A review by literatehedgehog
The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
4.0
What an odd little book! I'd heard mixed reviews from adults, and glowing praise from 5th graders, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
The narrative structure is excitingly different for middle grade novels: the story is chronological, but each chapter is narrated by a different speaker at an inn. The revelation of the "I" identity during these inn interruptions was juicy, with just enough tantalizing clues parsed out before the big reveal.
The genre is also enjoyably difficult to pinpoint: Is it historical fiction, set in the high Middle Ages? Is it magical realism, albeit where the "magic" and mysticism is based in religion and possible saintliness? The story certainly does not consider itself Very Quite Serious (dragon fart jokes, I'm looking at you), or even Somewhat Moralistic Preachy, although there were opportunities for didacticism. It made me feel like Wrinkle in Time, the feelings and morals are right there for taking. But I think that's a good thing - kids of this age group are OK with things, especially feelings and morals, being spelled out if the story is good enough to hold it. And this adventurous, heartfelt, sometimes quirky-weird, story is.
Well deserved Newbery medal, you.
The narrative structure is excitingly different for middle grade novels: the story is chronological, but each chapter is narrated by a different speaker at an inn. The revelation of the "I" identity during these inn interruptions was juicy, with just enough tantalizing clues parsed out before the big reveal.
The genre is also enjoyably difficult to pinpoint: Is it historical fiction, set in the high Middle Ages? Is it magical realism, albeit where the "magic" and mysticism is based in religion and possible saintliness? The story certainly does not consider itself Very Quite Serious (dragon fart jokes, I'm looking at you), or even Somewhat Moralistic Preachy, although there were opportunities for didacticism. It made me feel like Wrinkle in Time, the feelings and morals are right there for taking. But I think that's a good thing - kids of this age group are OK with things, especially feelings and morals, being spelled out if the story is good enough to hold it. And this adventurous, heartfelt, sometimes quirky-weird, story is.
Well deserved Newbery medal, you.