‘The journalists arrived before the coffin did.’ With these ominous words, begins Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow.
Morrigan Crow, daughter of Chancellor Corvus Crow, is born on Eventide. Those unfortunate enough to be born on this day, are predestined to die on their 12th birthday.
As a ‘cursed child’, she is blamed for random catastrophes that happen in her home town of Jackalfax, from hailstones and heart attacks, to ruined batches of marmalade. They are ridiculous claims, which she cannot counter and so she is rather resigned to accepting her fate as the town’s scapegoat. Her father, a politician, spends a lot of money paying up for the catastrophes that Morrigan supposedly causes, while ensuring that she writes apology letters to the claimants. As a result of all this, Morrigan does not seem to have that sense of belonging to her home town or to her family.