Lt. Eve Dallas > Likes and Comments

Like I pointed out, the Trina thing can be entirely tied to childhood trauma, re: the memory of Stella losing her junked out mind and abusing Eve as a toddler just for getting into her makeup (as described in Imitation). Eve most definitely has severe PTSD from her childhood. That I think we can all agree on.

I agree, Suzanne! I believe Eve has PTSD from her horrid childhood experiences - especially at the hands of those who are supposed to protect you. It takes her time to learn the social skills she missed out on in childhood - even more time to learn to trust. She worked hard to become a cop...over time, she learns to accept that it's okay to also be a woman, lover, partner, friend - to accept & return love with question.

Great insight, Suzanne. Like Sandra, I don't always analyze Eve's PTSD as deeply as you do, but I think you're onto something. I've always assumed her "fear" of Trina was tied to Eve's feeling that she's somehow "not a girl" and her general discomfort with makeup, fashion, and other traditionally feminine things. Looking at it through the lens of her childhood trauma makes a lot of sense, though. The memory of her mother's anger when she was caught playing with makeup and a wig could certainly explain why Trina pushes so many of Eve's buttons.

As for the autism theory, I tend to trust the author when she tells readers what was in her mind while developing a character. After all, who knows Eve better than Nora? Readers can certainly interpret characters in different ways, but when it comes to authorial intent, I think Nora's perspective carries the most weight.