The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

Most of us like a good tale. Storytellers find most of us a captive audience. The Inquisitor’s Tale is told through the eyes of various people who instill the tales with their own perspectives. As with all traditional storytellers, the tales are oral, so I listened to this on Audible as I read the words. I think this enriched the telling immensely. However, the text alone is certainly a wonderful read. Here we have historical fiction intertwined with magic and fantasy. The period of history is the Middle Ages during the Inquisition and particularly during the reign of King Louis. Those who did not follow the tenets of the Catholic Church in all respects were in danger of being killed and tortured. Thousands of copies of the Jewish Talmud were burned. Infidels were hunted down.Jean, a young peasant girl, who during her seizures has visions of the future, is distrusted. Is she a saint or a devil? Her beloved white dog is resurrected from the dead. Is the magical dog a saint or a devil? Jacob, a Jewish boy who is desperately seeking his parents after his village has been burned, joins them. William, a huge Christian boy/monk who was banished from his monastery and sent on a journey to another monastery unites with them, also. They struggle for survival and the pursuit of goodness. Determinedly, they vow to save one book of the Talmud from the burning pyre. Running for their very lives, the three children and the holy white dog unite in their brave quest even if it means their ‘martyrdom’. Intent on wiping out all writings of the infidels, King Louis and his soldiers pursue them.Why does God let bad things happen? Why does God not protect the good with his omniscient power? The children ponder these questions.The characters are thrown together by fate. Their different backgrounds and perception of the world cause friction and distrust. However, through their struggles and adventures, lasting friendships emerge. Tolerance for others is a strong lesson here.We see that the characters, even King Louis, are human, with both good and bad qualities and decisions. This makes them come alive to the reader and imparts an important message.Although this book is primarily targeted for middle school children, adults can thoroughly enjoy it. I found it fascinating.

This little book took me completely by surprise. The Inquisitor's Tale is the story of three children and a resurrected white greyhound who traipse around medieval France hunted by knights, royalty, and a "red, fat, and wicked" monk named Michelangelo. As you may have suspected by now, these are no ordinary children. Jacob, a young Jewish boy, is able to heal the sick or wounded. William, a giant young half-Saracen child, is able to defeat enemies with his great strength. Jeanne, a peasant girl, has visions of the future, one of which includes the resurrection of her beloved greyhound.How the children all confront danger, find one another, and unite in a common quest is a tale told in turns by several different guests at an inn. It is the mysterious Inquisitor who teases out the story from the nun, troubadour, innkeeper, butcher, and others. Medieval France is described in exquisite but not overdone detail, down to the aroma of the delicious soup the children eat at the rabbi's house and breathtaking symmetry of the stones of Notre Dame Cathedral. The true identity of the Inquisitor and the appearance of very smelly cheese and a particularly colorful dragon round out a story full of unexpected moves. Finally, the climax on the causeway to the legendary Mont St. Michel is a visually unforgettable word picture.This young adult novel utterly astonished me. Not only did it incorporate a great plot with extremely unique characters and just the right amount of period detail, it also had an unexpected section that blended seamlessly with the narrative, in which the Problem of Evil was literally solved by a drunken monk! It was extraordinary! And surprising. And subtle. It wasn't an enormous theological treatise with ten proofs and sixteen counter-arguments, but it was simple, clear, and compelling. In a YA novel about three misfit children and a resurrected dog!What would Keats and Aristotle say? The pacing of this novel was excellent. The subject matter was deep and profound without being didactic or losing its considerable sense of humor. Greatness of both content and execution, and even touches of social commentary on the ills and joys of life during the Middle Ages. Utterly unique!

Excellent for children and adults. Very immersive in the medieval Europe setting. Lots of historical details. The story is adventurous and entertaining, but also enlightening and inspiring. Excellent commentary that is applicable to our society today! Easy to see why it won the Newberry award.

I bought this book to read to my 9 year old at bed time. It's a fantastic story, and deals with issues that you rarely find in kids books these days such as racism and politics in historical context. The highlight was definitely the Dragon with the deadly farts. While I couldn't wait to see what happened next, my daughter got tired of this book and wanted to switch to a different one. Maybe better suited to a sixth grader. But I would still highly recommend this as a together reading book.

It is tangible magic. Magic that is written down!Read it for yourself, to learn about love and tolerance and to build a better world. Very relevant for today's world.

What a fascinating book! I'm amazed that there aren't more reviews! An interesting insight into the middle ages, a gripping story and a downright funny tale - all rolled into one. Read it!

Wow! Although I normally avoid any novels with religious topics, I was amazed to find that I loved this book. THE INQUISITOR'S TALE is certainly one of the best books I read this year. (It came out in 2016 and deservedly won the Newbery Honor.) Gidwitz managed to make this medieval story, based on snippets of actual history, into a fast-paced and funny tour de force that echoes the framework of Chaucer's CANTERBURY TALES.But middle-grade readers won't care about that. They will like it because it's a funny yet philosophical look at religious prejudice that is, unfortunately, as relevant today as it was in the 1200s.I highly recommend it.

Its a very enjoyable book to read and quite funny too. It also came in a reasonably good condition and the illustrations are cool too.

A Must