Latam Booklook: “Nevermoor: the trials of Morrigan Crow” by Jessica Townsend

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Talented children, giant cats, and even dragon tamers are some of the things offered by the universe of Nevermoor

What is it about?

Nevermoor: Morrigan Crow's evidence tells the story of Morrigan Crow, an 11-year-old girl destined to die because of the curse she was born with. In this context, the story tells how the day of her death a two-meter redhead stranger rescues her from her father's house in her native Jackalfax and takes her to the Freemoor State of Nevermoor, a sort of city where magic, technology, and the unexpected happens.

There, she must prepare to pass four tests on which her entrance to the Fabulánica Society, a group of people with special talents that make up the elite of Nevermoor, will depend. In addition, her life depends on her success in competitions, because if she returns to her original home, she will face certain death.

This youthful novel creates a fantastic universe sustained by the explanations and descriptions that make that, as Morrigan discovers Nevermoore, the reader also adjusts to the functioning of that place where even gravity works differently. Thus, the Hotel Deucalión, place where Morrigan is staying during all her tests, as well as the old streets, railways and "transparaguas" (a mechanical line in which you hold your umbrella until you reach your destination) unfold before the eyes of the reader who creates little by little an image in his head of what the city is like.

We also follow Morrigan in her little adventures as she adapts to that world, gets new friends, creates ties with hotel members, makes mischief, and, above all, discovers her talent as she knows new facets of herself. Thanks to the above, we reach the end not so much to know if finally she will die or not, but to find out what her hidden talent is and how she will deal with it.

You may be interested in reading: Latam Booklook: 'A history of reading' by Alberto Manguel

Who wrote it?

If all this sounds like Harry Potter, it is no coincidence, since Jessica Townsend, the author of the book, has been nicknamed the Australian JK Rowling. The resemblance is not only for the theme of the book, but also for the Best-Seller in which it became newly released, as it broke the best selling record of a children's book in Australia.

Its author is native of this country, although sometimes she also lives in London, and before becoming an editorial hit worked like copywriter and publisher of the Australia Zoo of the deceased Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter.

From this work you can guess her love for animals that is transmitted in her book with the creation of fantastic beasts such as dragons, unicorns, giant cats, and machines in the form of giant slugs.

No need to mention it has been translated into numerous languages and has been sold in more than 34 countries. In addition, 20th century bought the rights to eventually release a film about the adventures of Morrigan Crow.

Do I read it or not?

If you are a fan of the Harry Potter youth sagas or The Hunger Games, surely you will love this book, since it includes all the elements of a bestseller of this type: children with hidden talents, unexpected friendships, charming acquaintances who help the main character to overcome the tests, an evil that everyone is afraid to mention and many animals, spaces and curious inventions.

Even if it has all the elements to enchant children around the world, there are parts in which the descriptions are longer than necessary and anecdotes are told that are irrelevant. This seems stuffed or fragments included so that the reader understands some invention or comment about Nevermoor that is mentioned later in the main plot.

Also, several of the evil characters are presented as annoying, as the police of the Stink, the sponsor Baz Charlton or its competition Noelle Devereaux. That detracts from the argument that the author does with other characters like Cadence Blackburn or Ezra Squall.

It is the first release of a juvenile saga that seems promising for all unknowns left in this first book, in addition to the unity of the created fantasy world. Therefore, if sagas are your interest, I recommend Nevermoor: the tests of Morrigan Crow, as a book that will keep you attentive and expectant of what will happen and new discoveries of the characters, which makes it an enjoyable read and easy to get hooked

LatinAmerican Post | Juan Gabriel Bocanegra

Translated from "Latam Booklook: "Nevermoor: las pruebas de Morrigan Crow" de Jessica Townsend"