#Book Bingo 2019 Round 19: ‘Written by an author under age of 35’- Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Book Bingo 2019 is a collaboration challenge I am completing with my favourite bloggers, Theresa Smith Writes and The Book Muse. Each Saturday, on a fortnightly basis, beginning on Saturday 5^th January 2019, Ashleigh, Theresa and I will complete a book review post, outlining our respective bingo card entries. The Book Bingo 2019 card contains a total of 30 squares, which we will complete over the course of the year, with the aim to complete the whole card by the end of December. Two of the Book Bingo entries this year will be flexible, so that means it is completely down us as to when we post these entries, to ensure all 30 are ticked off by the end of the year. Do keep an eye out on our respective blog sites for our bonus round entries!  To keep things interesting for ourselves and those following along with us, the choice of bingo square to be covered will be entirely down to us, there is no crossover – that is planned anyway! However, as Ashleigh, Theresa and I enjoy similar books, especially books by Australian women writers, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we end up with more than one book double up, as was the case in 2018! We invite you to join us in this fun book related challenge, by linking your bingo card entries in the comments section of this post, tagging us on social media, or by visiting The Book Muse and Theresa Smith Writes.

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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.

Winner of the Dymocks and QDB Children’s Book of the Year 2018 and a New York Times bestseller, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is the first in an enchanting series for fans of Harry Potter and Neil Gaiman

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.

Review:

I am more than a little late to the party on this one, almost two years in fact! Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is the debut novel by Jessica Townsend that created a storm in the publishing world when it initially released.  Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow has gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years, earning plenty of awards, accolades, praise and to the seal the deal, movie rights have been obtained. As this is a fantasy based children’s book, with comparisons made to Harry Potter (I hang my head in shame to say I am not fan) I have not indulged in this book until now. The need to find a book penned by an author under 35 for book bingo 2019 sent me in the direction of this novel. A quick search of the author indicated that Jessica Townsend is 34 years old, so she just scraped in for me! Although I could see just how much this book has to offer middle grade readers (aged 8-12) and even the young adult audience, I struggled to enjoy it. This could be down to my age, or my aversion to the fantasy/magical realism genre.

Still, there are plenty of positives that I feel fans of this genre and junior fiction readers will lap up. Morrigan is a great role model for younger children, she is bold, daring, adventurous and inquisitive. There are moments where Morrigan displays her humorous side to the audience, which made her endearing. It was also easy to develop a sense of sympathy towards Morrigan. She has been forever seen as a cursed child, blamed for everything that goes wrong and her family can’t wait to see her perish on her eleventh birthday – what a pitiful life! Thankfully, things look up for Morrigan when she is taken under the wing of an amazing character named Jupiter North. Things begin to spiral out of control for Morrigan, but her fate is sealed by the existence of Jupiter and the world of Nevermoor. This secret city is well rendered by Townsend, there is no doubt about it. In a true test of good versus evil and the strength of the human spirit to overcome adversity, Morrigan faces up to her reality with some interesting results. I won’t say much more, but this is a story defined by plenty of swirl, twists, turns, dangerous stunts and a colourful cast. I did like the magical coloured umbrellas and the stars on the cover too, it was a nice touch.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is a magical journey full of whimsy, fun, exploration and self-acceptance. This book marks the start of an innovative series for young readers, with the third edition to be welcomed in the new year.

*** 3 stars

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend was published on 10th October 2017 by Hachette. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is book #117 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge