Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow - 8th February 2021

[Spens]

@Kadi oh yikes, I didn't realize that. I can understand why you'd feel iffy about it. I think Jessica Townsend got it from a poem? But either way I think authors should be extra careful when using religious references especially if they don't share that belief system because there is a huge risk of offending others. Unless obviously that is their actual intent. Glad you pointed that out!

[Kadi, Creator]

@Spencer such a good point yeah! I think she didn't mean to be malicious or offensive about it so I guess she has creative licence to name what she wants to, although I would've preferred it if she used a different name but it's her book after all!

It would make sense if she got it from a poem. She seems to get a lot of inspiration from lots of different previous writings with links to religion or mythology like naming the hotel Deucalion, Deucalion was a soldier in the Iliad or the son of prometheus who survived the whole world being flooded (kinda like Noah in the ark). It's cool! I always love an author who's well-versed in authory things😂

[Spens]

Wow, all this time I was thinking how in the world she came up with the name Deucalion lol

[A Robin Reads]

@Kadi yes, I did! I think a lot of the book is loosely based on HP and I don't mind that at all, because I'm not reading HP anymore, because of Rowling

[Kadi, Creator]

@Spencer 😂I thought that myself at first which is why I immediately googled the name when I first came across it. Because if it was a name she'd just made up herself I was about to be extremely impressed because it's a great name. Alas, she didn't make it herself!

@Robin I like that she flipped the script by making (view spoiler)[ them walk up the wall instead of it opening to reveal a hidden alleyway like in Harry Potter, though. I wasn't expecting that and it was pretty cool! (hide spoiler)] It's like there are similarities but ultimately it is still different. I don't really mind it either way to be honest! I haven't reread Harry Potter in years and I don't intend to either. Not because of Rowling although that'd be a good enough reason, just because if I have the time to read a book I rather it'd be a new one than one I've already read before.

[Kadi, Creator]

So I’ve passed the halfway mark. I was lying on my carpet reading the book for an hour and I felt SHOOK TO MY CORE WHEN I READ THIS PART:
(view spoiler)[ “Jupiter raised his voice again, sounding furious. ‘She’s just. A little. Girl.’ He said each word as if he was grinding it between his teeth. ‘Stop speaking about her as if she’s a monster.” (hide spoiler)] (it’s from chapter 14)
I literally could not appreciate Jupiter more than I did in that moment.

I like how it’s all slowly coming together now. But emphasis on the slowly😂 I’m not too annoyed by that because I’m really enjoying experiencing the Nevermoor world again.

[Spens]

@Yasmijn It's 9 books I think! So it will be split into 3 three-book parts, where each "trilogy" will cover a single story arc. So for example the first 3 books cover Morrigan discovering and embracing her knack. And I believe the next trilogy will be diving more into her past and her family?

@Kadi so glad you are liking it! I think it's interesting (in a good way!) that we have different feels for which books are fast-paced because I thought this one was faster than the first. I was going to ask about how you feel about certain characters but I guess I should wait until you finish it hahahaHAHAHAHAHA.

[Kadi, Creator]

@Yasmijn I didn't think of that but that's a great point! I guess she has a lot planned so worldbuilding in the first trilogy is probably really important for the set up of the next trilogy etc. Plus she has pages to kill, I suppose. Although every single scene, even the really descriptive ones that seem like just fun, are useful for the plot as a whole. So really there is no wasted pages, it's just lots of things you don't know are going to be important until they are. It's so tricksy and clever, I love it!!

@Spencer I've finished the book! I was planning to leave it till tonight/tomorrow morning but nope, I ended up bingereading it and the ending rushed at me all at once. So you can ask me how I feel about certain characters now.

Also here's my review if anyone is interested in it: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have so many many things running through my head because of that ending. (view spoiler)[ The major mind games are blowing my miiiiind. Ezra Squall is a wonderful GENIUS. Sorry I mean wunderful. (hide spoiler)] Also all the hints of what's going to happen in the next book... AAAAH!

Guys, are we going to buddy read book 3 next month? Just wondering because I NEED TO READ THE NEXT BOOK!

[Spens]

@Kadi AAAHHHH I love that you love this series so much!! It's seriously so good! So question: (view spoiler)[Were you as bummed as I was when it was revealed that Henry Mildmay was a bad guy?? Because I loved him so much and thought he was going to be my favorite character but then AAHHH. Or did you see that one coming? (hide spoiler)]

[Kadi, Creator]

@Spencer actually... I already knew it was him. I don't know if it's because I read a lot of mysteries or a lot of books or am just a good guesser, but I knew from pretty much the 60% mark that there was something about him. And the moment (view spoiler)[ he entered the room whilst Morrigan was arguing with Onstald and saw Onstald's power I had an inkling something was going to happen. And when it was announced that Onstald had been taken then I knew for certain that it was Mildmay who was behind it. To be fair I didn't know whether he'd been tricked into doing it, or was doing it willingly, but when he started crying and admitting everything to Morrigan and Hawthorne then I knew that really Henry was corrupt and he didn't care that he'd betrayed them.

