Saturday, February 19, 2005

What I have learned from Eve Dallas

Eve Dallas, for those who don't know, is the heroine from the In Death series of books by JD Robb aka Nora Roberts. She is a tough as nails police lieutenant in the New York police department in the year 2053. I first tried to read this series years ago but was very put off by her toughness and edginess. I tried this series again after seeing them widely praised in the cyber world romance book review sites.
As I persevered with the first book (Naked in Death) I began to learn something about her and myself. In the real world, this type of woman terrifies me and at the same time I admire them tremendously. Eve is strong, very strong, confident and doesn't take s&*%t from anyone. She seems to have nerves of steel and nothing seems to intimidate her. At least on the inside on the other hand, I am a mass of insecurities. I am jelly; a quivering mass of insecurities and second guesses. I'm always astonished when someone implies I am self confident. That couldn't be further from the truth.
As the series progresses we learn more about Eve's background. She was horrifically abused as a child and that abuse defines much of what she does and what she thinks. We learn that while yes, she is very confindent in her abilities as it pertains to her job, in other areas of her life; her relationship with Roarke her husband, her relationship with others, even her relationship with herself as a woman, she is riddled with insecurities.
So, if Eve Dallas, a woman with amazing strength doubts herself in areas of her life, maybe, just maybe women like her who exist in the real world as opposed to the fiction world, suffer their own share of insecurities. Maybe I have more in common that I thought with women who are sure of themselves; the ones I admire and am intimidated by at the same time.
What a releasing and freeing thought!
And as an afterthought, an overall thanks to all those who ever recommended these books. They have become my favourite books in a world of wonderful romance books