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A review by readingoverbreathing
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
adventurous
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'll admit right off the bat that I had pretty high hopes for this book. As much fun as it's been returning to middle grade and the books that have passed me by, all along I've been searching for that sense of utter wonder and immersion you get reading as a kid, and I guess I shouldn't be as surprised as I am to report that, as an adult, I have yet to find that again.
This book, however, came pretty close.
Townsend's imagination is clearly limitless, and the world she creates here is unlike almost any other. Every aspect is rich with detail, from Morrigan's bedroom in the Hotel Deucalion to the lush descriptions of each and every character to the thoughtful plotting of the trials themselves. Nevermoor is the kind of world any kid would want to live in, full of secrets and surprises and pure fun and joy at every turn.
She also doesn't shy away from some dark subjects, which I've noticed contemporary middle grade has become rather skittish of: death, abandonment, failure, greed, destruction. All are handled with both the lightness and the seriousness that the best middle grade is able to balance.
Honestly, it's actually quite hard for me to put my finger on what really held me back here, beyond the fact that I as a twenty-four-year-old, am not the target audience. I think the main thing was Morrigan herself, whom I found to be rather insipid a lot of the time, especially in comparison to the dazzling world and vivid characters around her. I do, however, understand that that was ultimately part of the point.
All in all, I really wasn't anticipating any strong desire to carry on with this series, but those last fifty pages or so have convinced me otherwise. This truly was such a lovely reading experience, and I don't know why I'm so surprised that I'm already craving a return to this world — more Nevermoor for me, please!
This book, however, came pretty close.
Townsend's imagination is clearly limitless, and the world she creates here is unlike almost any other. Every aspect is rich with detail, from Morrigan's bedroom in the Hotel Deucalion to the lush descriptions of each and every character to the thoughtful plotting of the trials themselves. Nevermoor is the kind of world any kid would want to live in, full of secrets and surprises and pure fun and joy at every turn.
She also doesn't shy away from some dark subjects, which I've noticed contemporary middle grade has become rather skittish of: death, abandonment, failure, greed, destruction. All are handled with both the lightness and the seriousness that the best middle grade is able to balance.
Honestly, it's actually quite hard for me to put my finger on what really held me back here, beyond the fact that I as a twenty-four-year-old, am not the target audience. I think the main thing was Morrigan herself, whom I found to be rather insipid a lot of the time, especially in comparison to the dazzling world and vivid characters around her. I do, however, understand that that was ultimately part of the point.
All in all, I really wasn't anticipating any strong desire to carry on with this series, but those last fifty pages or so have convinced me otherwise. This truly was such a lovely reading experience, and I don't know why I'm so surprised that I'm already craving a return to this world — more Nevermoor for me, please!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death