The Girl Who Drank the Moon: Chapters 19-31

by Kelly Barnhill
In this Newbery Award-winning novel, baby Luna is abandoned by her village and raised by the witch Xan. As Luna tries to manage her growing magical powers, she learns about her true origins and joins forces with others to fight the corrupt Council of Elders.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-3, Chapters 4-11, Chapters 12-18, Chapters 19-31, Chapters 32-48
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. midwife
    a woman skilled in aiding the delivery of babies
    She checked in on the pregnant women and gave advice to the midwives and healers and apothecaries.
  2. apothecary
    a health professional who prepares and dispenses drugs
    She checked in on the pregnant women and gave advice to the midwives and healers and apothecaries.
  3. matron
    a married woman who is staid and dignified
    “She sounds like magic,” the town matrons sighed, and then Xan shot them a poisonous look, at which they started mumbling about the weather.
  4. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    Just a blank space was left where the word had been, like a fleeting thought at the edge of a dream.
  5. bashful
    self-consciously timid
    “Thank you,” Luna said bashfully.
  6. flourish
    a showy gesture
    He finished his dance with a bit of a flourish, landing on one toe on the center of Luna’s palm.
  7. huffy
    quick to take offense
    “You are making all that up,” Luna said, tying her hair back in a long, black plait and hiding behind a curtain to change into her nightgown.
    “Am not,” he said huffily.
  8. garbled
    lacking orderly continuity
    Fyrian called in his dream-voice, but his words were garbled by the smoke.
  9. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    The volcano, rageful and belligerent, bellowed and rumbled and spat, trying to hock them free.
  10. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
    “What a small hawk,” he mused.
  11. precariously
    in a manner affording no ease or reassurance
    The central tower leaned precariously to one side.
  12. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “Lazybones,” she chided as she slid out of bed onto the cool floor and hunted for her slippers and her shawl.
  13. abate
    become less in amount or intensity
    She crouched on the floor for some time until the headache abated.
  14. satchel
    luggage consisting of a small case with a flat bottom
    Luna slung her satchel across her shoulders and slid on her traveling boots and took the long, crooked way across the back of the swamp before following the slanted trail that led between the two smoking cinder cones at the southern side of the crater.
  15. knoll
    a small natural mound
    Luna followed the path as it curled around the first knoll, leaving the swamp behind.
  16. alight
    settle or come to rest
    It was a crow, full-sized, spiraling over her head and alighting on the nearest tree.
  17. abashed
    feeling or caused to feel uneasy and self-conscious
    “Caw,” the crow whispered, abashed.
  18. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
    And he buzzed down the slope in a blur of petulant green.
  19. aback
    by surprise
    Grand Elder Gherland was taken quite aback.
  20. wane
    become smaller
    As they approached the grand foyer of the house, a silent servant opened the door, and both uncle and nephew walked into the waning light.
  21. ulterior
    lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed
    “Gentlemen,” he said, as the Council took their seats, “I have come here with an ulterior motive. Forgive me, please. Particularly you, Uncle. I have been, I admit, less than forthcoming in regard to my intentions.”
  22. relinquish
    part with a possession or right
    Who was to say that he, too, would not go mad, if forced to relinquish his baby—his baby—to the Robes?
  23. breadth
    the extent of something from side to side
    Aloud, Antain said, “The Road is the most direct route across the forest, and certainly the safest, given its width and breadth and clarity. However, there are several other routes of safe passage, as well—albeit somewhat convoluted and tricky.”
  24. convoluted
    highly complex or intricate
    Aloud, Antain said, “The Road is the most direct route across the forest, and certainly the safest, given its width and breadth and clarity. However, there are several other routes of safe passage, as well—albeit somewhat convoluted and tricky.”
  25. succumb
    be fatally overwhelmed
    “And perhaps that will be true. Perhaps I will succumb to the perils of the forest, and it will be the Witch who comes to claim my child.”
  26. endeavor
    attempt by employing effort
    In all likelihood, the forest will kill him. He has never endeavored such a journey. He has no skills. He has no idea what he is doing.
  27. foolhardy
    marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
    If he should return finding nothing, it does not mean that there isn’t something to be found by another citizen so foolhardy as to take to the woods.
  28. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Sister Ignatia was pale, the madwoman noticed. Pale and gaunt. As though she was slowly starving to death.
  29. infuse
    fill, as with a certain quality
    The scholars decided that they would fill that child to bursting with magic. That they would infuse her skin, her bones, her blood, even her hair with magic. They wanted to see if they could.
  30. vehemently
    in a forceful manner
    But one scholar—an elderly wizard by the name of Zosimos—was vehemently opposed to the enmagickment of the child and was even more opposed to the continuing work.
  31. contend
    come to terms with
    Transformations were difficult, and she had to contend with the possibility that she might not have the strength to undo this one.
  32. albatross
    a large web-footed bird noted for powerful gliding flight
    An albatross, with its effortless flight, also seemed like a good idea, except a lack of water might impede her ability to take off and land.
  33. ensuing
    following immediately and as a result of what went before
    The Day of Sacrifice was weeks away, but there would be no more births in the ensuing time.
  34. spangle
    decorate with shiny adornments
    The sun had not yet come up, and the stars were sharp and clear as broken glass, spangled across the sky.
  35. trill
    pronounce with a flutter of the tongue
    He trilled his tongue against the roof of his mouth and turned a backflip and a double spin in the air, accidentally knocking his head against the ceiling.
  36. prim
    affectedly dainty or refined
    He fluttered down to the armrest of the rocking chair and made himself as prim and still as he possibly could.
  37. duplicity
    the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
    Dragons, if you must know, are wicked creatures—full of violence and duplicity and deceit.
  38. relent
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    Luna could feel the vibration of the volcano under her feet. It didn’t relent—not even for a moment.
  39. figment
    a contrived or fantastic idea
    Her child—not a figment of her imagination, but her child in the world.
  40. thwart
    hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
    It took her years to learn better ways to thwart the Sorrow Eater.
Created on Tue Feb 27 19:33:38 EST 2018 (updated Fri Mar 09 11:49:40 EST 2018)

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