The Girl Who Drank the Moon
The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a middle-grade fantasy novel by Kelly Barnhill, recipient of the Newbery Medal. The story centers on Luna, a girl accidentally "enmagicked" by moonlight and raised by a kind witch named Xan, a wise swamp monster, and a tiny dragon. The narrative explores Luna's journey to understand and control her growing magic as she approaches her thirteenth birthday, while simultaneously weaving in the story of the Protectorate, a village living under the oppressive fear of a mythical witch, a fear deliberately manufactured by its corrupt leaders. The book is suitable for a target audience of middle-grade readers, generally recommended for ages 10 and up. It delves into themes of love, family (both biological and found), hope, courage, and challenging corrupt authority. The content includes magical elements inherent to the fantasy genre, some instances of violence and intense situations, and focuses on moral lessons about truth and compassion.
Concerns
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and magical elements are central to the plot and worldview of the story. Benevolent witches, sentient magical creatures, spellcasting, and a dark entity feeding on sorrow are key components of the fantasy world.
Xan is a central character and a kind, benevolent witch who rescues and raises abandoned babies, using magic, including feeding them starlight or, in Luna's case, moonlight. Luna herself is 'enmagicked' after drinking moonlight as a baby, developing extraordinary, often uncontrollable, magical powers as she grows. The main antagonist, Sister Ignatia, is revealed to be a 'Sorrow Eater,' a powerful occult figure who sustains herself by feeding on the grief and fear of the Protectorate's inhabitants, orchestrating the annual baby sacrifice.
Violence
MediumThe book contains instances of implied and depicted violence, including child abandonment, psychological torment leading to madness, physical scarring, and a villain who feeds on sorrow, suggesting a moderate level of intensity.
The people of the Protectorate abandon their youngest baby in the forest annually as a 'sacrifice,' a practice rooted in fear and resulting in immense grief for the mothers, such as Luna's birth mother. Luna's birth mother is driven to madness and imprisoned in a tower due to the trauma of her child being taken, and later, her magical paper birds attack Antain, leaving his face severely scarred. The villain, Sister Ignatia, a 'Sorrow Eater,' drains the grief and energy from people, and is described as having caused the death of two baby birds to fuel her magic from their mother's sorrow.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe book features several intense and potentially frightening elements, including themes of child sacrifice, a character driven to madness and imprisonment, a malevolent entity feeding on sorrow, and a looming natural disaster.
The premise of the story involves the annual 'sacrifice' of infants by the Protectorate, leaving them in a forest they believe to be dangerous, which is a deeply disturbing and emotionally intense concept. Luna's birth mother is driven insane by this forced abandonment and is confined to a tower, becoming known as the 'madwoman' whose magical paper birds attack people. The main villain, Sister Ignatia, is a 'Sorrow Eater' who thrives on the collective grief and fear of the townspeople, creating an oppressive and sinister atmosphere. The climax involves the threat and eventual eruption of a volcano, creating a dangerous and suspenseful situation for the characters.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe narrative includes themes of challenging oppressive authority and standing up against injustice, with characters actively questioning and rebelling against harmful traditions and corrupt leaders. This is portrayed as a positive and necessary action.
Antain, a member of the Elder council, becomes deeply disturbed by the tradition of baby sacrifice and actively works to challenge the governing body of the Protectorate, choosing to defy the status quo he finds morally wrong. The book's overarching theme involves challenging 'ancient evils who have long oppressed the kingdom' and promotes 'challenging the status quo' and 'being true to your beliefs' in the face of manipulation and fear.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowExplicit searches for LGBTQ+ content, characters, or themes within "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" yielded no specific mentions. While one general review site's tag cloud included 'transgender' as a broader category, this was not specific to the book's content. Discussions of gender roles by a reviewer referred to traditional parental and caretaker roles within the story rather than gender identity.
There are no characters identified as LGBTQ+ within the narrative of the book based on available reviews and community discussions. A review mentions the book 'delves into concepts of gendered roles of parenthood and caretaker' and how characters like Antain and his wife Ethyne 'fulfill and overcome them,' focusing on dynamics within heterosexual relationships rather than gender identity.
Romance and Sexual Content
LowRomantic content is present but is mild and wholesome, focusing on a developing relationship between two characters that leads to marriage and mutual care. There is no explicit sexual content or suggestive language.
Antain, a young man from the Protectorate, develops a crush on Ethyne, a woman he meets while working as a carpenter. They eventually marry, and their relationship is described as a 'dynamic' and 'true love' built on caring for and protecting each other. General parental reviews confirm the absence of 'intimate situations' or suggestive content.
Profanity
LowThe book contains very minimal instances of mild profanity. One specific instance of the word "damned" has been noted in content reviews, but overall language is considered clean.
One review specifically mentions 'Language (one “damned”)'. Other reviews explicitly state that there is 'no offensive language' within the narrative.
Substance Use
LowThere is no mention or depiction of alcohol, drugs, smoking, or any other substance use in the book, based on comprehensive searches of parental reviews and plot summaries.
Reviews and plot summaries across various sources contain no references to characters consuming alcohol, using drugs, smoking, or engaging in any form of substance abuse. The narrative does not include themes or scenes related to addiction or intoxicating substances.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe book is a fantasy novel featuring a benevolent witch, magic, and mythical creatures, which may be perceived as conflicting with some traditional Christian worldviews due to its occult themes. While one reviewer noted 'new-agey references,' the book does not explicitly mock or insult Christian beliefs. Instead, it focuses on universal themes of love, hope, and good triumphing over evil within its magical framework.
The central figure of Xan is a 'kind and loving witch' who acts as a hero by rescuing abandoned children and caring for them, which challenges conventional negative portrayals of witches often found in religious contexts. The book contains a fantasy worldview with magic, dragons, and swamp monsters, and one source mentions 'some new-agey references' in its worldview analysis. However, the narrative is largely seen as 'Christian Friendly' and promotes positive moral lessons like 'love, hope and fighting for what's good' through its fantastical elements.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Recommended for ages 10 and up, aligning with its middle-grade classification. The Lexile level of 640L and thematic complexity, including themes of grief, sacrifice, and challenging oppression, make it most appropriate for readers in grades 5-8. Younger readers aged 8-9 may enjoy it if they are strong readers comfortable with longer narratives and mature themes, as noted by various educators and parental reviews.
Additional Notes
The book strongly emphasizes themes of found family, unconditional love, and the power of truth and hope against manipulation and fear. It explores complex ideas about grief, sacrifice, and the nature of good versus evil through its varied characters and interwoven storylines. The narrative encourages critical thinking about authority and the importance of compassion.
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