Unforgettable, for entirely different reasons
You will either love/appreciate this latest installment, or be severely disappointed. The most likely cause for disappointment would be Artemis's strange absence - psychologically that is. Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, symptoms including OCD, paranoia and multiple personality disorder among many other psychological issues. As a result, the Artemis we know and have grown fond of is.not entirely 'there'. And as a result, Artemis's alter ego, Orion, often takes over. And Orion is hardly a genius. Granted, Colfer does an amazing job with this new Orion fellow as well as the remaining characters. The dark humor is there, the one-liners present, Mulch's sarcasm as vibrant as ever and the banter is perfect. And when 'Artemis' (not Orion) is present, the novel holds true to its predecessors. Don't get me wrong, Orion is a riot and I laughed more than once when he showed up, but there is a reason I picked up the Artemis Fowl book.and it most certainly was not because I wanted a book about this Orion guy. So where is Artemis? Oh, he's there. In bite size pieces and as a result, it would seem as though this novel were severely lacking. But despite Orion's humor, the novel is darker than any of the others before it, not only because of the strange emphasis on emotions, but because Artemis and the gang always seem a step or two behind their adversary as opposed to a dozen steps ahead. We're so used to the ingenuous Artemis being so far ahead of the game that by the time we manage to understand the twists and turns, we're struck with awe. But now the team can't seem to catch up effectively - and this new vulnerability brings another aspect into play; and makes the reader shiver with anxiety in an entirely new way. I do miss Artemis's deductions and the rapid twists and turns that leave me in the dust. What's worse is that this new adversary isn't nearly as formidable as Opal Koboi (whose name I genuinely fear). Yes, this novel was very different. But it was darker and in that sense, better. Yet, the boy we've become accustomed to seeing isn't there. And that for me, as a reader, was painful enough. But maybe this was Colfer's point in the end - this new vulnerability that the characters face. This novel runs deeper than the others and the emotions are stronger and that much more terrifying. Under this new lens - then it is probably the best in the series. After all, no other Fowl book has had this effect on me once I put it down. Even now there is a looming darkness that I cannot seem to place. This novel is very different. But if you read it, expecting another 'Fowl' novel, you will be disappointed. Instead, I suggest reading it under a new lens that has not been stained by expectation and to appreciate the differences and what it has to offer. This latest installment is good.very good but for different reasons entirely. And this strange drift away from the other novels can we welcomed - once. If Colfer repeats this venture again, I can confidently say that this new plot line has overstayed its welcome. But for now - this book was strangely amazing and definitely unforgettable.
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