The book, Artemis Fowl, is a descriptive fantasy fiction book, written by Eoin Colfer. The novel mainly takes place in Dublin, Ireland, in the beginning of the twenty-first century. Artemis Fowl depicts a strong message of greed and the disunity between good and evil in the world. The main character, Artemis Fowl, sets out on a mission to receive enormous amounts of gold from the sacred fairy race by using his mischievous schemes and genius plans. Early in the novel, Artemis acquires the cherished fairy book by using a bribing proposal to a dying pixie, where he soon discovers all of the inviolable rules and methods of attack the fairies live by, and he soon develops a complex plan to steal what he desires in honor of his family. After learning this information, Artemis sets out on his mission to find a fairy to kidnap and to hold hostage for gold. While seeing one of these pixies in the wild forest performing a sacred ritual, he and his butler, soon capture the lone fairy and take her to the Fowl Manor (Artemis’ mansion). After the LEP (lower elements police) discovers this threatening information, they dive into a deep panic and immediately start chasing after their beloved fairy captain, Holly. While the fairy police chase after Artemis and his hostage, they face many deceptions, leading them to the wrong locations. But after using enhanced fairy intel and logic, the many pixies track Artemis down and arrive at the Fowl Manor, and they are ready for attack.
Artemis Fowl is an extremely memorable and action-packed book because of the descriptiveness in the writing to explain the entertaining sequence of events. Although Artemis Fowl is seen as the main character, he is portrayed as an ingenious antagonizer towards the fairy race in order to obtain money for his family. Due to Artemis’ wits, there is a large variety of many other honorable ways to achieve this money other than terrorizing the innocent pixies. Several surprising possibilities spring up in the sequence of events in Artemis Fowl. Examples include: the many possibilities of what Artemis could have done to Holly to achieve his goals, if Artemis had not captured such an important fairy from the LEP, and if Artemis had not gotten a hold of the book of secrets all fairies live by. Since the book, Artemis Fowl, is an action packed roller coaster with hardly any breaks, the book lacks character development for Artemis. At the end of the book, Artemis hardly shows any sympathy for the fairy race and doesn’t seem to change beneficially in his character at all.
In contrast, I agree with Patricia Reilly Giff’s development of character in her book, Pictures of Hollis Woods. In this book, the main character, Hollis, finds a home she wants to belong in and discovers the significance of friendship and sympathy. If Artemis had experienced more character development throughout the novel, learning the importance of friendship and sympathy, I believe the book would have had more of an impact on me. Overall, the book did not affect me personally, but it had brought me moments of suspense and uncertainty throughout the action-filled plot.
Artemis Fowl is overall a thrilling and fast-paced book that I enjoyed and would recommend to other young readers if they are looking for a suspenseful fantasy-fiction book. Although Artemis Fowl is an exciting book, it lacks character development which could lead to Artemis being seen as an antagonist and a powerful foe towards the fairy race. Recommendations I would suggest for new readers for this book is to be ready for nearly
anything because the book is extremely unpredictable and is filled with action and conflict.
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