Title:

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Author:

Kelly Barnhill

Category:

Science Fiction / Fantasy

Rating:

Date Reviewed:

July 31, 2023
he Girl Who Drank the Moon is a sweet children's tale, winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal. It is the story of Luna, a young girl who is raised by an ancient witch named Xan in the middle of a dangerous forest. Each year, the fearful townspeople leave one baby at the edge of the dangerous forest to pacify the terrible witch that dwells within. But Xan, who is a kind-hearted witch, has no idea why the townspeople abandon babies at the forest boundary each year. Xan collects each baby, and feeds them starlight to give them a touch of magic, and then delivers the babies to towns on the other side of the forest. The babies, having starlight in their veins, always grow up to be kind, smart, successful people, and so the babies that Xan brings are always welcomed by the distant towns.

Meanwhile, the reader discovers that the evil council that carries the babies out into the woods doesn't actually believe that there is a forest witch; they think that the babies are quickly eaten by predators. If the townspeople are fearful of the forest, scared by tales of a witch, frightened by the dangers of the one road, then the council members can control the town resources, benefitting themselves. But one young man, Antain, an apprentice councilman, begins to question this annual ritual. The annual sacrifice of one of the towns young children leaves the town grief-stricken, and idealistic Antain cannot help but start asking questions of his uncle, Gherland, who is the Grand Elder of the council.

One year, a distraught mother refuses to give up her baby girl to the council members. The ruthless Sisters of the Star rip the babe from the mother's arms, and the council solemnly carries her out to the forest site. When Xan collects the baby girl, she accidentally gives her a drink of moonlight, not starlight. And thus the baby girl is imbued with tremendous magic. Xan realizes her mistake - and determines that she must raise the girl, whom she names Luna, on her own, because no townspeople - no matter how loving - could handle a child as powerful as Luna. Indeed, Luna's magical talent proves to be too much for Xan, despite Xan's centuries of being a powerful witch.

Luna grows up happily in the forest. In addition to Xan, she also has the company of the poetry-loving Glerk, who is described as a fearsome swamp-monster, but actually he seems to be some kind of wise immortal elder-god. Also living with Xan is a tiny dragon, Fyrian, who is 500 years old, yet still thinks like a child. Fyrian is so small that he can sit in the palm of a hand, but he thinks he is a full-sized dragon who happens to be living with giants.

Luna is well depicted, as are Xan, Fyrian and Glerk. The reader cannot help but like these kind-hearted souls. The irony of course, is that a witch, swamp-monster and dragon are usually thought of as cruel and dangerous, but in The Girl Who Drank the Moon, all three devoted to raising Luna. Raising Luna takes a lot of patience, a young tot who cannot understand why she shouldn't simply make all kinds of wonderful things happen with her magic. Finally, Xan can think of no way to stop Luna's childish deeds except to wrap her magical talent into hiding - Luna will have no magic until she reaches age 13; Xan hopes that by that age Luna will be a responsible youngster, and will understand that magic has consequences. Unfortunately, it takes a powerful spell from Xan to hide Luna's magic from her, and this has consequences as well.

I enjoyed the plot and characters of The Girl Who Drank the Moon. I see Barnhill has written some other books, I should investigate her other works.