Minerva Paradizo
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Minerva Paradizo is a character from the Artemis Fowl series of books by Irish Author Eoin Colfer and is one of the main antagonists in Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony. She is a twelve-year-old girl, described as very pretty with tight blonde corkscrew curls and glasses (although the glasses are only mentioned once). She was born in Cagnes-sur-Mer, South of France, and her father Gaspard Paradizo is a fifty-two-year-old cosmetic surgeon of Brazilian descent. She also has a five-year-old brother, Beau Paradizo, and her mother, whose name is unknown, left them for an ex-gardener a year before the events described in the fifth book in the series. Although she is only at the tender age of twelve, Minerva has already completed High School and is currently studying for 2 long distance learning degrees. She also won a national spelling bee at the age of four. She is undoubtedly a genius with an IQ equal to that of Artemis Fowl II himself. Though in the Lost Colony she is easily outwitted by Artemis due mainly to the superior technology and support he has available to him (as well as his extensive knowledge of fairies) and due to her being humiliatingly overruled by her father at a conference she calls at her château.
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[edit] Character Traits
Minerva bears many similairities to Artemis when he was 12 in the first book. She is ruthless, lacks a conscience, and desires for fame, fortune, and power. However she has something akin to a twisted code of honour. Like Artemis she does seem to love her father (although it's possible she only wants his money) and seems to have a certain protective instinct towards her brother, Beau whilst also despising him as she considers him a 'little brat.'
However, towards the end, Minerva has developed a change in her personality. Like that of Artemis's. She begins to have a conscience (apparently), and with that starts to become more of a protagonist. Her evolvement through life is like that of Artemis's. At the age of 12, she only cares about herself. Just like Artemis in the first book. But as she is around more of the fairies, she starts to become a nicer person, just like Artemis, although Minerva does tend to change faster.
[edit] Role in Novel
During the fifth book, The Lost Colony, she discovers the existence of demons and pinpoints the exact time and place of the next materialisation, along with her father, an assassin named Billy Kong and her head of security, Mr. Soto. She successfully defeats Artemis Fowl in the race to capture a demon, No1 (actually an imp and an apprentice warlock) and hopes to unveil him in a bid to win The Nobel Prize. Minerva is eventually tricked by Artemis, who steals back No1. However, the psychotic assassin Billy Kong, employed by her father, believes that demons killed his brother, and threatens to kill Minerva, her father and Soto unless he is given a demon to kill. Artemis, Domovoi Butler, Holly Short and No1 come to their rescue- strongly implying that Artemis has feelings for her.
When Artemis, Holly, and demon warlocks Qwan and No1 go to Hybras, Minerva becomes good friends with Butler and reads to him. Artemis does not return for three years, giving Minerva the chance to feel attracted to the child genius. Butler has told Artemis on his return that Minerva has been talking about Artemis (Artemis this and Artemis that), and thinks very highly of him. There have been not-so-subtle hints throughout the book that Artemis "has blasted feelings of attraction" towards her.
Minerva is expected to return in the sixth book. It is possible that she is interested in Artemis because Artemis risks his life to save hers, even though she hasn't been very nice to him. It is more likely she wants revenge as after he thwarts her plan she inwardly vows vengeance on him.
[edit] Age
Since Artemis travelled forward in time three years at the end of The Lost Colony, this would now make Minerva 15. Ironically she is now just a little older than Artemis, who is nearly 15, but although Artemis is biologically aged only 14 going on 15, chronologically he is, as Holly mentions, almost 18 and would be allowed to vote.
[edit] Criticism
The introduction of Minerva Paradizo in the Artemis Fowl series has gained a mixed response from fans. Some believe Minerva is a great addition to the series since they do want a romantic point of view from the series and a villain who reflects Artemis's personality (rather like Francisco Scaramanga of James Bond fame), while others have accused Eoin Colfer of creating a “Mary Sue.”
This accusation is probably due to the fact that Mary Sues in the Fowl fandom are often rich, pretty, female geniuses with an exotic name of Roman or Greek origin.
However, fans on Minerva's side argue that Artemis would be considered a 'Gary Stu'. Since he is rich, a genius, caring (towards the end), good-looking (considered by his fans), but lacks social skills, similar to Minerva.
