Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #3)

How ironic is it that this book about a magical pandemic in Nevermoor was published in 2020, when we have a real-life pandemic going on? This newest installment of Nevermoor does not disappoint. Morrigan continues to face obstacles in her quest to become a Wundersmith, but she enjoys the support of her patron and other members of 919. Morrigan begins to learn about Wundersmiths, but it cannot happen fast enough for her. This book strikes the perfect note in answering questions that were posed in the first two books in the series, while continuing to add more questions and suspense about Wundersmiths, Nevermoor and Morrigan\’s fate. I loved the added details about the Deucalian, Nevermoor and the Wunder Society. It\’s such a rich beautiful world, and I enjoy my visits there very much.

My sister played the audiobook of this in the car to get me hooked – she knew me well. I immediately went back, read the first two and then finished this. I then promptly told everyone I know they need to pick up this series. My only regret is that I need to wait for the next! Morrigan Crow\’s world is a fantastic adventure that just keeps building on itself. The world-building is enchanting and I just wanted to know more and go deeper. If you enjoy a mystery, if you enjoy adventure, if you enjoy fantasy and exciting new worlds of magic – you need to read this book. The series follows some typical tropes, but the twists, turns and creativity make this a wonderful addition to the magical worlds of books. The third book takes a look at a virus breaking out across Nevermoor – what is causing it? Can it be cured? As this sweeps across the city, Morrigan goes deeper into her studies and we learn more about the past of the Wundersmiths.

Oh. Oh yes. If you are already reading this series then I don’t need to convince you to start. Because you will be in love with it already. If you haven’t started this series… What on earth are you doing? The first book of the series is Nevermoor. Get it and read it now! Hollowpox: The hunt for Morrigan Crow is the third book in the series. The story picks up where book two left off. Morrigan, at last, is studying the Wretched Arts and as with everything she has discovered, there is more involved than meets the eye. But bubbling away in the background something horrible, something ghastly, is happening. An illness is spreading throughout the Free State and it is infecting Wunimals, turning them from peaceful and talented citizens to mindless furious creatures unable to control their behaviour, hurting themselves and anyone around them. Morrigan Crow is such a fabulous main character. Alone and lonely for so long, afraid of her knack and what it means for her and all of Nevermoor, she is at long last feeling accepted and a part of something greater. Her 919 teammates are her family now that the trust exercise is over and the ghastly market has been destroyed. Unit 919 are told the secrets of the Wonderous Society and now that they are in on the secret they are put to work. That’s not all, Morrigan is finally being taught her knack. At long last she is truly happy. There’s a third school and it is all for her! Learning about her knack becomes a bit of an obsession. Her total focus on her studies means less time for her friends, but hey, it’s her studies, focusing on her schoolwork must be good, right? And at last she is learning there might be a good side to being a Wundersmith. She is starting to get her powers under control and everything is going along swimmingly… Her friendships and relationships are flourishing. Her patron Jupiter North is as caring and wonderful as ever (if very busy and always distracted). The Hotel Deucalian is as bright and madly entertaining as always, though its mood-swings make it suddenly unpredictable when it enters the “Mad Sulk”. The inhabitants are as loving, obsessive, erratic and eccentric as they have ever been, and of course, there is the fabulous Fenestra – the Magnificat – a classic cat who is both protective and standoffish. You don’t want to get on her bad side! (Fen is one of my absolute favourite characters.) But there is darkness on the horizon. A virus is spreading and it is infecting the glorious Wunimals. Before long all of the Free State is affected, drawing Morrigan out of her studies and into a dangerous world. There must be a way to save her friends. But will the solution she discovers make matters worse for everyone? This book, this entire series, is like a starburst of primary colours. Every description, word, emotion, location and action simply explodes with colour, light and life. This is a gloriously clever world and it just keeps getting better! Jessica Townsend is a gift to children’s literature. This series is the perfect series to read and share. For yourself and for your children. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Back in the day, when I first dove into the \”Harry Potter\” series and watched the movies as they came out, I liked them. Note I didn\’t love them, but I moderately liked them. Over time, I somehow aged into loving them. Now my hubby and I pull out the movies every December and watch through them again (they are Christmas movies- right there next to \”Die Hard.\” Fight me on this.). When I first heard about this trilogy, something in me went, \”hmmm. I\’m going to like those. A lot.\” And I did something I never do. I bought the first book off the shelf. I don\’t buy books without already knowing if I Iike them. I immediately had a reaction to these books stronger than I did initially for \”Harry Potter.\” In fact, I think I had the same reaction that most people said they had when they initially read \”Harry Potter.\” I love them. This series is a blend of the Slytherin house and \”Wicked\” (the Broadway show. Not the abomination that was the book). I endorse both of these concepts, strongly. Something else that was interesting was the timely analogy to what\’s happening in our own world. Curfews, fear, personal attacks, people using righteous indignation as an excuse to harm others and destroy property… this is why I love fantasy. Not because it tries to convince us that dragons are real, but that our dragons can be slain. And this book gave me hope so many dragons bringing turmoil to the world can be slain. Is it odd to say that I\’m proud of Jessica Townsend? This amazing, young author with a beautiful smile and even more beautiful mind getting to share her story with the world…it doesn\’t get better than that. I said it in my book two review, and I\’ll say it again. I want to be her friend! Good for you, Jessica. I can\’t wait to see what she does next. I hear rumors these may be in the works for movies… until then, I\’ll be occasionally re-reading the books. I\’d rate this book a PG-13 for some violence and scary situations and darker thematic elements.

I loved the first two books in this series – you have to read those first – and this was even better. I read it in 3 days. Morrigan faces yet more danger when a new disease (Hollowpox) infects the Wunimals in Nevermore. To save the day Morrigan has to join ranks with Ezra Squall and learn how to be a Wundersmith at last. Her character develops well and the actions is fast paced and imaginative. I loved the illustrations at the start of each chapter. They really add to the atmosphere. When you take the dust jacket off the hard back book it looks magical. I hope there is a fourth book. Imogen (age 10)

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