I didn't really mind that he turned out to be a bad guy. I hadn't grown attached to him although he was alright. I just recognise him as a tool for Jessica Townsend's literary genius. When it turned out the only nice teacher Morrigan had was evil and the evil teacher she had (Onstald) was nice in the end to sacrifice himself for her... just the irony of that is so glorious.

And Ezra Squall. This man. A fantastic fantastic king on the chessboard moving his pawn Mildmay around all of Nevermoor. He manipulated Mildmay into creating a situation where he could manipulate Morrigan and then punished Mildmay for being manipulated by him. Too smart. What a genius!

The one thing I didn't guess was that the blackmailer sending the notes to everyone... wasn't a blackmailer at all. It was a test. But cleverly, it was the Elder's playing power games with Morrigan and Jupiter. They tried to trick her into being unfaithful towards her fellow 919 scholars and when she didn't fall for that they tricked her into revealing she was a Wundersmith to everyone. It was a lose-lose for her and the consequences are going to be dire! (hide spoiler)]

[Spens]

Ooh interesting!! Because (view spoiler)[I totally called the "test" thing from the blackmailing. BUT OH MY GOSH KADI IF YOU LOVED SQUALL HERE YOU WILL LOSE IT (FIGURATIVELY OF COURSE) BY THE END OF HOLLOWPOX. I know I did AAHHH. Also YES, the whole irony of Onstald and Mildmay was so well done. And the scene where everything is in slow-mo, oh my gosh I NEED to see that adapted for the screen!!! Jessica Townsend's writting is just so immersive and cinematic, I don't wven have to look at fanart to imagine her world. So much love. (hide spoiler)] Sorry, I'm practically screaming right now, this was just SO good!!

[Kadi, Creator]

@Spencer is there any news on a small or big screen Nevermoor adaptation?? When I was reading the part where it described the (view spoiler)[ water tower thing (hide spoiler)] I couldn't help but think how AMAZING that could look in a movie. Or a show. I'm not fussy, just any adaptation would be cool. It'd probably be best to have a show so they could fit all of the stuff in.

(view spoiler)[
You know I may just lose it literally in the next book. Forget figuratively. I SO know something is going to happen in the next one. IS MORRIGAN GOING TO JOIN HIM?!? I feel like she's going to learn something bad like maybe what a safeguard is and she's going to go over the edge. Or she's going to be backed into a corner and tricked by Squall into joining him in order to save her friends from being hurt. I don't know but I'm calling it now!

That reminds me that I reaaaally want to know what a safeguard is. I'm so curious it's taking all my willpower to not just google it. I can't wait to find out! Is it something big? Don't tell me! But also I so want to know😩 (hide spoiler)]

The strange thing about Jessica Townsend's writing is that it's not suuuper descriptive all the time. It's just the right amount so that you can have these amazing images in your head. Enough to captivate but not bore you. Unfortunately, I often found myself skipping some descriptions (and then going back to read it afterwards, of course) because I was really eager to read the dialogue and just found out what happens next. There isn't enough dialogue between Morrigan and Jupiter because (view spoiler)[ really annoyingly he keeps running off! (hide spoiler)]

[Spens]

I think they're in talks for an adaptation!! Not sure who "they" are though lol. Okay but literally when I finished Hollowpox I stared into space for like 15 minutes questioning everything. I lowkey want you to hear your thoughts on it already

[Kadi, Creator]

@Spencer that’s kind of me right now. My mind is blown by that ending and I’m feeling sad the book is over. Not sad like I’m lost on what to read next because there’s already another book I’m halfway through that I stopped to read this one. I’m just sad the experience of book 2 is over. Also kinda sad I’m going to have to wait to read book 3. And I’m sad to think that after book 3 I’ll have to wait a really long time for book 4. So it’s sad times here guys. I voluntarily did this to myself😂

[Kadi, Creator]

@Robin @Yasmijn how are you guys getting on with the book?

Did anyone else notice that (spoilers for a reveal from the end of the book so beware) (view spoiler)[ Lambeth's name is actually the beginning of all her names put together? So Lamya Bethari Amati Ra aka Lambeth Amara. That was pretty cool. One of my fave reveals of all the reveals.

