Jessica Townsend

WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2018 YOUNGER FICTION CATEGORY WINNER OF RED MAGAZINE'S BIG BOOK 'BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK (7-12)' AWARD International bestselling new series. Enter the Wundrous world of Morrigan Crow and Nevermoor - the most fantastical children's series of the year. "Exciting, mysterious, marvellous and magical ... quite simply one of the best children's books I've read in years" - Robin Stevens, author of Murder Most Unladylike "An extraordinary story full of magics great and small" - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars "Endlessly inventive, with a fresh delight on every page. Nevermoor rewrites the genre of the Chosen Child novel. This is a special book" - David Solomons, author of My Brother is a Superhero "A full-speed joy of a book; funny, quick-footed, and wildly, magically inventive" - Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers "A wonderful, warm-hearted magical adventure" - Sunday Express "Funny and delightful" - The Sunday Times Morrigan Crow is cursed, destined to die on her eleventh birthday. But, as the clock strikes midnight, she's whisked away by a remarkable man called Jupter North and taken to the secret city of Nevermoor. There she's invited to join the Wundrous Society. Mystery, magica and protection are hers - if only she can pass four impossible trials, using an exceptional talent. Which she doesn't have... Perfect for fans of the Harry Potter series and His Dark Materials, this series takes readers into an extraordinary world, setting hope and imagination alive.

The Trials of Morrigan Crow Book 1

Nevermoor

Wunder is gathering in Nevermoor ... Morrigan Crow may have defeated her deadly curse, passed the dangerous trials and joined the mystical Wundrous Society, but her journey into Nevermoor and all its secrets has only just begun. And she is fast learning that not all magic is used for good. Return to the magical world of Nevermoor! Morrigan Crow's perilous adventures continue in the most anticipated sequel of the year, a treat for all fans of magic and Wunder. Morrigan Crow has been invited to join the prestigious Wundrous Society, a place that promised her friendship, protection and belonging for life. She's hoping for an education full of wunder, imagination and discovery - but all the Society want to teach her is how evil Wundersmiths are. And someone is blackmailing Morrigan's unit, turning her last few loyal friends against her. Has Morrigan escaped from being the cursed child of Wintersea only to become the most hated figure in Nevermoor? Worst of all, people have started to go missing. The fantastical city of Nevermoor, once a place of magic and safety, is now riddled with fear and suspicion...

Christine

i kinda want morrigan evil arc 


what in the world is going on with ezra squall!

Izza

Emelie

3,5owls. 

Jag förstår varför folk jämför den med Harry Potter men, let's face it, ingen bok om magi kommer någonsin komma upp i den nivån. Så sluta jämföra hela tiden! 

Med det sagt, så gillar jag verkligen den här serien (kanske t.o.m. Bättre än HP *sätt in emoji med rullande ögon*).

Fluch und Wunder

Julia Lotz

Ich sage es ja nicht oft, aber Nevermoor ist bei mir eigentlich nur wegen des Covers eingezogen und erst, nachdem ich angefangen habe, es zu lesen, fiel mir nach wenigen Seiten auf, dass ich den Klappentext noch nicht kenne und nicht den blassesten Schimmer habe, worum es in dem Buch überhaupt geht. Das Cover von Nevermoor ist ungelogen genau so schön, wie die Atmosphäre, die Welt der Geschichte und kein Klappentext, könnte dem Buch gerecht werden, davon bin ich überzeugt.

Morrigan Crow ist verflucht und das bedeutet nicht nur, dass sie allen Unglück bringt, mit denen sie in Kontakt steht, es bedeutet auch, dass sie an ihrem 11. Geburtstag sterben soll. Doch einmal in ihrem Leben hat Morrigan Glück, denn sie wird von Jupiter North gerettet und nach Nevermoor gebracht, wo er ein sehr skurriles Hotel führt. Damit Morrigan jedoch in Nevermoor bleiben kann, muss sie eine Reihe gefährlicher Prüfungen bestehen und findet zudem mehr über sich selbst heraus.

Von Wunderschmieden und Rauchschatten
Wir werden mit allerleich merkwürdigen Begriffen konfrontiert: Rauchschattenjagd, Wunderschmied und viele mehr. Sie verweben sich mit dem komischen Weltenbau zu einer Story mit einer genialen Atmosphäre, die alles andere als gewöhnlich für ein Kinderbuch ist und der ganz unterschwellig Steampunk Elemente anhaften. Das passt sehr gut zu Morrigan Crow, die selbst auch kein gewöhnliches Mädchen ist und - zugegeben - auch nicht der einfachste Charakter eines Kinderbuchs. Das alles macht Nevermoor auf ganz unterschiedliche Weise besonders und das ist es, was ich so sehr an dem Buch mochte. Auf der anderen Seite hatte ich ab und an auch meine Probleme mit dem Buch. Das lag sehr häufig auch an den Charakteren, die mir allesamt ab und an ein wenig zu skurril waren und die Geschichte hin und wieder ein wenig vom eigentlichen roten Faden abschweifen liesen, der durchaus vorhanden und noch dazu sehr spannend war.

