can never be another Harry Potter. Saying that, this was a very enjoyable read and I'm quite some way over the aimed for age.

The characters are so interesting and funny. Each character’s are truly a mystery and the more you read about them the more interesting they get. Morrigan is an amazing heroine. She is brave, funny and full of self-respect. The reason why I don’t give this book a five out five is because I found it to be a bit repetitive sometimes. Before every trial Morrigan goes through the same emotions and the same doubt.

The tone is so well done, the sinister scenes are cleverly managed so as to always have the feeling of hope that Morrigan will be ok but at the same time be ever so slightly terrifying. The author has built a fantastic world full of properly fantastic characters from boys who ride dragons, a girl who is forgettable and a host of others. My favourite character was Fen the magnificat, I am very keen to own a magnificat even in they are very opinionated and can be sharp!

There’s no doubt, Townsend has an engaging and warm style and it’s easy to not only enter the world she creates, but thoroughly enjoy the lighter and darker aspects of it. I was reminded of Enid Blyton’s books, Mary Poppins, Philip Pullman’s works, as well as the Harry Potter series, for her ability to draw us in and create scenes you could see, smell, touch and taste. Conjuring wonderful images of magic and mayhem, the city of Nevermoor, and those who people it, are indeed, “wundrous” as are the many inventive trials, modes of transport, the organic, sentient buildings and celebrations the citizens enjoy.
From giant cats to zombies, witches, umbrella-transport systems, the “gossamer line”, and vampire dwarves, Nevermoor and Morrigan’s time there is never dull.

Overall I really loved this definitely happy to continue the series and was pleasantly surprised, i don’t normally read middle grade but u think after this book I’ll have to change that. I think will be buying a copy to add to my collection. Also the cover is lovely.

The BEST start to a series I've read in years! Nevermoor is dripping with magic that gives the reader the feeling of pure enchantment, from cover to cover.

This is a gorgeous, exciting and fun book featuring an extremely likeable female lead in the form of Morrigan Crow.

A fantasticly wacky middle grade about magic, family and friendship complete with a giant cats, dragons and a mysterious villain! Morrigan's tale sucks you in right away and takes you on a wild ride - much like the heart-stomping Brolly Rail!

This book was an utter delight. It was magical, whimsical and packed full of fantastic characters. I'm so excited to continue the series!

Morrigan Crow was cursed to die on her eleventh birthday, and as a result, had not led the happiest life. People always blamed her for everything, even when she had done nothing wrong. She was shunned and ignored and had very much learnt to expect the worst.

But Morrigan was destined for greater things, or so according to Jupiter North, a mysterious man who plucked her away from her misfortunate life and invited her to join the illustrious Wundrous Society. The Wundrous Society was a school for people with "knacks", talents or skills ranging from practical to magical. Morrigan had no clue what her knack was - in fact, she was quite sure she didn't have one - and was a bit confused as to why Jupiter had decided to be her patron. But who could turn down such a life-changing opportunity?

Morrigan was a fantastic protagonist. For a girl who had been neglected and ostracised most of her life, she had a great sense of humour. She was quick-witted, intelligent and stayed determined throughout the trials she was put through in order to gain entrance to the Wundrous Society.

Jupiter North was a man with many secrets, and I spent so much of the book trying to figure out why he had chosen Morrigan. But truly the greatest part was watching the familial bonds develop between Jupiter, Morrigan and the whole host of other unique and eccentric characters (Fenestra the cat being a favourite of mine). Morrigan had never really had friends before, or family she could rely on, and seeing her finally be able to make these bonds was a magic of its own.

The trials were exciting, there were a lot of really fun moments between Morrigan and her new friends, and the ending made it impossible to not want to pick up the next book!

Overall, this was a brilliant start to a new series, and one I think young readers will love (though you're never too old for magic, I say).

Jessica Townsend gives us a story packed with wunderous creatures, fun filled adventures and memorable characters. Whilst reading this book I kept getting Harry Potter/ Hunger Game vibes and the mash up actually worked. We have a strange but magnificent world to explore, characters that don’t understand their full potential, throw in a tournament where you’re up against other children and you’re all set.

I loved the quirky challenges and the riddles. My favourite challenge was the fright night, that one really got my heart racing! There were the usual stereotypes that you come to expect from a story of this nature. We had the underdog, mean girl, frenemy and many more but all this created an easy story line to follow and characters to love/hate. My two favourite characters were Jack and Fen. The each had a sarcy attitude but underneath they were big pussycats (especially in Fen’s case). Something tells me were going to see more from both of them in the future books and I can not wait.

By the time I got to the end I was left wanting more and so the next two books in the series will definitely be on my reading list. I am desperate to see what adventure and mischief Morrigan gets up to next.

