I have been a fan of Adam Gidwitz ever since I read his A Tale Dark and Grimm series. He has a sense of humor that comes through loudly and clearly in every book he writes, and The Inquisitor’s Tale, is no exception.
Case in point:
“William pulled himself to his feet—like a tree falling in reverse—and stretched his long arms over his head. Jacob and Jeanne marveled at him, unfurled to his full length.”
Surprising and descriptive, all in one one.
The Inquisitor’s Tale is a wonderfully entertaining fantasy written in the style of the ancient Canterbury Tales, where different storytellers take over at certain points and contribute to the overall story using their distinct voices and points of view.
Here are three things I enjoyed most about it:
1. The humor. Gidwitz is a master at hilarity and humor. Here’s one of my favorite examples of the subtle humor in this book:
“What’s your dog’s name?” he asked the girl. What are you doing? he thought. Beware the daughters of Eve!
Jeanne said, “Gwenforte, the Holy Greyhound.” Be quiet! she shouted at herself. Why would you say that?
Jacob smirked. “The holy greyhound? A holy dog? Christians worship dogs?” Instantly he regretted it. God be merciful, what did you just say? Are you trying to get yourself killed?
Such a great use of internal dialogue.
2. Characters. Gidwitz has a fantastic way of drawing complete personalities of his characters using just a few lines. They each stand out as interesting, quirky, and lovable.
3. Heart. There was some great history mixed up in this book, but the thing that will make it memorable in the minds of readers is its heart—children battling for the right thing, which, to them, is living together in harmony.
Probably my favorite thing about the book was the opening lines:
The king is ready for war.
Louis of France is not yet thirty, and already he is the greatest king in Europe. He loves his subjects. He loves God. And his armies have never been defeated.
This war, though, is different.
He is not fighting another army.
He is not fighting another king.
He is fighting three children.
And their dog.
What a great way to start a sweet, charming story.
The books mentioned above have affiliate links attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on them and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)
