"Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

This is yet another Netgalley book I received in exchange for an honest review. Here it comes:

I loved everything about this book. It was hilarious, highly entertaining and difficult to put down. It was also an easy, quick read that left me longing for more. I enjoyed every single word of it, and honestly, I can't believe I hadn't read it until now.

The story was fascinating. From the beginning, where we got a touch of Artemis's foul plan and brilliant mind, to the very end, where we're fully convinced that indeed, he is an evil genius, though one with a good heart. This is the first book I've read where the villain is portrayed as the good guy. Well, he is just a 12 year old kid to begin with. But still, such understatements could get a fairy kidnapped, tricked and well, expelled from the fairy (People's) society.

I was introduced to many interesting characters throughout the pages of this book, and I was impressed by the fact that they were all so real, so tangible, I thought they might pop up in front of me at any moment.

*Artemis - well, he was the evil mastermind alright. He had it all (or well, almost all) figured out in his plan. The abduction, the ransom, etc. etc. The only thing he hadn't planned was being tricked himself. What I really liked about him was that underneath it all, he was still just a kid who longed for his parents - to be alive, sane and by his side. So, I wasn't really surprised at the ending. I was actually pleased by Artemis. Also, I loved that he was a realistic character. He made mistakes, he had human feelings (though he tried to hide them), and in some scenes he made me want to strangle him for being so self-centered.

*Butler - oh man! The big guy whom you just couldn't mess with. He can kill a person in at least fifty different ways if either he, his sister, or his boss (Artemis) is somehow threatened. I loved the guy, because he wasn't just a brainless bodyguard. Oh, no. He was highly intelligent, and even though he mostly didn't question his boss's orders, it was due to trust, not lack of brains.

*Captain Holly Short - an elfin police officer was also a favorite character. I was with her every time she disobeyed an order, and loved her every step of the way. I loved her even more when she risked her life to save the humans. She was real and zesty.

*Commander Julius Root - he cracked me up. He wasn't dumb exactly, but he was always following protocol, and that sometimes messed up the operations. But he was loveable (though he'd prefer being intimidating), and quite amusing (especially when he couldn't get the jokes thrown his way).

I'd recommend this book to all readers who enjoy some comedy, genius thinking and an intriguing story.


My rating, clearly is