Derek Landy - Skulduggery Pleasant

Title: Skulduggery Pleasant (Skulduggery Pleasant, book 1)
Author: Derek Landy
Pub. year: 2007
Pages: 380
Editor: HarperCollins
Summary: Meet Skulduggery Pleasant:
Ace Detective
Snappy Dresser
Razor–tongued Wit
Crackerjack Sorcerer
and
Walking, Talking,
Fire-throwing Skeleton
—as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.

These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil.
The end of the world?
Over his dead body.

So, Muffin here gave me this book as a gift months ago but it took me a little while to read it. I was willing to, but you know, massive TBR pile and stuff... Anyway, now I've read it and really enjoyed it, so let's talk about it!

You kind of dive into this funny story full of sarcasm, skeleton, magic, crappy cars, bad guys who wants to rule the world, and so on.

Stephanie is a clever and determined girl, and I really like the fact that she wasn't "oh yay, magic is real and in five seconds I'm like a super duper magic badass". It's cleverly written and realistic—as far as it can be in a fantasy novel ;). And Skulduggery, this witty skeleton who made me think of Harry Dresden (from The Dresden Files), is endearing as he grow attached to Stephanie. I liked how he's not at all patronizing with her and take her not as a yound teenage girl but as a person who seems to him strong enough to take care of herself.
Plus, there's a whole bunch of other peculiar characters in those two's life, which makes it even more awesome.

Magic is a bit renewed here, even if there's obviously some clichés about it in the story, but it was quite well introduced and some of its specifications were quite appealing to me! Don't want to spoil it for you so you'll have to read it or trust me.

I thought it was a story mostly for children, but as I read it I realised it is one of those who can be read at any age. And that's pretty awesome. I enjoyed it very much myself so Yay against prejudice!
Now, you know what you have to do if you think you'll like it!

Quotes:

'If you hear any screaming,' he said, 'that'll be me.'

'The gap was gaping. It was a gaping gap.'

Posted in: 2007,Derek Landy,detective,fantasy,HarperCollins,magic,skeleton