Eva and Elias

[Rachel-K]

In each household, the mothers are an overpowering, supernatural force. What are Eva's qualities and powers?

How does Meridia fit in with her? Would it be possible for Meridia to make peace with her and still be her own person?

What is the role of the bees in Eva and Elias' relationship?

What are Eva and Elias' relationships like with each of their children?

Do we get glimpses here of what the earlier and more loving relationship between Eva and Elias might have looked like?

[Shadowwolf36]

Eva expects EVERYONE to tow her line. There is no discussion, no compromise. Although they all see to try to have their own minds, it doesn't take long for Eva and her bees to change them. The bees remind me of the sound when someone is nagging and nagging and nagging you and you just sort of tune them out and all you hear is a buzz.

One of the comments I found interesting was on Page 114.Eva says "I believe we kissed for the last time that night, a good two years before Daniel was born.

My, what has their marriage been like and is that why Eva is so evil?

I also loved how Patina's sister used words like snake, serpent, reptile, viper and venom to describe Eva. Her sister does not live IN the house and sees how evil Eva is.

[biljounc63]

When reading about Eva I only picture the obnoxious and annoying Mrs. Olson from the old Little House on the Prairie television show.

[CathyB]

Great description! I can see her now.

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biljounc63 wrote:
When reading about Eva I only picture the obnoxious and annoying Mrs. Olson from the old Little House on the Prairie television show.

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[babzilla41]

The "Mrs. Olsen" analogy is perfect!  You can just hear the constant nagging, pestering and "buzzing".  No wonder Elias doesn't have the energy to stand up for Permony - even though he recognizes that she needs him to - which makes him a weak man in my eyes.  He sees what he needs to do but prefers to turn a blind eye for his own comfort and sanity.  When he tries to assert himself, the bees become unbearable and wear him down.  As in everyone's life, sometimes it's easier to bury you head in the sand rather than deal with reality...unfortunately, in this case, to the detriment of a little girl.

[dhaupt]

In my reading of the novel Eva's qualities and powers are morphing the better I know her the more she reveals to us, in the first chapters she seemed a loving wife and mother even though there were some signs of trouble, but the further on I read Eva is becoming more the villain in the book. She's selfish and cruel and beginning to out rank Gabriel as the main bad guy in the story because Gabriel had a reason for his behavior not that it's right, but I can't seem to find the catalyst for Eva's foray into being the wicked witch of Orchard Street.

Now on to Elias, at this point in the story Elias is a mystery, I don't see him as an especially weak person and yet he bows to Eva's wishes sometimes after a long battle with the bees, but he eventually gives in. And yet I see his strength in how he compensates for Eva's meanness with Permony and when Meridia and Daniel have their own shop how he sneaks in little gifts when he knows Eva isn't watching.

I think the bees are Eva's weapon to get Elias to do her bidding.

The relationship with the children of Eva and Elias are beginning to be clearer for me now and changing from what I first thought especially with Eva. I think Elias loves all his children the same and has no favorites even though he gives Permony extra gifts it's only to compensate for Eva. Eva's relationship with her children is much more cloudy and hard to put into words, while I think she loves her children I wonder if they're not a means to an end for her, and by that I mean she puts forth to every one how she martyrs herself to be a mother and wife and benefits by exploiting every one around her not only her children but Elias, Meridia, Patina etc..

I did get a small glimpse of Eva's and Elias's early relationship when Eva found the box of photographs and made the comment to Meridia about how they couldn't keep from kissing constantly. Now was that just for show? I don't know. 

[CathyB]

Eva is needy, selfish person. She nags (bees buzzing around in an annoying fashion) in order to get her way - it must be incessant if Elias cannot sleep.

With regards to powers, I don't think that anyone actually has anything supernatural about them. I think her wrath is something that is worse than her nagging and they give in to it.

As long as Meridia does what she is told without question, Eva tolerates her. Once she stands up for herself, there is no going back. Eva needs to be the Queen bee and have all others do her bidding.

I'm not sure what the E&E relationship was like before.

Elias does love Daniel and Permony but does not show it well or all the time for fear that if Eva took notice, she would somehow end anything good that came from it. Not sure what he feels for Malin.

Eva loves Daniel and he is her worker 'bee'.  She lashes out at Permony for reasons yet unknown and she caters to Malin. Why? Because Malin knows who and what she is ....

