![Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1)](https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518550365m/34219873.jpg)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book.
Believe the hype - it's all true. It gave me the same thrill I had when I first read "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" - that rare feeling you get when you know you're reading a story destined to become a classic.
But on to my review.
Eleven-year-old Morrigan Crow is a cursed child, blamed for every misfortune, large or small, that befalls her hometown of Jackalfax. And just to make her short life even more miserable, she is doomed to die at midnight on Eventide. She isn't happy about her fate (well, who would be?) but she's resigned to it. But when her last night comes around, a mysterious stranger appears and tells her that she doesn't have to die...
The man's name is Jupiter North, and he whisks her away to Nevermoor, a secret and magical city in the Free State. Jupiter is a member of the Wundrous Society, and he has chosen Morrigan as his candidate for entry into the Society.
To be selected, Morrigan must take part in, and pass, four difficult and dangerous trials - the Book Trial, the Chase Trial, the Fright Trial and the Show Trial. She is most fearful of the Show Trial, where each candidate must display their special "knack", the talent that attracted their patrons in the first place. A "knack" can be anything from dragon riding (her friend, Hawthorne's, knack) to a beautiful singing voice (the knack of her enemy, Noelle). Morrigan doesn't even know what her "knack" is, and Jupiter hasn't told her.
The trials take place throughout the book, and meanwhile, life goes on in the Hotel Deucalion, where Jupiter makes his home. The Hotel is filled with wonderful characters, such as Frank, the vampire dwarf, and Fen the Magnificat (a giant, talking cat). The Hotel itself is enchanted, with a chandelier that grows like some strange plant, and rooms with special powers. The "Smoking Room" is not what you'd think! And Morrigan's own room changes on a regular basis.
The relationship between Jupiter and Morrigan (who he insists on calling "Mog", much to her disgust) is much more than patron and candidate. They are a family, and their interactions, sometimes touching and often humorous, are a real pleasure to read. Morrigan herself is a wonderful character - feisty, smart, funny and brave. And Jupiter has some great one-liners! I found myself laughing out loud many times.
But it's not all fun and games. Jupiter has brought Morrigan to Nevermoor illegally, and if she doesn't pass the trials, she will be sent back to Jackalfax to meet her fate. Morrigan makes friends but also enemies, and sometimes it's not easy to tell which is which. Jupiter has secrets he's reluctant to share with her. And when she finds out what her "knack" is, it will change her life forever...
And then there's the Wundersmith. Who is he, and why is everybody afraid of him?
This was the most fun I've had reading a book in a long time. Seriously, just read it. Everyone from middle grade readers to middle AGED ones (like me) can enjoy this delightful, magical book. And now, thanks to Jessica Townsend, I am not only waiting for my letter from Hogwarts, but for my contract to join the Wundrous Society!
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