Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor: The Trials
of Morrigan Crow
by Jessica Townsend

 From the publisher:
"A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who 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.

Perfect for fans of the Harry Potter series and Neil Gaiman, this fast-paced plot and imaginative world has a fresh new take on magic that will appeal to a new generation of readers. "

I really enjoyed this beginning to a new series. The story of a cursed child gripped me from the start. Her life was so sad and grim. The transition from that dark, gray world to the colorful Nevermoor was really fun. If I were a movie director, I would film the first part in black and white and then change to color when she gets to Nevermoor - like The Wizard of Oz movie. And I also pictured our heroine, Morrigan, as Wednesday Adams - which added to the black and white image in my head. She is described as very pale with dark black hair, so of course Wednesday popped into my head.
Besides the awesome world building, I also enjoyed the plot. I found it well-paced and interesting with times of humor and times of intensity. I only wish the whole series was complete so my students didn't have to wait a year for however many more books will be in the series (there are 3 out so far). I will talk this series up to my kids who loved Keeper of the Lost Cities and are tired of waiting for the next one in that series. I think they will really like it.

Areas of concern:
*The heroine is in danger a few times.
*The villain has murdered a lot of people.
*I think I only saw one instance of using a bad word.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12 (This seems quite young to me - I would say more 10+)

School Library Journal - Grades 5+