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A review by mehsi
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
5.0
"Something woke Morrigan in the night. A sound - like the fluttering of wings or the riffling of pages. She lay awake, waiting for it to return, but the room was silent. Perhaps she'd been dreaming, of birds and books."
I fell in love when I first spotted this book during my visit in London. I wanted to bring it with me, but darn it, I couldn't. So I ordered it as soon as I got home. I had to have this book. Now that I finally read this book I can tell you that I fell in love with the whole book, cover, blurb, inside, characters, everything. This book is a magical trip with fantastic characters, a deep story, a wonderfully described world.
I will be trying to write a coherent review, I am still pretty dazzled by this book. By what it showed me, and how it just grabbed me and didn't let me go. So be warned for chaos. :P
Meet Morrigan Crow, a girl born on Eventide which means she is a Cursed Child and will also not live a very long life. She is not the only Cursed Child, we hear of others. We see that she doesn't have the easiest of lives. She gets blamed for everything. The kitchen cat dies? Her fault. Someone doesn't win a price? Her fault. No matter what she does, even if she just smiles, it is always her fault. Her father resents her as he gets to clean up the mess. Plus it doesn't help his image as chancellor to have a Cursed Child. And then there is the fact that she has only a short while before she dies. Yup. Knowing you die at a very young age, boy, that must be terrible to know. :(
I just adored Morrigan from the start. I loved seeing her get happier and healthier when she got to Nevermoor. I was happy that she finally had a place she could belong to. Plus she was brave, strong, and really smart. But I was also worried about her. We see her doubt and question a lot of things in the book and not always does she get the answers she so seeks. We see her be afraid, she has anxiety, she is worried. I just wish I could tell her everything would be fine. She has a new family, new friends who all love her and care for her. They would do their everything to help her.
Sure, I wished she had talked to Jupiter a bit sooner about a certain person/thing, instead of cropping it up and it being all too late.
The world was an instant hit to me. We have the Republic and the Free State. The author did a fabulous job on describing both places. Showing the Republic, where things are bit more serious (and not always too fun) to the Free State which is filled with wonder and magic. With strange parades, holidays, festivals. I just wanted to visit Nevermoor, explore this Free State. See all the wonders, visit Jupiter's hotel, go to all the sights that everyone is raving about.
I have to say Jupiter was a very nice character and I have to say I am charmed (just like so many people are charmed by him), but I feel that he could have been better. He kept secrets from Morrigan (with good reasons in the end), but I still wish he had been a bit more honest and less evasive. It certainly made Morrigan feel like she was doing things wrong, as if she was going to be brought back home at any moment, it made her feel worried, plus it definitely made her interested in another offer she had gotten back during Bid Day. Of course then the book would have been different, and I am not sure if that is something I would want. Yep, I should make up my mind, but I just can't.
But as I said, he is a nice character, and I did love what he did and tried to do for Morrigan. How he tried to make her feel at home, how he tried to help her out, supported her. Plus how can I resist a charming adventurer who just sparkles off the pages. I definitely wouldn't mind getting a prequel with some Jupiter adventures. See how he made it to the Wundrous Society (the whole story and not just hints here and there), see some of his adventures. Everyone is talking about them, or at least mentioning them, and here I am demanding the whole story.
The Wundrous Society? The Trials? Ohhhh boooooyyyy, I just wanted to participate, to join, to be there, to get a chance. The Wundrous Society just seems so wonderful, plus as Jupiter also said you will have a family if you get in. You will find a place to belong. And who doesn't want a family who cares about them, who stays with them forever, who has adventures with you. And who doesn't want a place to belong. We all want that. Some more than others.
The trials were even more fun. The first one had me wondering if it would be a fun trial, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how the trial/exam was done. A paper that tests your honesty (and otherwise goes up in flames *evil laughs*), the oral exam which wants you to show how well you can make stories. Not just the bare facts, no, make a story. Weave the facts with imagination!
The other trials were ones I knew I would just love. A race? With magical creatures? Sign me up! A trial that will be getting out your deepest fears? Mm, not too sure, but I would definitely be willing to try it out and see if I can conquer my fears! The last trial, the showdown. Oh boy, showing your talent to everyone (and everyone had such wonderful talents, we aren't shown all of them, but I have my favourites. Like the girl who can go invisible, the violin guy (and his true talent), dragonriding, oh my!).
Then there are a ton of other characters. I didn't like Jack that much, though I have to say he grew on me and was more or less a likeable character at the end. Hawthorne was just the best friend, he was sweet, caring. I was happy that he and Morrigan became such great friends. We also have a magical (at times grumpy) cat, Fenestra. A vampire dwarf (or is it dwarf vampire?), an evil villain, a girl who has a knack to just disappear (Cadence), a mean girl (why do we always have to have a mean girl, especially one that is rich, eh oh well, she made a good rival in the end), and then there are tons of other side characters as well.
Oh, and the guy popping up so often in Morrigan's life? I had my suspicions, but I definitely hadn't expected him to be THAT GUY. Nope. No sirree. And then there is the twist about a certain thing that also had me gasping. Yep, I was OMG-ing for quite a bit. :P The author definitely did a wonderful job on writing this revelation and making it exciting. Not to mention that ending. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Go Go Morrigan!
The pacing in the book is fabulous. While we do quickly go through the seasons in a way, it never felt rushed or hurried. There was plenty of story before the trials started, and plenty of story during the trials. I am quite happy though that it was mentioned the seasons changed, because I would otherwise have been a bit confused.
