Jayson’s Reviews > The Time Paradox > Status Update

Notes:
(1) Holly: "Maybe you made the wrong decision; maybe I would have made that decision myself. We’re from different worlds, Artemis. We will always have doubts about each other. Let’s just carry on and leave the past in the past, where it should be."
- Ostensibly, this is about Artemis lying to Holly to fool her into going back in time. Though, implicitly, this is a fairly typical "let's just be friends" speech.

Notes:
(1) The last thing I expected was for this to turn into the plot of "Little Red Riding Hood."
- Though, I suppose it is a "fairy" tale.
(2) "It was confusing even for Artemis. Opal wouldn’t even be in his present if he hadn’t gone back in time. And he had only gone back in time because of a situation she had created."
- Yes, confusing for me too! What's the butterfly effect that started the whole thing?

Notes:
(1) Fish is served at the Extinctionists' banquet... naturally, a presumed-extinct fish. An interesting choice, since fish is as inoffensive a meat as it gets.
- They aren't cute and it's not like anyone cares too much when their goldfish dies.
(2) Even though we're well past the relation-ship sinking part of this book, Colfer still brings up their kiss from earlier.
- I mean, are we putting it to rest or not?

Notes:
(1) Holly: "...your elf-kissing days are over."
Artemis: "I see."
Holly: "It’s not a challenge, Artemis. Over is over."
Artemis: "I know."
- Well, mission accomplished. Fan ship effectively sunk.
(2) Parker's New Orleans accent sounds decidedly Old West cowboy.
(3) Interestingly, Artemis makes unethical deals attempting to save his father in the past and his mother in the present.
- Ergo, family trumps ethics.

Notes:
(1) "... because she was happy and flushed with magic Holly leaned down and kissed Artemis, magic sparking around the contact like tiny fireworks."
- Colfer really is laying it on thick with the fan service! I suppose it's better to get it all out of the way now than have fans speculate about future books.
(2) Like the last book, Artemis is pitted against a version of himself.
- In this case, his younger self.

Notes:
(1) This book's a prime example of "ship sinking." That is problematic fan shipping that's gotten so popular that the author must bring it up in order to kill it.
- Different species aside, Artemis is fourteen and Holly's an adult. They're made the same age here.
(2) "Artemis and Holly stood there in their underwear, gingerly locking fingers."
- A surprisingly intimate/risqué situation for a middle-grade book.

Notes:
(1) "[The nature reserve] would be a real treat for me, and Butler too. You know how he likes small furry creatures."
- I can only assume this is a sly reference to Mulch Diggums.
(2) "We can only change the future, not the past or present. If I go back [in time], then I have already been back."
- Ah, yes, "Bill and Ted" logic. Except future-Artemis didn't leave him anything, he actually has to get it himself.

Notes:
(1) "Foaly had got married, or hitched, as centaurs called the ceremony, while Holly had been away with Artemis Fowl..."
- Of course it'd be called that. I do love a good pun!
(2) Barely two chapters in and we already have our first deadly fart, and an earth-shaking one at that.
- It wouldn't be "Artemis Fowl" without plenty of farting.
(3) This is book #6. Even-numbered, ergo, Opal's the villain again.

Notes:
(1) Most of my memories about this, from the first time I read it, was that all the time travel complexities hurt my brain, but in a good way—in an exercise no-pain-no-gain sort of way. There's a lot of mental heavy-lifting.
- I felt the same about Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose."
(2) This is the first audiobook without the new jack swing theme tune at the start.
- It was an odd fit, but I really miss it.