Antain’s Mother Character Analysis in The Girl Who Drank the Moon

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 to do well, and when they do succeed she sees it as a reflection on her parenting and as something that she deserves. She’s horrified by Antain’s trajectory in life until he’s been a successful carpenter for years.

Antain’s Mother Character Timeline in The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The timeline below shows where the character Antain’s Mother appears in The Girl Who Drank the Moon. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Storytelling, Censorship, and Control Theme Icon

...the door. His annoyingly enthusiastic nephew, Antain, bursts in. Antain is an Elder-in-Training because Antain’s mother, a ridiculous woman, begged Gherland to take him on. Gherland is fond of Antain, but... (full context)

...does. The Elders berate him every chance they get and for seemingly no reason. Antain’s mother does the same at home and insists that she deserves the honor of Antain being... (full context)

Memory, Forgetting, and the Future Theme Icon

...says that she’s surprised that Antain joined the Council, though she knows it was Antain’s mother’s idea. She says she thought he’d be a carpenter. (full context)

Antain is soon a renowned woodworker. He is able to support his mother and brothers, but his mother disapproves of his profession. Antain doesn’t notice and immerses himself... (full context)

...but work and sleep due to the sadness that drapes over the Protectorate. Soon, Antain’s mother insists that she’s always said he’d be a success. (full context)

One morning, Antain’s mother stands in his workshop as Antain works on a cradle with stars in the headboard.... (full context)

...Ethyne greet each other, and Ethyne looks right at Antain. Antain thinks that even his mother flinches when she looks at his scars. (full context)

...to snore and gives her his word as a Simply Enormous Dragon. He wishes his mother was around, but immediately takes this back and says that Glerk, Xan, and Luna are... (full context)

...immediately and Luna falls back to sleep as her blister fades. Fyrian dreams of his mother trying to tell him something from the other side of the castle as the old... (full context)

Fyrian’s heart feels achy after dreaming about his mother. Fyrian’s mother was a beautiful dragon, and Fyrian wonders how many years it’s been since... (full context)

...pictures of dragons, a volcano, and a girl with starlight for hair. He remembers Fyrian’s mother introducing him to Xan, who would care for Fyrian someday. Then, Xan had freckles and... (full context)

...is confused until Glerk says that the tiger lady—the Sorrow Eater—is the reason that Fyrian’s mother dove into the volcano and why other mothers are childless. Fyrian screams. (full context)

The Sorrow Eater’s sorrow leaks out as Fyrian dives. They both lament their mothers as Fyrian picks up the Sorrow Eater and threatens to burn her. Glerk races up... (full context)