Review: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every year, the people of the City of Sorrows leave a baby in the forest. The infant is a sacrifice to the witch, in hopes that it will keep them safe for another year. The Elders perpetuate the cruel tradition in order to maintain their control of the frightened townspeople.

This tradition is a lie. The forest witch, Xan, is loving and kind. She is a guardian of the forest and lives a simple life with a poetic swamp monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Every year Xan nourishes the child with starlight and delivers them across the forest to a loving family.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby girl moonlight. The ordinary girl becomes filled with extraordinary magic and Xan decides to raise the child as her own. But as Luna grows, so does her magic, threatening the delicate order in the forest.

Barnhill has created a magic new fairy tale in The Girl Who Drank the Moon. This story asks sweeping questions about society, memories, and sadness with the simple sweetness of a peaceful bog. Told from several viewpoints, Barnhill explores the Elders' deception and the power we all have to right terrible wrongs. Luna's strength doesn't come from the powerful magic she possesses, but from the strength she has been given by those who have raised her with love.

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