Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

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Sisters and brothers, loyal for life, Tethered for always, true as a knife. Nine above others, nine above blood, Bonded forever through fire and flood. Brothers and sisters, faithful and true, Ever together, the special and few. —The Oath of the Wunderous Society

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow is a 2018 novel written by Jessica Townsend.

Just because Morrigan has made it into the Wunderous Society does not mean her troubles are over. Possessing an elusive and dangerous ability, she is feared by the fellow members at her Unit 919. Other than Cadance Blackburn and Hawthrone Swift, she has no other friends in Unit 919, and they are quick to turn the other way when she asks for help. As if her situation couldn't get worse, her unit is blackmailed, and forced to protect her secret. Things went from bad to worse when people and Wunimals from all over Nevermoor start disappearing, with invesigations turning up nothing.

It is up to Morrigan in true Plucky Girl fashion to solve the mystery of the disappearing animals, with the help of her closes friends. Her abilities will be put to the test, and her relationships with both her friends and mentor Jupiter North stretched to its limits, all in the second book in the Nevermoor series and the direct sequel to Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow.

For more tropes, visit the page dedicated to the Nevermoor franchise as a whole.

Tropes used in Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow include:

• Auction of Evil: In the Ghastly Market, knacks are auctioned off to the highest bidder and stripped away from their original owner.
• Black Market: The Ghastly Market, which Morrigan stumbles into when she goes too far down a Tricksy Lane. Many illegal substances like body parts and teeth are avaliable for purchase. A major plot point is about the authorities, including Jupiter North trying to shut down the market.
• Blackmail: Unit 919 is sent these, with requests to deliberately fail a fight or bake a lavish cake, with the threat of revealing "the secret of Unit 919". Morrigan thought it was her status as a Wundersmith, but it turns out that it's actually Lambeth being sent to Nevermoor to further study her abilities. It all turns out to be a test of loyalty for the Unit, set up by the elders of Wunsoc.
• Brought Down to Normal: Alfie, whose knack of breathing underwater is taken and sold at the Ghastly Market. Once this happens, he is never seen again in the Wunderous Society.
• Decided by One Vote: Type three. Thaddea, Anah, Mahir, and Arch decides to ignore the blackmail orders and to let the cat out of the bag. Cadence, Francis, Lambeth, and Hawthrone decide to follow the orders, meaning Morrigan will decide how the vote turns out. Morrigan decides to follow the orders.
• The Dog Was the Mastermind: Professor Mildmay is the only tutor who makes Morrigan feel safe and accepted at the Wundeorus Society, and in the Society is constantly supportative of her. However, he turns out to be the twist villain and the mastermind behind the Ghastly Market.
• Gilligan Cut: A rare example where it is used in literature. Jupiter North repeatedly says that Morrigan's birthday celebration will not be glamourous or large, instead it will just be humble. Unfortunately, The Hotel Deucalieon employs Frank, one of the most talented party members around.

Jupiter North: "Frank knows who the boss is, Mog. He knows who signs his pay cheque. If I tell him to go low-key, he's going to go --" Jupiter cut off, his mouth open... The Deucalion was draped with millions of flamingo-pink fairy lights that lit up the whole night and could probably, Morrigan thought, be seen from outer space.

• I Lied: Downplayed. During the exam for the Navigating Nevermoor classes ran by Professor Mildmay, Morrigan said that she has an excellent idea for a shortcut. The other members in her three person group says that it's a horrible idea. Morrigan replies that she lied.

"This is a horrible idea," shouted Francis over the wind. "Yes,", agreed Morrigan. "But you said --" "I lied"

• Museum of the Strange and Unusual: The Museum of Stolen Memories, where a person is frozen right before they are about to die, kept alive forever and forced to relive the moment of their death. The climax of the story takes place in the Museum.
• No Time to Explain: Morrigan says this in the climax. She instructs Hawthrone to untie Cadance from the chair she sits while waiting to be auctioned at the Ghastly Market. Morrigan sees a vision from the short-range oracle Lambeth, and instinctively knows what to do. While this is going on, Professor Onstald has frozen time around them so they can execute their plans, and the effect will not last long.
• Time Master: Professor Onstald's ability, allowing him to slow down time, choosing to exempt some people from this effect. This allows him to quickly rush away from an angry Morrigan, and, in the climax allows Morrigan and her friends to get away from the Ghastly Market.
• Superpower Meltdown: Morrigan does this when she or her friends are insulted, resulting in her breathing fire and losing control of her abilities as a Wundersmith. At one instance, she gets temporarily expelled from the Wunsoc to protect the other pupils, and Professor Onstald travels to her residence in the Hotel Deucalieon to give his lessons.
• You Make Me Sick: Hawthrone says this when Professor Mildmay is revealed as the twist villain, and the person behind the Ghastly Market.