Chronically Dolores: Chapter 25–Epilogue

by Maya Van Wagenen
This novel, inspired by the author's real life, follows Dolores Mendoza as she struggles with a chronic illness and discovers the power of unexpected friendship.

Here are links to our lists for the book:
Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–12, Chapters 13–15, Chapters 16–18, Chapters 19–21, Chapters 22–24, Chapter 25–Epilogue
25 words 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. incessantly
    without interruption
    “But the two lefty snails mated with each other instead. Like a lot. Incessantly.”
  2. nonconformist
    someone who refuses to conform to standards of conduct
    “But the scientists studying Jeremy believe the little trooper was responsible for at least some of the snail babies they found in the enclosure. So, not a totally loveless existence for our slimy nonconformist.”
  3. unbridled
    not restrained or controlled
    The camera pauses on Tía Vera’s expression of unbridled rage.
  4. etymological
    relating to the origins or development of words
    Priest: I guess I should say it’s interesting in an etymological sense.
  5. corporeal
    having material or physical form or substance
    But these things are so unique to the physical, the corporeal, that God had to come down and take on a living, breathing, failing form to truly understand the experience.
  6. brevity
    the attribute of being short or fleeting
    Like all things, we’re made of immortal building blocks held briefly together, but our consciousness means we understand the brevity.
  7. gist
    the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
    Priest: I mean, I feel like my description was a little more poetic, but yes, that is the gist.
  8. disembodied
    not having a material form
    As far as disembodied voices in cupboards go.
  9. tedium
    the feeling of being bored by something
    “Well,” she said, “you’ve got quite some time to learn how to manage the tedium.”
  10. vestigial
    not fully developed in mature animals
    I watched Terpsichore gasp for air, her shoulder blades rising and falling like restless, vestigial wings.
  11. sprawling
    spreading out in different directions
    Except it wasn’t really St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church because instead of being downtown, across the street from a vape shop and a brunch place, the building was in the middle of a silent, sprawling meadow.
  12. brook
    a natural stream of water smaller than a river
    It was yellow, so yellow it turned the babbling brook the color of those marshmallow Easter Peeps.
  13. rivulet
    a small stream
    I didn’t have an answer, so instead I watched as the yellow rivulet wound down through the meadow.
  14. quixotic
    not sensible about practical matters
    In early June, just existing between blessed bouts of unconsciousness had felt like a quixotic task.
  15. bootleg
    distributed or sold illicitly
    Quixotic was my newly acquired Scrabble word, thanks to Terpsichore making me watch a bootleg video of Man of La Mancha.
  16. compassion
    a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
    My aunt had taken a special interest in the hobgoblin, seeing in him a displaced, lonely little boy in need of boundaries, compassion, and food.
  17. spare
    give up what is not strictly needed
    Tía Vera had time to spare now that she and my mother had settled our finances.
  18. scraggly
    lacking neatness or order
    The little boy was holding a leash, on the end of which was a very small, very scraggly canine.
  19. emaciated
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    The dog was emaciated, her little ribs poking through patches of white and beige fur.
  20. striking
    having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
    But most striking of all, the dog had the longest, saggiest titties I had ever seen—rows of loose pink flaps that dragged on the pavement when she walked.
  21. smitten
    affected by something overwhelming
    “He wanted twenty bucks. Casimir was smitten, but Mom told him there was no way we were getting a dog.”
  22. impassioned
    characterized by intense emotion
    Casimir gave him an impassioned scolding.
  23. fringe
    an ornamental border of short lengths of hanging threads
    “But I guess fringe might work.”
  24. commemorative
    intended to honor the memory of someone or something
    “You know, about the print shop? Something, I don’t know, commemorative?”
  25. momentary
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    There was a momentary intake of breath around me, as Mom and Vera and Johann and Terpsichore all waited to see how I would react to someone poking this ulcerated wound.
Created on Fri Mar 14 05:57:08 EDT 2025 (updated Mon Mar 17 09:17:27 EDT 2025)

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