[AIRKNITTER]

Eva and Ravenna are both controlling mother's/wives. Elias is a battered husband in every definition of "battered". I feel no empathy nor sympathy for him or Gabriel. The destruction of human souls these two women are bent on completing paints a picture of life in a war zone.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. 

[love2readSZ]

I agree that both women are controlling but I do have empathy for Ravenna and none for Eva.  I believe that there was a reason why Ravenna acted the way she did (don't know why yet) but I think that Eva is pure evil. 

[DSaff]

Eva is the woman of the house. She is controlling and manipulative, seeming to be angry most of the time. Everything must be done her way or watch out. Her power relates to the bees. I am not sure how much of the power is real and how much is imagined, but if those things were buzzing around me, I wouldn't be able to sleep or think anymore than Elias can. Eva uses the bees to pester Elias into doing what she wants him to do. She is a harpy. I hope we find out what happened to the dog next door. I wonder if he was scared speechless by the look in Elias's eyes! 

Meridia does not fit in with her. While she tries to do what Eva wants, Ravenna taught Meridia too much for her to simply be a follower. She loves her husband and wants a home with him. Eva stands in the way of that plan succeeding. In order for Meridia and Daniel to have a life of their own, Meridia has to stand up for herself. In doing so, she plays into Eva's hands and leaves the house. But, Daniel develops a backbone and they end up in a house after all. But, Eva uses her bees to cause great problems with the delivery of Noah. Her mental control seems to be unstoppable by anyone but Ravenna.

 I'm not sure what to think of the early relationship between Eva and Elias. I believe Elias loves his children (i.e. furnishing the house and bringing the gifts and girls to see Meridia, both behind Eva's back), but I'm not sure Eva ever really did. They seem to be pawns to her, with Malin being her sounding board. Maybe they were happy once, but that would mean that Eva was a nice person once as well. I hope to find that answer as I go forward reading the book.

[DSaff]

Great comparison!

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biljounc63 wrote:
When reading about Eva I only picture the obnoxious and annoying Mrs. Olson from the old Little House on the Prairie television show.

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[dclement04]

Bottom line is Eva can go lick the bottom of my shoe....I can't stand this woman!!

Unfortunately she reminds me of some women in my family (which is another story) and her character, as everyone has noticed is completely horrible. I think she has a lot of resentment left from her childhood years when she found out she was adopted and she has been carrying this and taking it out on everyone for years.

I cringe for her children and just want to shake her everytime i hear how she treats her family. I DO love the fact that meridia stood up to her because I think her family started to realize a little bit how crazy she is, but they are so brainwashed with her crap and magic that they don't actually believe that she is bad.

Elias on the other hand I believe to be such a sweetheart but is so transformed because of Eva's power that something big has to happen in order for him to break out of it and i think the birth of Noah has started to make that happen.

Uhhh I hope this story keeps getting better and that the family will overpower her and teach her a lesson!

Read On!

Danielle

[mgorbatjuk]

I don't like Eva one bit either. I think she uses everything to her benefit. Including the adoption issue. I'm not sure she really cared except for she could martyr her mother to be her slave. The buzzing bees do remind me of people I know that you just get to a point you can't bear to listen to them anymore. I think Elias at one time really loved Eva but something has happened that she has alienated herself from him. (Which is hard to believe) But for some reason divorce isn't an option. I do feel a little bad for Elias not knowing why he stays with Eva.

[PiperMurphy]

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rkubie wrote:

In each household, the mothers are an overpowering, supernatural force. What are Eva's qualities and powers?

How does Meridia fit in with her? Would it be possible for Meridia to make peace with her and still be her own person?

What is the role of the bees in Eva and Elias' relationship?

What are Eva and Elias' relationships like with each of their children?

Do we get glimpses here of what the earlier and more loving relationship between Eva and Elias might have looked like?

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Eva and Elias are an interesting couple. Eva is controlling, manipulative, conniving, vindictive, waspish, and pure evil. Poor Elias is the stereotypical henpecked husband. Eva's bees are the words that she uses to harrass Elias, or anyone else who displeases her. Her words hurt. I think that Elias is basically a nice man who will behave violently when he reaches his breaking point. When I think about Eva, I see huge swarms of bees flying out of her mouth which I really find funny. I really wish that someone would just laugh at her. Maybe that would make her speechless, which would ultimately make her powerless.

