Throwback Thursday - Joint Review: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Author: Eoin Colfer

First published in 2001 by Hyperion Books

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.

Kari's take: Artemis Fowl is a genius, millionaire and is only 12 years old. He has gone through way too much for a 12 YO and he is much more worldly than he should be.  All he wants to do is set things right for his family.  He plays hard at trying to be an evil mastermind, but in reality, he isn't all that evil.  He does seem to have a conscience at times and never really harms anyone.   


The mythology about the fairy world was interesting.  I think the MG readers will get a kick out of this book. It's definitely on their level.  I'll probably continue with the series just to see how things work out for Artemis.  I will admit that the beginning was a bit dull and it took me a little while to get oriented, but after the first 2 chapters, things picked and the story flowed pretty well.  I listened to the audioversion and it was pretty enjoyable.  Give it a try sometime!

Autumn's 2 cents:  I got about halfway through this and I stopped reading it out of disgust.  I was tired of all the "humans are evil and they're destroying the earth" kind of talk throughout this book.  It seemed to me like an attempt to warp little impressionable minds with this kind of leftist thinking early on.  I don't take issue with getting kids to try to make a change in the world if you do it from a positive point of view, like how the Disney Channel does it with Friends for Change and all their little reminders between each show about conserving water and not polluting, etc.  Don't get all radical and talk about the evils of human beings though, it's not appropriate in MG literature.