I just can’t stop talking about this audiobook. It has everything–children saving the day, dogs that come back from the dead and farting dragons! What’s not to love? Adam Gidwitz’s “The Inquisitors Tale, or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog” is not for the faint of heart. Set during the dark ages, this book deals with medieval politics and religion but is very relevant to today. It was a 2017 Newbery honoree, and it deserves the acclaim.
Both the book and audiobook have their own unique qualities. If you read the book, you will find examples of illuminated manuscripts, but if you choose to listen to the audiobook, you will be treated to a full cast reading (which means every narrator has their own distinct voice). In addition, you will have the pleasure of hearing an old professor singing the classic German battle song “The Song of Hildebrand.”
The audiobook ends with interesting details about some of the folklore and real life events that inspired Gidwitz in the first place, including the Bayeux Tapestry, which is pretty much a needlepoint graphic novel about the Norman conquest of London. If you put aside all the silly skull cracking, misplaced donkeys and dragons (did I mention their deadly farts?), this book is about confronting prejudices and finding your place in this crazy, mixed-up world where saints can be sinners, sinners can become saints and farts can kill!