On the surface, Malin appears to be an Eva in training, but there is something more. I think that she truly hates Eva, and I think that she has something on her. Eva is trying to appease her, or maybe buy her for some reason. Daniel, as Eva's first born son, escapes his mother's venom. He seems to be blind to her true nature, but I think that he could become like his father very easily. Eva takes out her aggression on Permony because she is defenseless. Malin may be doing the same thing, there is no one else.

[booksJT]

Eva's is unbearable at times. She wants her family to follow her rules without question whether she is right or wrong. Eva's thrives off of other people's misery and pain. Eva uses her bees to get what she wants  from family and enemies.

Meridia doesn't fit in with her. They have nothing in common. Meridia is loving and caring whereas Eva is a nag when she doesn't get her way. There is no way Meridia would be able to make peace with Eva. Once Daniel took Meridia side she lost all the love that she might have had for Meridia. She feels Daniel betrayed her by taking Meridia's side.

The role of the bees is to keep Elias under her thumb. She uses the bees to get him to carry out her dirty work. The bees are there to convince Elias to do what Eva wants even if it is wrong.

Eva loves her son and their daughter Malin. Permony was the last child that she had. She felt her husband forced her to have this child against her will. Elias loves Permony because she is the one who will care for him in his old age.

Eva and Elias were still in love before the birth of their son Daniel. She had found a picture of her Elias embracing  once. On page 114 Eva remembers their last kiss, "I believe we kissed for the last time that night, a good two years before Daniel was born."

[emmagrace]

Eva is controlling and cruel. She has to have things go her way or all will feel her wraith! I have no sympathy for this cruel lady!

Meridia fit in nicely with Eva until Eva showed her true colors, now the two are obviously enemies and I do not feel like their problems will ever be resolved.

The bees are Eva's way of controlling Elias. Elias is a caring and laid back individual and Eva has to enrage him before he will do her bidding.

I did not see any glimpse of love in their early relationship. Maybe I was too focused on all of the hate to notice.

[PiperMurphy]

I've been thinking that Eva may have actually been a blessing in disguise for Meridia. When Meridia moved to Orchard Street, she had no idea how to cook or keep house. I think that Eva really intended to put her on the same level as Patina and Gabilan and she would be one of the servants. However, their training gave her the knowledge that she needed to maintain her own home which gave her independence. Probably not what Eva intended.

[libralady]

I don't think Eva has any "good" qualities.  As far as her powers, she only has power over those whom she can hurt, humiliate, and make bow down to her.  One of the reasons why she gave Meridia so many household chores to do is because she was trying to reduce her into a subservient role so that she could control her.  She was wily enough in the beginning by making Meridia think she was pleasing her as well as Daniel when she did the household chores, cooking and accompanying her to the market.  But once Meridia found out the truth, she lost any power that she had over her.  She uses the bees as a way to control Elias.  I agree with an earlier post, he is truly a battered man.  Disappearing into his books is the only comfort he seems to get in that house.

[Tarri]

Love the Mrs. Olsen analogy. 

I think Eva's a vile and manipulative person, and I agree with the posters who say the bees remind them of nagging. 

I don't think Meridia can fit in with this family, even though she tries very hard, because they all have set roles and there is no place for her. 

[MSaff]

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rkubie wrote:

In each household, the mothers are an overpowering, supernatural force. What are Eva's qualities and powers?

How does Meridia fit in with her? Would it be possible for Meridia to make peace with her and still be her own person?

What is the role of the bees in Eva and Elias' relationship?

What are Eva and Elias' relationships like with each of their children?

Do we get glimpses here of what the earlier and more loving relationship between Eva and Elias might have looked like?

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Hello again Everyone, 

  I see Eva's qualities as that of a person with control issues.  By using an easy going (at first) attitude with each member of the family, she controls and keeps the family going in the direction she wants them to go.  When this fails however, she resorts to the use of her anger and her Bees.  She goes about tormenting anyone who fails to measure up by using the Bees coming from her mouth to attack and cause submission of her prey.

  Meridia and Eva are like oil and water.  They just don't mix.  Meridia has grown and become self confident since marrying Daniel and she's not going to let anyone, especially Eva take that away.  Eva wants to and thinks she will continue to control Daniel and now Meridia.  It's just not going to happen, as Meridia sees it.  I don't see them making peace with each other any time soon, or in the near future to this point. 

  Eva is a controlling person and this includes Elias.  I'm not sure what brought them together unless it was preordained by some Match Maker or family agreement.