Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

by Jessica Townsend

Having been born on Eventide ten years ago, Morrigan Crow is considered "cursed" and is blamed for all the misfortune brought upon the people of Jackalfax, such as a broken hip or a dead cat. In addition, Morrigan is supposed to die in one year on the next Eventide, so she doesn't give it much thought when she is not chosen as anyone's apprentice when it is time for the masters to choose. However, this year, Eventide will come a full year early, as Morrigan is surprised to learn from her father, Corvus Crow. This means that Morrigan is set to die even sooner than she thought. When Eventide night comes, Morrigan is whisked away by Jupiter North, who had been lingering around Jackalfax recently. North saves her from the Hunt of Smoke and Shadow, who hunt cursed children on Eventide, and takes her to Nevermoor, a mysterious magic town the likes of which Morrigan has never seen on any map. North brings Morrigan to his home and business, the Hotel Deucalion, which he owns and introduces her to the employees, including Kedgeree Burns, the concierge, and Fenestra, a giant talking cat who is head of housekeeping. There, Morrigan learns from Dame Chanda Kali, a singer and permanent resident of the hotel, that North plans to insert Morrigan into a contest to gain access and membership to the Wundrous Society, a mystical society of elders of which Kali is a part of. Kali also tells her that to be a part of the society, one must have a "knack," or a special power. Kali's, for example, is that she can attract and control animals with her voice. Morrigan begins to worry, since her apparent knack has not revealed itself yet.

Morrigan later confronts Jupiter, demanding to know what her knack is, if she even has one. Jupiter tells her that it isn't important, in addition to describing the four trials she will have to complete to become a member of the Wundrous Society: the Fright Trial, the Speech Trial and the Show Trial. Morrigan becomes concerned that her not having a knack will disqualify her from the competition, but Jupiter assures her that everything will be fine. Jupiter also reveals his own knack, called "The Witness," which lets him see the truth in everything. Later, Jupiter and Morrigan (who he calls "Mog") visit the Wundrous Society campus, Wunsoc, a combination of both words, by way of the Brolly Rail, a train that never stops to let passengers on, so those who wish to ride it must jump onto it while it is still speeding along. During the first trial, the Book Trial, Morrigan aces the first part, though she must admit that she feels alone, and barely passes the second half, which is all about Nevermoorian history. As Morrigan prepares for the next trial, the Chase Trial, Jupiter and the staff of the hotel try to pick out a stead on which Morrigan can race on. At the same time, Morrigan develops a close friendship with fellow competitor Hawthorne Swift, a dragon-rider, and an intense hatred for Noelle, another competitor who enjoys mocking and making fun of her.

In the Chase Trial, contestants must race on a non-flying creature with two to four legs and hit a target all the way across town. Out of three hundred contestants, there are only 150 targets, five of which are golden targets, and, if you hit them, you will be invited to a dinner party hosted by the council itself, which is said to give contestants an advantage in the coming trials. Morrigan, riding Fenestra, attempts to hit a golden target, but must stop along the way to pick up another girl who fell off her rhinoceros and almost got trampled. The girl, Cadence, takes victory from her, and Morrigan only passes the trial through a technicality. After the Fright Trial, Morrigan prepares for the Show Trial. Hawthorne, Noelle, and Cadence get a spot in the top nine contestants, but when Morrigan gets up on the stage, she still has not realized her knack. Jupiter tells the judges something, and they accept her. Later, while riding home, Morrigan is kidnapped by Ezra Squall, the Wundersmith, the man who massacred Nevermoor a hundred years ago, and he tells her that she is a Wundersmith too. All the kids who were born on Eventide in Jackalfax are, and he hired the Hunt of Smoke and Shadow to kill them.