Denn was wie ein normales Kinderbuch begann, wurde sehr schnell tausendmal tiefgründiger, als ich es anfangs gedacht hätte. Die Geschichte wartete mit einigen überraschenden Wendungen auf den Leser und ich wurde auch mehr als einmal überrascht. Ich fragte mich manchmal, ob ich mir mit dem Sommer die richtige Jahreszeit herausgesucht habe, um Nevermoor zu lesen. Solltet ihr bisher gezögert haben, zu dem Buch zu greifen, dann ist genau jetzt die richtige Zeit, denn Nevermoor passt perfekt in den Herbst, egal ob golden oder grau. Hauptsache gruselig.

Colette McDermed

I love this series with my whole heart. I thought it would come off as childish and for younger audiences, but it did not. Its a very good book, stop reading reviews and go buy it.

Sophie 

Nevermoor is so amazing and wonderful and I love it more every time I think about it. I wish so many more people knew about this series because it's one of my favourite things. Wundersmith is a great sequel, better than the first, and I can't wait to get around to rereading Hollowpox as well.

Aslı

absolutely a better sequel!!! becomes much more of its own thing rather than a harry potter knock off. this was so fun and engaging! loved all of the characters and their relationships, loved exploring nevermoore and wunder. can't wait to read the rest.

Sonja H

„Wundersmith“ ist das zweite Buch aus der Serie „Nevermoor“, eine Geschichte für Kinder zwischen 9 und 11 Jahren, die aber auch von vielen Erwachsenen sehr gemocht wird.
Auch mich hatte der erste Band bereits so weit überzeugt, dass ich mich auf die Fortsetzung schon sehr gefreut hatte.

„Nevermoor“ ist eine Welt, in die man sich fallenlassen kann. Sie ist bizarr, außergewöhnlich, steckt voller Geheimnisse und Überraschungen. Mir hat es großen Spaß gemacht, diese Umgebung gemeinsam mit der Protagonistin zu erkunden.

War der Serienauftakt für meinen Geschmack etwas zu „zuckersüß“, so lernen wir hier nun die eher dunklen Seite Nevermoors und seiner Bewohner kennen. Morrigan lernt so einiges über ihr Umfeld, aber auch über sich selbst, ihre Schwächen und Stärken und sieht sich erneut im Zentrum von Misstrauen und Zweifel.

Aber es wäre kein Kinderbuch, würde am Ende nicht alles gut ausgehen – allerdings nicht unbedingt, wie man es als LeserIn erwartet hatte.

Ein leichtes, unterhaltsames Buch, das einen in eine magische Welt entführt und den Alltag für einige Stunden vergessen lässt.
Ich hoffe, es folgen noch ein paar Bände.

Kim Tyo-Dickerson

Excellent, delicious and dark sequel to The Trials of Morrigan Crow.

Kirkus makes all the connections in this middle volume set up for a fantastic third book, "Townsend’s sophomore endeavor once again fully immerses her readers in a world that intermixes the magic of the Emerald City with Howl’s pithiness, Percy Jackson’s humor, Coraline’s darkness, and perhaps a dash of the depravity of Katniss’ District One. Fantasy fans will not be disappointed. Savvy readers will appreciate how the themes of otherness, group privilege, prejudice, and activism are masterfully interwoven into the overall plot".

Anouk Schoute

Liz Carpenter

I rarely read middle grade books, but this one was just so fun. And the audiobook narrator was *brilliant*.

Kendra Jones

Oh man! The characters were even further explored, as well as the city of Nevermoor. It became more magical and wonderful with the addition of the school. The beginnings of the relationships between unit 919 was tense to read about. Wundersmith was such a fun ride, full of whimsy and strangeness that filled me with joy!

Kate

The initial bits at the academy were stressful for me but overall this is a delightful series with great characters, immersive world building, and compelling plots. The threads of this book came together brilliantly.

Sam Pulliam

Favorite in the series so far. It's so intense and there were a couple of moments where I laughed out loud. I called one of the twists but I never mind that. If you're looking for a magical school alternative to that other one, I think this it.

laura

I really wound up enjoying this sequel read. I loved diving more into this world. I really liked this book focused on school setting and also more young characters as well. I thought this book just was delight. I also like the mystery was at the heart of it. I found this to be a charming read. It was one that really enjoyed. I really loved the pacing of this read. I am so excited to keep reading more in this series. it was such a fun book. I loved Morgan character so much!

Emily S

~welcome back to Nevermoor~

When I read the first book in this series, I enjoyed it but its similarities to Harry Potter turned me off a little. I cautiously held out some hope that as the series continued it would diverge into its own thing…

…and I think it did! It felt familiar and warm and comforting to be back in this world, and I thought the author did a great job of reminding the reader of events in the previous book so we weren’t too far behind. I also loved the continued commentary on identity with Morrigan (who is exceptionally relatable to anyone with any form of imposter syndrome) and also the FOUND FAMILY. Probably what I love most. 

Excited to continue on with this series!

