Review of EVE

[Sharill Rasowo]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "EVE" by Van Quattro.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Eve by Van Quattro is a novel set in the late 1930s and early 1940s about a badly abused young girl named Eve. Eve wakes up in the sewers of New York with amnesia after experiencing something awful. She is rescued by a young police officer named Jake, who takes her to an orphanage. Later, she is placed on a train bound for Louisiana. She meets Ollie, a young African American boy, and the two embark on great adventures together, aided by a mysterious entity. She meets other characters, including Ollie's brother Rollie, and they endure obstacles together, including World War II, cruelty, and racism.

I found the novel depressing, which was understandable given that it was set during the Great Depression and World War II. Surprisingly, the book's dark and gritty tone piqued my interest. I was completely engrossed in the plot and thought it to be enthralling. Reading about the life of children during that time was eye-opening. It made me wonder if I would have survived if I had been born during that time period. Eve's life was a nightmare from the start. Strange things continued to happen to her, and I was left wondering how she remained sane in the face of events that would break a regular person.

The characters' bravery and determination impressed me. They were able to courageously deal with the poor hand that life dealt them. It was amazing to see Ollie, Rollie, and Eve's affection for each other. They were able to survive the difficult times because they were united against the world. I also liked how the author let them have fun on occasion, such as when they went to a Yankees game. This provided some light relief in an otherwise gloomy storyline.

The finale was the part of the novel that I disliked the most. Even though I could tell the author's purpose was to instill optimism in the audience, I found it strange. I was also conflicted by Eve's complicated relationship with the three men, Ollie, Jake, and Rollie. Furthermore, I was perplexed by the unusual, seemingly supernatural events that occurred around Eve till the end of the book. They were never properly explained, leaving me unsatisfied.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because I enjoyed reading about Eve's and the other characters' adventures. I also loved how the author used the Second World War as a backdrop and showed how it impacted the lives of the characters. However, there were various typos and errors, and I believe that this book should be re-edited to address this problem. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction because the World War II background is wonderfully used.

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EVE
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[Nwankwo GC]

Eve's story seems like an interesting one. I'd love to read about her adventures and how she and her friends dealt with World War II, cruelty, and racism.

[Pauls_]

I also felt depressed as I read through the review. How can one person experience all this bad things. Eve sure is courageous. I would have love to read the book but Cliffhangers are a no-no for me. Lovely review.

[Mbenma Esther 080]

An in-depth review with an exposure of what makes the book interesting. Thanks for the review.

[Blessing Odii]

I think Eve's story will be that of an adventure throughout the book.

[John korir]

Thanks for the review, the aspect of racism in the book is a sensitive topic to discuss in other forums. This insight was helpful. I would love to read the book.