The Supernaturalist (Supernaturalist)

by Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer is the internationally bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series. The Supernaturalist is Eoin's vision of a dystopian future where life is short and danger is always near for ages 7-12.

Satellite City, Northern Hemisphere, soon:

Cosmo Hill is a human guinea pig in an orphanage used by corporations to test new products. Statistics say he has about a year left to live - unless he escapes. But escapes to what?

To a world of high-the gang warfare, swat teams of paralegals and a plague of four-fingered parasites who are invisible to everyone except three misfits who call themselves the Supernaturalists.
Could Cosmo be one of them? Are they the family he'd always wanted? And if he does become a Supernaturalist, will his life get any longer - or a whole lot shorter?

Acclaim for Eoin Colfer:

'Reads like The Matrix crossed with Oliver Twist' The Times

'A headlong techno fantasy... Colfer's story rattles along at a tremendous pace' Guardian

'As likely to appeal to grown-ups as children...a clattering adventure' Telegraph

• ISBN10: 0141317418
• ISBN13: 9780141317410
• Publish Date: 27 January 2005 (first published 27 April 2004)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 October 2023
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Puffin
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

"Chin up, Cosmo. You just saved a life." (Mona Vasquez)

It's been 7 years, since my first read of The Supernaturalist and while I remember enjoying it, I couldn't remember what it was about.

The characters are likable and unique, but they aren't compelling and they could be more developed. Stefan Bashkir, is the most developed character in The Supernaturalist, largely because of his backstory and motivations, and The Supernaturalist seems like his story instead of Cosmo's.

I enjoyed reading about the world in The Supernaturalist. It's a futuristic dystopian world where people's standard of living is terrible, genetic experiments have produced humans with supernatural abilities and the development of advanced technology. The inventions and gadgets are quite interesting and fit in with the futuristic world.

The plot is fast-paced. There are intense action scenes, twists and turns and all is not as it appears to be. I enjoyed witnessing the changing opinions and views as the plot progressed as well as the fact that little comments and actions in the beginning of The Supernaturalist make so much of sense later on. However, the plot is formulaic and rushed and The Supernaturalist is written with a sequel in mind so some plot points aren't entirely dealt with.

The Supernaturalist is a fast-paced read with likable characters and an interesting world, but the plot doesn't seem to know where it's going.