The Brightwood Code: Chapters 13-19

by Monica Hesse
In this historical novel, a young woman is forced to relive her recent past as a switchboard operator on the front lines of WWI when she begins to receive mysterious, threatening telephone calls at work.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1-6, Chapters 7-12, Chapters 13-19, Chapters 20-26, Chapters 27-35
15 words 14 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. listless
    lacking zest or vivacity
    Through our entire conversation I had been listless and monosyllabic, half praying that I wouldn’t get the job, that I would never have to look at a switchboard again.
  2. anonymity
    the state of being unknown
    The opposite of the anonymity that I came to this job seeking.
  3. compulsory
    required by rule
    “Is this compulsory?”
  4. robust
    sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction
    They look so—robust is the word I’m looking for.
  5. outlandish
    noticeably or extremely unconventional or unusual
    As outlandish as this all seems, he has never once been patronizing.
  6. furtive
    secret and sly
    It feels furtive, secret, a relic I use to remember and to punish myself.
  7. mortified
    made to feel uncomfortable because of shame or wounded pride
    I’m mortified by this, mortified that Theo could hear me and mortified even more by the idea that he could hear me doing something I wasn’t even aware I was doing.
  8. droll
    comical in an odd or whimsical manner
    I wasn’t usually droll enough, snide enough, quick enough, and I swelled with pride at the achievement.
  9. prude
    a person excessively concerned about propriety and decorum
    I wanted to explain that I wasn’t a prude, I just didn’t like the taste of liquor.
  10. condolence
    an expression of sympathy with another's grief
    “May I please just speak to the master of the house? I’ve come to pay my condolences about Barry.”
  11. wet behind the ears
    not experienced; not mature
    In my mind, the dead boys were all boys, recent high school graduates, barely shaving and wet behind the ears.
  12. deluge
    an overwhelming number or amount
    Not just one bulb but many simultaneously, a deluge like I’d never seen.
  13. impertinent
    improperly forward or bold
    The secretary again, grabbing at me, a dazzlingly impertinent offense while I was trying to do my job.
  14. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
    I could barely see her; the air around us was acrid and thick.
  15. convoluted
    highly complex or intricate
    I can’t imagine what convoluted story Theo has come up with to tell her, but whatever it is must be a prizeworthy performance.
Created on Mon Jan 05 08:40:31 EST 2026 (updated Wed Jan 07 07:26:31 EST 2026)

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