Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow is an Australian fantasy novel written by Jessica Townsend as the second book in The Nevermoor series. The book was published by Lothian Books on October 30, 2018, in Australia and Orion Books in the United Kingdom, but Little, Brown on November 13, 2018, in the United States. Wundersmith follows young Morrigan Crow as she undergoes Nevermoorian schooling, becomes a part of the prestigious Wundrous Society, and deals with being a Wundersmith, a type of magician who can overtake the mysterious substance of Wunder.
Setting
The book, like most of the entire series, is set in Nevermoor, a magical town with talking animal, superpowers, and steampunk gadgets and devices. Major locations in Nevermoor's 27 boroughs include the Hotel Deucalion, Jupiter's home (along with Morrigan, Dame Chanda Kali, and others) and place of business, and the Wunsoc campus, the area in which the Wundrous Society operates. The name is the first three letters of each word combined.
Characters
Morrigan Odelle Crow: a young girl who was saved from her terrible fate on Eventide day by Jupiter North. She is also a Wundersmith (someone who can shape wunder). Jupiter North: the patron of Morrigan. He is the owner of the Deucalion Hotel and is the uncle of Jack Korrapati. Hawthorne Swift: Morrigan's best friend who is also a member of Unit 919. He is a dragon rider. John Arjuna Korrapati: Jupiter's nephew who dislikes Morrigan until this book when she befriends her. Ezra Squall: the only other Wundersmith still alive who became a monster after massacring a large portion of Nevermoor on Courage Square 100 years ago. Angel Israfel: a singer whose voice is so enchanting it makes the rest of the lives of those who hear it seem anticlimactic. Dame Chanda Kali: a singer whose knack can let her call animals. She lives permanently in the Hotel Deucalion and serves as a friend to Morrigan. Baz Charlton: the patron of the Charlton Five, a group of kids who often bully other, younger students including Morrigan. Miss Cheery: the conductor of Unit 919's private hometrain that leads directly from their homes to the Wunsoc campus. She "lives up to her name," as Morrigan says in the book. Hemingway Q. Onstald: Morrigan's only teacher besides Mildmay who she hates, until he sacrifices himself for her. Unit 919: the newest unit of the Wundrous Society. Besides the seven following, Morrigan and Hawthorne are also members. In each unit there are nine children, who are bonded together like family: Francis John Fitzwilliam: a gastronomist and cook forced to bake an intricate cake as part of the Wundrous Society's loyalty trial. Mahir Ibrahim: a linguist blackmailed into writing inappropriate words all over Wunsoc campus in different languages. Thaddea Millicent Macleod: a fighter who is forced to throw a game against an unskilled opponent lest Morrigan's secret be revealed. Lambeth Amara: a "short-range" Oracle. Amara's full name is Princess Lamya Bethari Amati Ra, and she was smuggled in from the Wintersea Republic by her grandmother to avoid political attention. Anah Kahlo: a skilled doctor blackmailed into stealing medical supplies as part of the Loyalty Trial. Cadence Lenore Blackburn: a mesmerist who keeps making the other members of Unit 919 forget who she is; only Morrigan is immune to her powers. Archan Tate: a pickpocket who is very sly and stealthy. Mildmay: a geography teacher who turned out to be working for Ezra Squall.