Recently, I reread The Girl Who Drank the Moon and then looked through my blog to see what I’d written about it the first time I read it. That’s when I realised I hadn’t written about it at all! It’s such a gorgeous read that I have no idea how I skipped writing about it!
As often happens with me, I was drawn to the book by its gorgeous cover.
And when I started reading, I was enchanted.
Detailed world-building, intricate plotting and a delightful balance of seriousness and humour come together in this middle-grade work of fantasy. Most of all, though, I love how poetic and beautiful it is.
The Protectorate is always shrouded in a fog of sorrow. This is because every year, on the Day of Sacrifice, the youngest child is given up to appease the Witch in the Woods. No one knows why the Witch wants babies. But everyone knows that if the Witch is not appeased, she will destroy the Protectorate.
In the meantime, Xan knows that every year, parents abandon a baby in the woods. She has no idea why, but she knows that unless she goes there and picks the baby up, it will die. So, each year, she makes sure she saves the abandoned baby. She feeds it on starlight as she takes it to the Free Cities on the other side of the woods.
One day, though, she makes a mistake. She feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight. The baby drinks greedily and is soon practically exploding with magic. That child is Luna, who, together with Xan, the monster Glerk and the Simply Enormous Dragon Fyrian must fight sorrow and bring joy.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon is longer than most middle-grade books I read, but it’s a treat from start to finish. I love the storytelling, the complexity, and the fact that, at its core, it’s a book about love and joy. It was well worth the reread!
| Title | The Girl Who Drank the Moon |
| Author | Kelly Barnhill |
| Tags | Middle-Grade, Fantasy |
| Rating (out of 5) | 5 |
| Ages | 10+ |
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