Artemis Fowl by Eion Colfer: Middle Grade Reviews from a Parent and Writer’s Perspective

 

This review of the first book in the beloved Artemis Fowl fantasy / sci-fi / humor / adventure series was inspired by the hope that Disney Plus will one day give the middle grade franchise another chance after its disappointing adaptation into a single, poorly-reviewed movie.

In fact, the Artemis Fowl movie was probably the worst reviewed Disney flop ever on Rotten Tomatoes. I'm hoping the studio's next attempt at filming the book series will more closely follow the story lines of the original source material. Even better, they could turn the series into a multi-season TV series.

Synopsis: Artemis Fowl, the son of a criminal mastermind, who, in the absence of his father, and, while enduring the depressed
comatose state of his mother over the disappearance of her husband, turns to the family's roots in crime to keep their financial empire afloat.

Artemis' first major criminal caper is no ordinary heist; he wants to cheat the fabled Little People of a ton (literally) of their treasured gold. It it is a feat that has never been accomplished before and we soon learn why, and why Artemis may be the first to achieve it.

 

Author: Eoin Colfer
Published: 2001
Age Range: 10-13+

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

 --The extraordinary writing of Eion Colfer carries the reader past some of the more unbelievable tall tales the writer spins in his
re-imagining of the lore of the Little People. The author's writing carries the show.

--The primary, secondary and even tertiary characters within the world of Artemis Fowl are well sketched and immediately endearing.

--The book employs a fast-flowing plot with cleverly interwoven story lines.

--Laugh out loud funny. Irish humor at its best.

--The author's use of alternating character POVs that challenge but don't confuse the reader are highly effective and enjoyable to read.

Cons:

--Over-usage of a mild curse word, mostly for comedic effect. Still, it seems unnecessary.

--The ending of the book was anti-climatic for me, especially given the build-up and relative importance placed on Artemis' ability to
out-think his adversaries. The logic that ties the story's plot threads together is lacking, and the book is saved only by the humorous tone
established by the author during the earlier chapters. We can forgive the author one more time for his outlandishness and
inventive tomfoolery.

--Contains some violent scenes that could scare younger, and impressionable readers. Particularly, Butler's fight with the Troll.
However, the descriptions are more akin to comic violence than the realistic variety.

A Worthwhile Read?

Absolutely! IMO, the Artemis Fowl series is among the best middle grade fiction around, and kids shouldn't be put off by the made-for-streaming movie that Disney released in 2020. The series certainly deserves another adaptation to attempt to capture the literary brilliance of the books.

Reviewed by:

Christopher Sartorius