Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1) by Eoin Colfer

Synopsis (via Goodreads): 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. 

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Jacob and I both enjoyed this book when we were younger, and we had a lot of fun sharing it with our son! Normally, we take turns reading to him at night, but always from separate books. We actually argued over who would read this one first, and eventually decided to co-read it and alternate chapters.

Artemis Fowl is simply a fun book to read! Artemis isn't a hero or a villain, but a child willing to take big risks if they promise an even bigger reward. He's a twelve-year-old genius, which is why people much older than him (namely Butler) respect his decisions and blindly trust his judgement. On more than one occasion, Butler followed directions even when he didn't understand what was going on. He trusts his employer explicitly, and Artemis is lucky to have someone so unwavering at his side. Personally, I would have called Artemis crazy and ditched him years ago.

It's hard to say whether or not I like Artemis. I like that he's ambitious and seems to have a conscience, but I dislike that he was willing to use Holly and her people to achieve his goals. Yes, he felt bad once he'd interacted with her, but it didn't deter his plans. I would have been more understanding if he'd been in a life-or-death situation, but he was merely trying to reclaim some of the Fowl's monetary loses. He risked people's lives so his family would have more money to use for nefarious purposes.

Regardless of his reasons, Artemis did try to keep the casualties to a minimum, and asked Butler to maim instead of harm those that attacked the house. However, some of the fighting (especially against the troll) became very violent and somewhat graphic.

Eoin Colfer has created a fantastic world full of magic and interesting creatures. My son was particularly impressed by a kleptomaniac dwarf named Mulch Diggums. He excels at tunneling underground and isn't bound by the rules those with magic have to follow. He's able to unhinge his jaw so he can swallow soil and rock, only to have it pass through his body and out the other end (gross). My son thought the overall process was fascinating and laughed when Mulch used the gas in his body as a weapon (yuck).

Holly is a wonderful character that's always trying to do the right thing. I liked that she was willing to help Artemis and Butler despite being their captive, because their lives were more important than their transgressions. I really enjoyed her perspective within the book, and I'm looking forward to re-reading the rest of this series with my son and husband. If you're looking for a fun MG book, Artemis Fowl can deliver!

Edit: I had no idea they were making an Artemis Fowl movie! I stumbled across the trailer this morning and couldn't resist adding it to my post. What a lovely coincidence!