The Girl Who Drank the Moon

by

Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon Characters

Luna

One of the novel’s protagonists and the titular “girl who drank the moon.” As an infant, Luna lives in the Protectorate, a corrupt city where the youngest baby is offered as an annual sacrifice to… read analysis of Luna

Xan

A kindly witch who lives in a swamp in the middle of the forest. Xan is about 500 years old and was experimentally enmagicked as a preteen. A wizard named Zosimos mentored her. Zosimos was… read analysis of Xan

Sister Ignatia/The Sorrow Eater

The novel’s antagonist. 500 years ago, this character was known as the Sorrow Eater; Sister Ignatia is a name that she gave herself after there was a volcanic eruption. The Sorrow Eater became an evil… read analysis of Sister Ignatia/The Sorrow Eater

Antain

A young, idealistic man from the Protectorate. The novel follows him from about age 13 into his mid-20s. As a teenager, Antain is an Elder-in-Training. His uncle Gherland, the leader of the Council of… read analysis of Antain

The Madwoman/Adara

Luna’s mother; she’s known for most of the novel as the madwoman. Like Luna, Adara has long, curly black hair and a crescent moon birthmark in the center of her forehead. Luna is slated… read analysis of The Madwoman/Adara
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Glerk

Glerk is, for much of the novel, the friendly swamp monster who lives with Xan and Fyrian (and later, Luna) in the center of the forest. However, the novel also makes it clear that… read analysis of Glerk

Grand Elder Gherland

The leader of the Council of Elders in the Protectorate and one of the novel’s antagonists. He’s an old man, is very grand, and loves the prestige that comes along with his position. While there… read analysis of Grand Elder Gherland

Fyrian

A dragonling who was placed in Xan’s care right before the volcano erupted 500 years ago. Xan is his aunt figure of sorts, while Glerk acts as his mentor. Despite being even older than… read analysis of Fyrian

Ethyne

A kind, bright, and clever young woman in the Protectorate. She had a crush on Antain when the two were in school but, when Ethyne’s parents died and orphaned her, Ethyne agreed to join the… read analysis of Ethyne

Zosimos

Zosimos was Xan’s mentor; he’s been dead for 500 years. He was an old wizard even when Xan met him, but he began to decline quickly after taking Xan under his wing. Zosimos was… read analysis of Zosimos

The Parent

The person who tells their child the stories of the Witch and of the Protectorate throughout the novel. While the parent is unnamed and ungendered, it’s possible that this person is Adara’s mother or… read analysis of The Parent

Antain’s Mother

The mother of Antain, Rook, and Wyn. A callous and greedy widow. She’s well-connected, but nobody to whom she’s connected—namely, Elder Gherland—likes her very much. Antain’s mother desperately wants her sons… read analysis of Antain’s Mother

The Crow

A crow that Luna conjures accidentally as her magic starts to erupt in the lead-up to her 13th birthday. It caws, but Luna understands that these noises mean things in human speech. The crow acts… read analysis of The Crow
Minor Characters
Mae
A Sister of the Star who was friends with Ethyne while Ethyne was part of the organization. With Sister Ignatia gone, Mae is willing to follow Ethyne in overthrowing the Sisters and the Elders.
Fyrian’s Mother
A huge and beautiful dragon. She put baby Fyrian in Xan’s care before diving into the volcano with Zosimos to stop the eruption, 500 years before the novel begins.
Rook
One of Antain’s little brothers. He becomes the servant for the Sisters of the Star when he turns nine.
Wyn
Antain’s youngest brother and the Sisters’ servant when Ethyne re-enters the Tower to overthrow Sister Ignatia.
Luken
Antain and Ethyne’s baby. As the youngest child in the Protectorate, he’s slated to be the sacrifice for the Year of Sorrow.
Elder Raspin
The oldest Elder in the Protectorate.