Eoin Colfer had a terrific idea when he decided to write his best-selling young adult series Artemis Fowl. The idea of a young criminal mastermind who gets untangled with underground fairies in Ireland is just quirky enough to be a very good series. The writing, though at times could be corny, was for the most part very good. I had thought that any book written by Colfer would be just as fun and interesting as Artemis Fowl.
Apparently I was wrong.
Colfer's book Half Moon Investigations, while interesting enough for a young child, is not written with the same adventurous style that made Fowl so appealing. It tries to be a dark detective novel, but the stereotypes and false portrayals of children, and also the fact that the main character is a kid, more of an anti-hero, will make sure the book will always be outside of the spotlight that Artemis Fowl deserves.
Half Moon Investigations is about Fletcher Moon, a 12-year-old Irish schoolboy who graduated from the detective academy top in his class to get his official detective's badge. He spends most of his day bragging about his badge or solving paltry crimes around school. He must be one of the most obnoxious protagonists of any story. Colfer tries to make him seem like the martyr who is teased because of his love for detectiving, but he comes across as an irresponsible weakling who thinks the world revolves around him.
The main story of the book is about the Sharkeys, a mafia family connected to most of the crimes committed in the area. Fletcher is hired to find a missing lock of hair from a famous singer that one of his schoolmates lost and suspects Red Sharkey, the eighth-grade child, of taking. As Fletcher examines this crime, it leads to him seeing a chain of crimes around his town that he believes are connected to the hair robbery.
The book has conspiracies, underground organizations, and unrealistic events that have Half Moon Investigations cross the line. Colfer's Artemis Fowl series was very good, but here he has jumped the shark. Apparently nobody ever told him that children do not belong to or, especially, run evil schemes and detective agencies.
Grade: 5.5
Apparently I was wrong.
Colfer's book Half Moon Investigations, while interesting enough for a young child, is not written with the same adventurous style that made Fowl so appealing. It tries to be a dark detective novel, but the stereotypes and false portrayals of children, and also the fact that the main character is a kid, more of an anti-hero, will make sure the book will always be outside of the spotlight that Artemis Fowl deserves.
Half Moon Investigations is about Fletcher Moon, a 12-year-old Irish schoolboy who graduated from the detective academy top in his class to get his official detective's badge. He spends most of his day bragging about his badge or solving paltry crimes around school. He must be one of the most obnoxious protagonists of any story. Colfer tries to make him seem like the martyr who is teased because of his love for detectiving, but he comes across as an irresponsible weakling who thinks the world revolves around him.
The main story of the book is about the Sharkeys, a mafia family connected to most of the crimes committed in the area. Fletcher is hired to find a missing lock of hair from a famous singer that one of his schoolmates lost and suspects Red Sharkey, the eighth-grade child, of taking. As Fletcher examines this crime, it leads to him seeing a chain of crimes around his town that he believes are connected to the hair robbery.
The book has conspiracies, underground organizations, and unrealistic events that have Half Moon Investigations cross the line. Colfer's Artemis Fowl series was very good, but here he has jumped the shark. Apparently nobody ever told him that children do not belong to or, especially, run evil schemes and detective agencies.
Grade: 5.5
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