Adam Gidwitz
As I read this book I was filled with jealousy. All I could think of was, "I wish I wrote this." The Inquisitor's Tale is "that book." Original, thought-provoking, adventurous and compelling.
This book is set in Medieval times; the year is 1242. This didn't exactly grab my interest but I had heard so many positive things about Adam Gidwitz, author of The Grimm series of books, I had to give it a try. The book is also beautifully illustrated by Hatem Aly. The drawings wrap around the page, bringing to life the feeling of an illuminated manuscript from the Middle Ages or Renaissance.
What kept me reading fervently is the fact that each chapter is told from the perspective of a patron at an inn. On a cold night, a traveler stops to seek shelter and asks the patrons about three traveling children on the run. Each patron at the inn tells their story about meeting Jeanne, William, and Jacob, and each chapter is told from a different perspective. Jeanne is a peasant girl accused of witchcraft, William is a monk of partial African heritage, and Jacob is a young Jewish boy. I can't forget to mention Gwenforte, the holy dog brought back from the dead, and the farting dragon (no, I can't mention more without revealing incredible storylines). The conflict here is that this book takes place during the Inquisition, when Jews, Muslims, Protestants and rationalists were tortured and burned at the stake. The reader quickly learns that the visitor at the inn has other motives, and is probably an inquisitor looking to bring the children straight to the king.
As the book progresses, all three children work through conflicts and learn to work through their differences. The book's rich themes of intolerance, religious fanaticism, and censorship are weaved beautifully through the plot. Every reader will become heavily invested in the children's fate and root for them until the last page is finished.
This book is set in Medieval times; the year is 1242. This didn't exactly grab my interest but I had heard so many positive things about Adam Gidwitz, author of The Grimm series of books, I had to give it a try. The book is also beautifully illustrated by Hatem Aly. The drawings wrap around the page, bringing to life the feeling of an illuminated manuscript from the Middle Ages or Renaissance.
What kept me reading fervently is the fact that each chapter is told from the perspective of a patron at an inn. On a cold night, a traveler stops to seek shelter and asks the patrons about three traveling children on the run. Each patron at the inn tells their story about meeting Jeanne, William, and Jacob, and each chapter is told from a different perspective. Jeanne is a peasant girl accused of witchcraft, William is a monk of partial African heritage, and Jacob is a young Jewish boy. I can't forget to mention Gwenforte, the holy dog brought back from the dead, and the farting dragon (no, I can't mention more without revealing incredible storylines). The conflict here is that this book takes place during the Inquisition, when Jews, Muslims, Protestants and rationalists were tortured and burned at the stake. The reader quickly learns that the visitor at the inn has other motives, and is probably an inquisitor looking to bring the children straight to the king.
As the book progresses, all three children work through conflicts and learn to work through their differences. The book's rich themes of intolerance, religious fanaticism, and censorship are weaved beautifully through the plot. Every reader will become heavily invested in the children's fate and root for them until the last page is finished.