The Trials of Morrigan Crow

More than anything, the unlucky Morrigan Crow wants to belong somewhere. While she lives at Crow Manor, she doesn’t belong because “she knew her father’s major challenge in life was trying to maintain his grip on the affections of Great Wolfacre’s voting public while his only child brought about their every misfortune” (21). Corvus Crow and Morrigan’s stepmother prove emotionally abusive and neglectful, dehumanizing the girl because of her supposed curse. Until Jupiter sweeps her away, she believes she must accept being an outsider in her family until she dies on her 12th birthday. Morrigan changes and grows in Nevermoor because she acquires three things that her family denied her: belonging, trust, and self-worth. The comfort of belonging is crucial to her character because it drives her to participate in the Wundrous Trials willingly.

The Council of Elders speak at the Wundrous Welcome about the benefits of joining the Wundrous Society: “But to the nine of you who join us at the end of the year, I promise this: a place to belong. A family. And friendships to last a lifetime” (164). Morrigan’s response to the speech is to self-reflect: “Were Elder Quinn and Jupiter reading from the same brochure? Or had they peered into her heart and read a wish list she’d never known was there” (164).