I have to say there's something dodgy about all of Wintersea Republic. Like there's definitely more to it than we've been told. Like Morrigan realising that the Magnificats in Wintersea have had their tongues cut out which is why they're so different that Nevermoorian Magnificats. And there was also something else I read from the part about the Ghastly Market. Oh yeah, there was someone offering to smuggle someone from Wintersea Republic in for a certain price. And it made me think how exactly did Jupiter manage to smuggle Morrigan in? Whose machine did he use and who did he pay off to help him pull it off? (hide spoiler)]

Another thought I've had: (also a spoiler from one of the end reveals) (view spoiler)[ for all of Ezra Squall's lies and deceptions, I don't feel like he's lying about the fact that he and Morrigan have a common enemy. Because there's no way there can be so many planned future books just with Ezra as the big bad antagonist. No way, considering he makes himself so available to Morrigan constantly and he's teaching her skills... it does seem to suggest this is more than mind games and that he needs her to help him fight against a bigger enemy than he is. (hide spoiler)]

So guys... would you like to read book 3 next month? I'm planning to and if you guys are too then we can buddy read it. Either way, let me know!

[Kadi, Creator]

@Yasmijn sometimes to get out of a slump you have to give into your desires so just watch some reality tv! Or sometimes to get out of a slump you have to find a book you're really enthusiastic about and have been waiting for ages to read and just read it. At least that's how it's always worked for me. The second method makes me excited enough to start reading again and the first method makes me stop feeling like I don't want to read because I keep forcing myself to read instead of doing other things I really want to do. Maybe one of those methods will work for you!

[Kadi, Creator]

@Yasmijn I'm glad you're feeling better now! And your judgment was spot on!

(view spoiler)[
The first half actually was kinda depressing. The way Morrigan's WunSoc experience wasn't as wonderful as she thought it'd be was sad but I think I'd prefer it to be the way it was than it being amazingly unrealistically happy. This was an unexpected twist.

The fact that Jupiter kept disappearing annoyed me to no end. It was just like the first book. It's like the author wants to make Jupiter the answer man and he only appears when she wants to give Morrigan some answers. It also annoyed me because Jupiter is like my fave character. I'm still thinking of that scene where Morrigan hears him say behind closed doors that she's just a girl (like she's not a monster). My heart was literally in my throat at that moment. Best part of the book.

But the kids doing scary irresponsible stuff didn't actually make me cringe because Morrigan usually told someone aka Jupiter pretty soon after whatever it was happened. And at least she didn't ever cry after revealing her hidden secrets like Sophie in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series😂 Plus I feel like she would've told an adult if Jupiter didn't keep disappearing all the time so it wasn't really her fault.
(hide spoiler)]

[A Robin Reads]

So I finnally finished this. It was a bit of a struggle for me. I didn't super like it.
Mainly because it was a pretty negative book. The story itself was boring to me and the ending not great.
I gave it 3 stars for the characters, writing and the world.

Didn't read all of your thoughts. Might do that later on, but there are a lot xd

[Kadi, Creator]

@Robin at first I was like *RAGE* ONLY 3 STARS?! But then I realised you’re right it was quite a depressing read. For me, I didn’t really mind that and found the ending more than made up for it but I can totally get how it’s depressing content could make it a drag. I fear you might feel the next book is kind of depressing too. No spoilers of course but things are never easy for Morrigan and she always will be an outcast. Still, I really recommend you read the next book because I loved the hell out of it!

Also no worries if you don’t read my thoughts on it😂 it really was just all the thoughts I had in my head and I wrote them down. Well not all the thoughts, there’s some I didn’t type out. I talk a lot ok😂

[A Robin Reads]

@Kadi Haha, sorry I made you angry. I will still read the next book. I think/hope that one will me more adventorous then this one.

Haha no problem that you talk a lot. I like listening, so win win ;)

[A Robin Reads]

@Yasmijn I had the same thing. Well, I had 14 books on my currently reading, whoops.
I'm also not going to read any comments

[Kadi, Creator]

@Yasmijn yeah avoid all opinions because it may skew your view on the book. I always like to only read everyone's discussions after I've read the part of the book they're discussing.

@Robin 14 books on your currently reading?! I think the most I had was 8 books and it was recently and it made me so stressed like my currently reading was a messsss. Right now I have 2 books (well one's a manga) which have been on there for ages like almost a month now and I just can't be bothered finishing them but there's no way I'm going to DNF them. I just need to spend a night and focus on them so that I can have a clean currently reading shelf again! Because it's so satisfying when you clear out all the books and start a new one😍

[A Robin Reads]

@Kadi Yeah, it got out of hand. Now I'm on 3 and only need to finish 1 more. The other ones I started recently. One audiobook and one physical one.
It made me stressed out to, so therefore I decided to pause on my TBR and just finish all my current reads. It felt awesome doing that. Hope I can manage to keep it on 2 books.

[Kadi, Creator]

@Robin late reply but I'm wondering how does your currently reading shelf look now? I'm super close to finishing these 2 books I started way back in February and I can't wait to get them off my currently reading shelf!