Safiyyah's War: Chapters 9–15

by Hiba Noor Khan
This novel is based on the true history of the Grand Mosque of Paris. It follows Safiyyah, a young Muslim girl from Paris, as the Nazi occupation during WWII changes her community forever.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1-8, Chapters 9-15, Chapters 16-20, Chapters 21-29, Chapters 30-37
15 words 8 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. patter
    a quick succession of light rapid sounds
    It was raining heavily now, a constant patter of water falling onto the tiles in the courtyard below.
  2. oblivious
    lacking conscious awareness of
    Some people swigged the water back as if they hadn’t drunk in days, offering nods of gratitude, while others walked on as if oblivious to anything around them.
  3. chime in
    break into a conversation
    Amelie chimed in, ‘Yes, just because someone is from another country or town doesn’t mean they have less right to food and a home.’
  4. embolden
    give encouragement to
    Phillipe was emboldened by his friend’s bullish tactics.
  5. teeming
    abundantly filled with especially living things
    The roads were still teeming with vehicles, though now there were more people leaving on bicycles and on foot than the day before.
  6. exodus
    a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment
    It seemed eerie, almost, to have gone from the overwhelming, chaotic exodus to this silent, abandoned street.
  7. tranquil
    not agitated
    After a few tranquil minutes, the cat looked up at Safiyyah, its wide sapphire eyes imploring.
  8. exasperated
    greatly annoyed; out of patience
    They repeated this scene three more times before both girl and cat became exasperated.
  9. stealthy
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    "It must...make you patient." Safiyyah imagined Timothée happy on his farm, sadness weighing her heart.
    "Very patient. And stealthy too!"
  10. vibrant
    (of colors) bright and striking
    She breathed a sigh of relief when the cage was safely in her arms, and was mesmerized by the vibrant feathers on the bird inside it.
  11. companionable
    suggestive of friendship or amity; friendly
    They walked the rest of the way in companionable silence, their arms full, and their hearts fuller than they had been before.
  12. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
    Setti laughed, nodding and winking at Yemma. "This girl of yours, Sara, very wise and pious!"
  13. curfew
    an order that after a certain time activities are prohibited
    "They’re driving vans around the city, telling people that we now have a curfew of eight o’clock in the evening."
  14. expletive
    profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
    Safiyyah hadn’t heard the word before, and based on her mother’s tone, figured it was probably an expletive.
  15. melodious
    having a musical sound; especially a pleasing tune
    Safiyyah missed his gentle encouragement and melodious voice.
Created on Wed Oct 22 08:44:08 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Dec 23 11:21:18 EST 2025)

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