Unfortunately I've tried reading this (and based on the reviews it's already received I'm missing out!) but it is unreadable on my (early version) Kindle.
Every page has the word 'uncorrected' on it in large font which appears to have overwritten a sentence or two on every page. I've tried but can't follow the story properly/clearly because of this and had to abandon reading it.
Thanks anyway for the preview copy.
(Given that every review so far has been 5 stars I've given it a 5 star rating too, but they've obviously been more successful than me reading this text).

Morrigan Crow has a miserable childhood. She’s a ‘cursed child’, doomed to die on her eleventh birthday and bringing dreadful luck to those around her until that day. Her family keep their distance, leaving her feeling more than a little unloved.

Events transpire, however, to save her – hardly a spoiler, that the main character doesn’t die at the start, even if we do begin with a funeral! – and she finds herself in the strange land of Nevermoor. She’s entered into the annual competition to join the Wundrous Society – except, the lucky few must past four trials, the last of which is to display a ‘knack’, a gift better than anyone else’s. And Morrigan does not have a knack…

I know I’m older than the target audience for this book, and yet it perfectly hits the sweet spot of whimsical but not talking down to the audience, making it perfect for grown ups, too. In fact, I loved it. There are nods to all sorts of possible inspirations – from Narnia to Doctor Who – but it’s brought together very nicely. Nevermoor is somewhere I’d like to visit, and sign me up for a room that alters itself to match moods.

The story of Morrigan’s trials (not quite Hunger Games level, don’t worry!) is perhaps less original than it could be, but again it’s told well. The mystery of her missing ‘knack’ is maintained throughout, keeping you guessing. The rivalry with the nasty girl is a bit of a cliche, but y’know what? It’s overall sweet and uplifting and entertaining, and well worth the read by kids of any age!

A wonderful, unique debut packed full of magic and fun. I was captivated by this tale and am already looking forward to getting stuck into the next one.

It's hard to believe that this is Jessica's debut and can't wait to see her career in children's fiction unfold.

I read this with my children aged 10 and 8, and they adored it. The story is action packed, incredibly imaginative, and immersive. Full of strong characters and humour, this is a must-read.

Strong characters and storyline make this an exciting read. The reader quickly becomes attached to Morrigan, the main character. The magic in this world is made believable by the description.. A definite recommendation for fans of magical fantasy.

Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka, Lemony Snicket, the Cat in the Hat and Harry Potter are just some of the stories that came to mind while reading this book.
The heroine, Morrigan may not do all the household chores, but she is held in as much contempt as Cinderella ever was, and not only by her family, but the whole town. Worse still, she knows her lifespan is very short and is due to die on a particular day and time, but then, the worst thing ever happens: the date of her imminent departure from the mortal world is brought forward!
The story is full of worlds and ideas that quite often make no sense, but Morrigan (who is strangely accepting in her change of fortune) has to find her place by completing several 'trials' or face death once more.
I cannot wait for the next book.

What an excellent start of series! Morrigan Crow is an independent, fierce young lady and I am looking forward to reading more of her adventures. Definitely some Potter parallels but different enough for this not to matter. Magical, enthralling read.

I enjoyed this despite the inevitable comparisons to Harry Potter (which in turn was compared to it's predecessors The Worst Witch and Diana Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci series don't forget...) In fact in my opinion Nevermoor bears more resemblance in it's world building to Chrestomanci and it's inventiveness and characters to Roald Dahl's novels. But lets draw a line under that... they're all great children's books and so is this.

A fun entertaining read (I loved Jupiter North and Fenestra the cat) and I'm looking forward to the next one.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

This is an absolutely brilliant book! I had heard so much about it so couldn't wait to read it for myself. I was not disappointed! A wonderful story for all ages!

Oh my gosh this book. I thought I knew what to expect. I have read so many books about young girls being transported to magical worlds and having adventures, but nothing prepared me for Nevermore. From the very start with the cursed children and the energy spikes, I knew that I was reading something truly special. And it only got better as the book went on.

Morrigan is a character with a lot of feelings and it's very easy to get inside her head and find yourself truly caught up in her narrative. It is impossible not to feel sympathy for her, the treatment of her by those around her. Many magical child narratives draw abuse or neglect into the origins of the character, but this setting with the cursed children and the way that society treated them brought new life into the idea of a poorly treated child discovering that she can be more than she thought possible.

The descriptions were amazing. Every image invoked emotions and imagination, drawing life into the words on the page. That and Morrigan's perspective made it so, so easy to just fall into the book and keep turning the page long after the time to go to bed.

I cannot wait to hear more from this character and Nevermore and the Wundrous Society. I hope this book takes off and gets the attention it deserves.