(S)Kin: Marisol: Work – Genevieve: Home

by Ibi Zoboi
This novel in verse follows Marisol, the fifteen-year-old daughter of a mythical creature called a soucouyant, and Genevieve, a seventeen-year-old navigating her relationships with her stepmother and new siblings, as they uncover the magic and deep family secrets that bind them together.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Marisol: Nightmare - Genevieve: Life, Marisol: Work - Genevieve: Home, Two: Father Sun, Three: Sister Stars
15 words 20 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. cosmic
    inconceivably extended in space or time
    “Here, you must learn to shed another layer of skin.
    The skin that is given to you by them:
    Black, girl, poor, and immigrant—
    Wear the skin that is given to you by your foremothers:
    powerful, cosmic, and incomprehensible,”
  2. incomprehensible
    incapable of being explained or accounted for
    Wear the skin that is given to you by your foremothers:
    powerful, cosmic, and incomprehensible,”
  3. lullaby
    a quiet song intended to help a child go to sleep
    The house is the quietest it’s ever been since the twins came home.
    So silence is my lullaby, even though
    it’s morning and I should be going to school.
  4. palate
    the ability to taste, judge, and appreciate food
    Kate says. “Lourdes, you can teach the twins
    some French, and soon they’ll develop their
    palate for these island flavors!”
  5. immaculate
    without error or flaw
    His teeth are immaculate. His smile is holy.
  6. vagabond
    a wanderer with no established residence or means of support
    “You sound like a yardie. A vagabond.
    You could’ve stayed on whatever island
    you flew away from.”
  7. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
    I move away again. He can sense the
    dormant flames beneath my skin.
  8. menacing
    threatening evil or danger
    “You’re not scared that someone or
    something will come after you for stealing?”
    Jaden asks, nibbling on another piece of bread
    with a menacing smile.
  9. surge
    a sudden forceful flow
    A surge of energy rushes through me
    and I feverishly dig into the bag for a
    new bottle of moisturizer primer
    concealer liquid foundation
    bronzer blush
    eye shadow in three different shades
    (stardust midnight ghost).
  10. callous
    emotionally hardened
    On the islands, we are much more poetic
    with our insults. Callous words are wrapped
    in metaphor. Profanity is sprinkled with sugar
    so the words are not so sharp; so the wounds are
    not so deep.
  11. mutilate
    destroy or injure severely
    Here, words are machete
    blades. They don’t slice or cut.
    They chop.
    They mutilate. They grind
    into dust.
  12. furrow
    make or become wrinkled or creased
    I don't know what he is saying.
    Then he furrows his brow and touches his
    chin. So I touch my chin, too...
  13. traverse
    journey across or pass over
    But this time,
    there are no borders to cross;
    there are no forests to conquer;
    there is no ocean to bargain with;
    there is no sky to traverse.
  14. de-escalate
    reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of
    “Really, Micah! What’d that cat do to
    you?” I ask...
    Then I say to the boy, “Can I get a beef
    patty and
    coco bread?” I smile to de-escalate the situation.
  15. superstition
    an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear
    It’s superstition. Like ghosts, vampires,
    zombies and all that...”
Created on Thu Oct 09 08:59:03 EDT 2025 (updated Wed Nov 12 14:41:07 EST 2025)

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