Flight

Steven Lam

Airman
By Eoin Colfer

Is it possible to fly? Many people think that this concept is absurd, except Conor Broekhart. Airman by Eoin Colfer takes readers through the Saltee Islands in Ireland during the 1890s, where the protagonist, Conor Broekhart, strives to create one of the first gliders. Unlike other kids his age, Conor spends his time studying and learning about aerial machines from his teacher, Victor Vigny. The two bond over their fascination with aerial machines and flying. Throughout the story, it becomes evident that aerial machines are not the only things that Conor is interested in. He begins to realize he has feelings for his childhood friend, Isabella, and needs to know if she feels the same. Conor later discovers that Isabella reciprocates his feelings and is ecstatic. He is now on the path to building aerial machines and getting with the girl he likes. Everything seems perfect, that is, until Bonvilain shows up.

The plot of the story takes a while to unfold. Due to this factor, I was tempted to stop reading this book because of the lack of action in the first few chapters. However, as the book further progresses and the plot thickens, it becomes a more interesting and enjoyable read. When Conor winds up in prison, it is very intriguing to see how quickly his character adapts in order to survive in his new environment. When Conor is in prison, he becomes hardened, “forget your old life”, he tells himself, “It is dead and gone. Dreaming of family and friends will plunge you into a dark hell of despair. So build a wall around your memories and become a new person” (164). This was a big turning point in the book and the prison is where Conor’s intellect and fighting skills sharpen, helping him to devise a plan to escape. Conor uses these newly gathered skills to design, “a glider with a rudder and adjustable wings for lateral balance” (183), that he uses to escape the prison. After discovering Conor is still alive, Bonvilain plots to poison his family, “the victim will experience a strange tingling in the hands, followed by chest pain, extreme anxiety, accelerated heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, and eventually death due to respiratory arrest” (369). I thought that this was a strong way to reinforce Bonvilain’s cruel and cunning nature, showing his disregard for others in order to succeed. Throughout the chapters that were more plot-heavy, there were a lot of descriptive actions scenes, drawing me more into the story and making me feel more engaged. Through Conor’s journey, Eoin Colfer managed to create a story like none other that I have read before.

One thing in particular that stood out to me in Eoin Colfer’s writing was his choice of setting. Through some research, I found out that Colfer was raised in Wexford, Ireland. In both this book and his Artemis Fowl series, the setting takes place somewhere in Ireland. I find it interesting how Eoin Colfer bases his stories around the place where he grew up. In my eyes, this book is one of a kind. Although the book takes place in the 1890s, it seems very modern. Airman also contains vast amounts of action, description, and creativity. I wish this book had a sequel because it was a great book and seems to have potential, but sadly there is none. This book was definitely a 10/10 and I would recommend this to people who love intense action and adventure.