Well, I think I have mentioned all I wanted to mention, and I think I should just finish this review before it gets way and way too long.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone! A fabulous world (and worldbuilding), fantastic characters, revelations and more! You won't be bored one moment. This book will grab you and take you out for a fun dance through magical events.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I fell in love when I first spotted this book during my visit in London. I wanted to bring it with me, but darn it, I couldn't. So I ordered it as soon as I got home. I had to have this book. Now that I finally read this book I can tell you that I fell in love with the whole book, cover, blurb, inside, characters, everything. This book is a magical trip with fantastic characters, a deep story, a wonderfully described world.
I will be trying to write a coherent review, I am still pretty dazzled by this book. By what it showed me, and how it just grabbed me and didn't let me go. So be warned for chaos. :P
Meet Morrigan Crow, a girl born on Eventide which means she is a Cursed Child and will also not live a very long life. She is not the only Cursed Child, we hear of others. We see that she doesn't have the easiest of lives. She gets blamed for everything. The kitchen cat dies? Her fault. Someone doesn't win a price? Her fault. No matter what she does, even if she just smiles, it is always her fault. Her father resents her as he gets to clean up the mess. Plus it doesn't help his image as chancellor to have a Cursed Child. And then there is the fact that she has only a short while before she dies. Yup. Knowing you die at a very young age, boy, that must be terrible to know. :(
I just adored Morrigan from the start. I loved seeing her get happier and healthier when she got to Nevermoor. I was happy that she finally had a place she could belong to. Plus she was brave, strong, and really smart. But I was also worried about her. We see her doubt and question a lot of things in the book and not always does she get the answers she so seeks. We see her be afraid, she has anxiety, she is worried. I just wish I could tell her everything would be fine. She has a new family, new friends who all love her and care for her. They would do their everything to help her.
Sure, I wished she had talked to Jupiter a bit sooner about a certain person/thing, instead of cropping it up and it being all too late.
The world was an instant hit to me. We have the Republic and the Free State. The author did a fabulous job on describing both places. Showing the Republic, where things are bit more serious (and not always too fun) to the Free State which is filled with wonder and magic. With strange parades, holidays, festivals. I just wanted to visit Nevermoor, explore this Free State. See all the wonders, visit Jupiter's hotel, go to all the sights that everyone is raving about.
I have to say Jupiter was a very nice character and I have to say I am charmed (just like so many people are charmed by him), but I feel that he could have been better. He kept secrets from Morrigan (with good reasons in the end), but I still wish he had been a bit more honest and less evasive. It certainly made Morrigan feel like she was doing things wrong, as if she was going to be brought back home at any moment, it made her feel worried, plus it definitely made her interested in another offer she had gotten back during Bid Day. Of course then the book would have been different, and I am not sure if that is something I would want. Yep, I should make up my mind, but I just can't.
But as I said, he is a nice character, and I did love what he did and tried to do for Morrigan. How he tried to make her feel at home, how he tried to help her out, supported her. Plus how can I resist a charming adventurer who just sparkles off the pages. I definitely wouldn't mind getting a prequel with some Jupiter adventures. See how he made it to the Wundrous Society (the whole story and not just hints here and there), see some of his adventures. Everyone is talking about them, or at least mentioning them, and here I am demanding the whole story.
The Wundrous Society? The Trials? Ohhhh boooooyyyy, I just wanted to participate, to join, to be there, to get a chance. The Wundrous Society just seems so wonderful, plus as Jupiter also said you will have a family if you get in. You will find a place to belong. And who doesn't want a family who cares about them, who stays with them forever, who has adventures with you. And who doesn't want a place to belong. We all want that. Some more than others.
The trials were even more fun. The first one had me wondering if it would be a fun trial, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how the trial/exam was done. A paper that tests your honesty (and otherwise goes up in flames *evil laughs*), the oral exam which wants you to show how well you can make stories. Not just the bare facts, no, make a story. Weave the facts with imagination!
The other trials were ones I knew I would just love. A race? With magical creatures? Sign me up! A trial that will be getting out your deepest fears? Mm, not too sure, but I would definitely be willing to try it out and see if I can conquer my fears! The last trial, the showdown. Oh boy, showing your talent to everyone (and everyone had such wonderful talents, we aren't shown all of them, but I have my favourites. Like the girl who can go invisible, the violin guy (and his true talent), dragonriding, oh my!).
Then there are a ton of other characters. I didn't like Jack that much, though I have to say he grew on me and was more or less a likeable character at the end. Hawthorne was just the best friend, he was sweet, caring. I was happy that he and Morrigan became such great friends. We also have a magical (at times grumpy) cat, Fenestra. A vampire dwarf (or is it dwarf vampire?), an evil villain, a girl who has a knack to just disappear (Cadence), a mean girl (why do we always have to have a mean girl, especially one that is rich, eh oh well, she made a good rival in the end), and then there are tons of other side characters as well.
Oh, and the guy popping up so often in Morrigan's life? I had my suspicions, but I definitely hadn't expected him to be THAT GUY. Nope. No sirree. And then there is the twist about a certain thing that also had me gasping. Yep, I was OMG-ing for quite a bit. :P The author definitely did a wonderful job on writing this revelation and making it exciting. Not to mention that ending. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Go Go Morrigan!
The pacing in the book is fabulous. While we do quickly go through the seasons in a way, it never felt rushed or hurried. There was plenty of story before the trials started, and plenty of story during the trials. I am quite happy though that it was mentioned the seasons changed, because I would otherwise have been a bit confused.
Well, I think I have mentioned all I wanted to mention, and I think I should just finish this review before it gets way and way too long.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone! A fabulous world (and worldbuilding), fantastic characters, revelations and more! You won't be bored one moment. This book will grab you and take you out for a fun dance through magical events.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/