4.5 ⭐️

Kayla Smith

Wundersmith continues to develop the whimsical world of Nevermoor. We get to see more of the city throughout this story. I think the world development was inspiring for anyone who wants to write middle-grade novels in the future. Every time I picked up this book, I felt absolutely transported and I could picture everything perfectly in my head due to Jessica Townsend’s expertise at her craft. There were so many different settings where various events took place and I truly loved learning further about this world. I think one of my favorite places to learn about was the school for those who were admitted into the Wundrous Society. I hope we get to see more of these classes in the third installment.

Jessica Townsend not only develops the world, but she also continues to develop each individual character. This novel introduced a few new faces but also brought back characters from the first novel that we know and love. One of my favorite parts about the book was the development of Ezra Squall’s character. He may not be the stereotypical bad guy he seemed to be in Nevermoor. I wish we had more scenes between Jupiter and Morrigan but his absence was necessary and by the end, I understood why he wasn’t as present as I would have liked.

Another aspect I enjoyed was the themes brought up throughout the story that I think are told in a palatable way for younger audiences to understand. For example, Morrigan spends most of the beginning of the novel learning about how horrible past Wundersmiths have acted. Then, throughout the story, Jessica Townsend continues to develop that aspect, turning it on its head. Introducing children to the idea that we shouldn’t blindly trust everything taught to us through a textbook. We can continue to research and come to conclusions on our own.

This 500-page novel was something I found difficult to put down. This book was definitely darker and more mysterious than the first and I hope the series continues that way. Honestly, I don’t have anything negative to say. I cannot wait to see how this series will evolve and develop. The only gripe I have right now is that I can’t immediately pick up the third book.

I also review books on my blog!

booksandanni 

Danica Holdaway

I have absolutely fallen in love with Nevermoor. This book is more clever, scary, funny, and heartwarming than the last. This book takes on themes of loyalty, gray area, using your power for good or evil, first impressions, bravery and cowardice, even ethnic groups in a way. It is just fantastic from start to finish.

A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut Australian 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. Born on an unlucky day, she is 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 Eventide. 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 there that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organisation: 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. Except for Morrigan, who doesn't seem to have any special talent at all. 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. Praise for Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow: 'Unexpected, exciting and funny. Like Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and Doctor Who swirled up together. I loved Morrigan Crow, and I want to check in at the Hotel Deucalion.' - Judith Rossell, ABIA Award-winning author of Withering-by-Sea 'Jessica Townsend's Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is more than just a spectacular debut. Exciting, charming, and wonderfully imagined, it's the sort of delightful, grand adventure destined to be many a reader's favourite book.' - Trenton Lee Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of The Mysterious Benedict Society series and The Secret Keepers 'Queensland author Jessica Townsend's debut is an exciting and charming middle-grade read that will hook readers aged 10 and up with intricate imaginative detail and its sheer energy ... a compulsively readable romp that fans of 'Harry Potter', Terry Pratchett or Studio Ghibli will gobble up.' - Books and Publishing 'Readers, like Morrigan herself, will feel at home in this evocative novel where magic and confidence go hand in hand. An excellent and exciting work.' - School Library Journal 'Readers will feel as though Harry Potter is meeting Alice in Wonderland.' - Kirkus 'Exciting, mysterious, marvellous and magical ... quite simply one of the best children's books I've read in years.' - Robin Stevens, author of Murder Most Unladylike

The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Courtney Passio

This was such a fun and cute read, perfect for comforting vibes with some twists that have me so curious! Definitely picking up the second one!

Krystal Campbell 

I loved continuing this series! Can't wait for book 3 later this year. 

The atmosphere in these novels is in point. I think about this book and I instantly smile and want to read it again to feel the joy it brought to me. 

The book is the perfect sequel. It answers questions while opening up others to read about in the next book. I haven't felt the way about a series like this since Harry Potter and The series of unfortunate events. 

I love Mog and Fen

Hayley 📖🌈💜🌸

This was such a fun follow up to Nevermoor. 
The main things I enjoyed were the humour, and the relationships between Morrigan and the rest of Unit 919, especially Hawthorne and Cadence. 
And now, onto Hollowpox.

Vida Koster

Dearna Mulvaney

For full review:

 “These were supposed to be her brothers and sisters. Loyal for life. But with a single word, they were looking at her as if she was their enemy.” 

⁠Wundersmith picks up right after the events of the first book. Morrigan has passed the dangerous trials and is one of the nine children selected to be part of the Wundrous Society’s unit 919. Finally, Morrigan is hoping to find a place where she belongs and find people who care about her after spending her whole life being treated like a curse. The idea takes a horrible nosedive when the other students in her unit are told of her knack. Their relationship starts to strain as someone starts to blackmail unit. 

Morrigan is one of the strongest characters I have read. If I were in her shoes, I would never leave the hotel. She tries her best to befriend the rest of the students in her unit. When each member of 919 is blackmailed, into protecting their unit’s secret, she reaches out to them to see if she can help.

Wundersmith is an incredible story. It has all the whimsy and creativity I’d ever want from a middle-grade fantasy. I never want this series to end. ⁠

Nevermoor The Trials of Morrigan Crow Book 1

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