Now 13, Morrigan is well settled into her new life as a member of the Wundrous Society in Nevermoor. Her friendships are now solid within both the Wundrous Society Unit 919 and at the Hotel Deucalion, especially after discovering and defeating Nevermoor’s ‘underground’ illegal market trading in people.

Keen to get on with her studies, particularly the special skills of a Wundersmith, she is delighted to be invited to a group that will help with exactly that. Ezra Squall (said to be the most evil Wundersmith who ever lived), has taunted her more than once about being a smidgen of what she could really be, and past attempts at learning more have been blocked. Finally she will learn how to use her Wundersmith powers.

Much to her friend’s annoyance, Morrigan becomes infatuated with her Wundersmith classes, especially a fantastical facility that allows her to ‘watch’ past expert Wundersmiths in action. In the meantime, something awful is happening to the Wunimals (beings mostly human with some animal characteristics) in Nevermoor. Nobody can figure why, but without warning Wunimals are suddenly turning violent, with apparently no self control – hurting others and themselves in the process.

Jupiter North (owner of the Hotel Deucalion and Morrigan’s patron/father figure), has been made part of a task force to try and discover the reason. Nevermoor is soon in an uproar with accusations flying, media doing anything for a piece of it, political parties vying for attention and an ever increasingly number of Wunimals coming down with what has been named the Hollowpox.

When the Hollowpox is suddenly right on Morrigan’s doorstep she knows she must do something to save her friends. She has been offered a solution which goes against everything she has come to learn and love and will be a betrayal to all she knows. Can she do it? Should she and will she? Jupiter will never forgive her….

Another gripping episode of the Nevermoor four book series. I found it has a slow beginning, but this definitely grounded me back in the land of Nevermoor and its fascinating characters. Morrigan’s growth as a Wundersmith is wonderful to watch, even as something terrible has swept the Nevermoor nation.

Nevermoor might be a fantastical land where a giant talking cat, rooms that decide how to decorate themselves depending on their mood, and dwarf vampire event organisers are normal, but this instalment in the series is very close to home in our real world. Prejudice, media madness, and political evil is rife and I couldn’t help comparing it, which only made Morrigan’s challenges even more real.

Several times during the novel I held my breath, suddenly realising what was coming. The next novel in this amazing series can’t come soon enough!

Author –  Jessica Townsend

Age – 10+

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(2021, Hachette Aust, Action, Series, Magical, Fantastical, Fantasy, Brilliant World Building, Talking animals, Buildings that are alive, Prejudice, Courage, Decision, Friendship, Loyalty, Obsession, Powers, Fire, Media, Trust, Trickery, Good vs Evil, Historical, Past, Studies, Mystery, Monsters, Truth, Deal)