A brewster, a nun, a librarian, a butcher, an innkeeper, a jongleur (singer & entertainer), a chronicler, a king’s companion, a friar, a troubadour (poet & singer) and an inquisitor walk into a small French inn … no, it’s not the beginning of a joke, it’s the beginning of The Inquisitor’s Tale (Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog) by Adam Gidwitz.
When Jeanne, a young peasant girl with visions of the future, and her saintly greyhound, Gwenforte, meet up with Jacob, a young Jewish boy who can miraculously heal wounds and William, a young monk with unbelievable strength, an amazing tale of struggle and courage, friendship and deceit, a farting dragon, stinky knights and an angry king, is spun. Author, Adam Gidwitz weaves together a tale in the fashion of The Canterbury Tales (but much, much easier to read and enjoy) that has the three children, and their dog, running from knights, lofty religious figures, the Queen Mother and King Louis IX of France. What could these three possibly have done to invite such anger? Well, living in 13th century France is not easy if you are a peasant, a girl, Jewish or huge and dark skinned, but it’s even more difficult if you have displeased the king. Jeanne, Jacob and William didn’t set out to anger the king. They each set out in hopes of escaping persecution and danger, but they fall into a scheme to save thousands of books from a horrible fate, a fate the king has deemed necessary … and you don’t cross the king.
If you read the book you will be treated to manuscript illuminations throughout; if you listen to the audio book you will be treated to a handful of narrators, including Gidwitz himself as the Inquisitor. But either way, enjoy the tale and take heart in the lessons learned.
When Jeanne, a young peasant girl with visions of the future, and her saintly greyhound, Gwenforte, meet up with Jacob, a young Jewish boy who can miraculously heal wounds and William, a young monk with unbelievable strength, an amazing tale of struggle and courage, friendship and deceit, a farting dragon, stinky knights and an angry king, is spun. Author, Adam Gidwitz weaves together a tale in the fashion of The Canterbury Tales (but much, much easier to read and enjoy) that has the three children, and their dog, running from knights, lofty religious figures, the Queen Mother and King Louis IX of France. What could these three possibly have done to invite such anger? Well, living in 13th century France is not easy if you are a peasant, a girl, Jewish or huge and dark skinned, but it’s even more difficult if you have displeased the king. Jeanne, Jacob and William didn’t set out to anger the king. They each set out in hopes of escaping persecution and danger, but they fall into a scheme to save thousands of books from a horrible fate, a fate the king has deemed necessary … and you don’t cross the king.
If you read the book you will be treated to manuscript illuminations throughout; if you listen to the audio book you will be treated to a handful of narrators, including Gidwitz himself as the Inquisitor. But either way, enjoy the tale and take heart in the lessons learned.