Morrigan Crow has always been told that she is cursed and she won’t live past her 12th birthday. She is blamed for everything from the weather, to a school fire, to the gardener’s heart attack. Of course, none of it was true.

Little does Morrigan know that her entire life is about to change, where she will be a treasured member of a household, a valued friend of other children not to mention a gigantic talking cat!

She is taken to Nevermoor (a secret magical city) by a stranger who tells her she can be one of the privileged of the Wundrous Society. All she has to do is pass four trials they will give her. Although thought to be cursed, Morrigan has led a sheltered wealthy life, and she can’t imagine passing any challenges thrown her way. But the alternative is too awful to contemplate.

With the support of her quirky saviour and patron Captain Jupiter North and steadfast friend and fellow candidate Hawthorn, Morrigan faces her truths and fears and finally reaches the Show Trial.

She is supposed to have a special skill, a knack, a wonderful thing she can do. Jupiter tells her not to worry, but worry she does – The Stink (Nevermoor Police Force) are after her as an illegal, and shadowy creatures called The Hunt of Smoke and Shadow are never far away.

Should she trust Jupiter or leave Nevermoor, her new family, friends, and chance of a future, to avoid the worst shame of her life?

Full of magic, strange and wunderful characters, this just may be a ‘Harry Potter’ for a new generation of readers. Morrigan Crow is instantly likeable as everyone around her either dislikes her, or is scared of her.

The world-building is gloriously imaginative, detailed and intriguing. There are so many ‘things’ watching Morrigan’s every move, both good and evil. They know her true nature and what she truly can achieve. All she wants is to be liked and maybe even loved. If she can just complete the trials ahead of her, maybe, just maybe, she can stay in this place she wants to call home.

Author – Jessica Townsend

Age – 9+

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(2017, Hachette, Lothian Books, Magic, Tasks, Challenges, Friendship, Nemesis, Bully, Curse, Series, Read Aloud, Good vs Evil, Lies vs Truth, Fears, Series, Family, Fantasy, Magnificat, Giant Cat, Vampire Dwarf)