Denny's wife and Zoë's mother, and daughter to Maxwell and Trish. Eve is a very organized and meticulous person who works in a clothing store in Seattle, and she is the family's primary breadwinner prior to her hospitalization. Enzo can smell that Eve has brain cancer long before she begins experiencing symptoms, and even after the symptoms begin, she refuses to see a doctor. Off and on for months, she experiences nausea, migraines, and mood swings that affect her judgment and ability to function. The cancer is finally discovered when she is taken to the ER after a concussion. For her first night out of the hospital, she fears death immensely and asks Enzo to protect her. Later, on the eve of her death, Enzo says that she was living as though she stole every day from death.
Eve Quotes in The Art of Racing in the Rain
The The Art of Racing in the Rain quotes below are all either spoken by Eve or refer to Eve. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 6
Quotes
Chapter 7
Quotes
What Eve said was not out of line, as most dogs cannot help themselves... but that sort of thing doesn't apply to me.
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But I hadn't a facile tongue. So all I could do was watch and feel empty inside; Eve had assigned me to protect Zoë no matter what, but no one had been assigned to protect Eve. And there was nothing I could do to help her.
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Chapter 8
Quotes
I had always wanted to love Eve as Denny loved her, but I never had because I was afraid. She was my rain. She was my unpredictable element. She was my fear. But a racer should not be afraid of rain; a racer should embrace the rain.
Chapter 28
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I needed to feel myself, understand myself and this horrible world we are all trapped in, where bugs and tumors and viruses worm their way into our brains and lay their putrid eggs that hatch and eat us alive from the inside out.
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Chapter 37
Quotes
I thought of Eve and how quickly she embraced her death once the people around her agreed to it; I considered the foretelling of my own end, which was to be full of suffering and pain, as death is believed to be by most of the world, and I tried to look away.
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Get the entire Racing in the Rain LitChart as a printable PDF.
Eve Character Timeline in The Art of Racing in the Rain
The timeline below shows where the character Eve appears in The Art of Racing in the Rain. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...because he has responsibilities: his daughter, Zoë, and Enzo, and until she died, his wife, Eve. Denny lives in Seattle and has a job, but sometimes he goes away and comes...
(full context)
Chapter 4
...Enzo formed a deep bond. Enzo was surprised, then, when Denny fell in love with Eve as fast as he did.
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Enzo watches Eve and Denny have sex for the first time, saying that Eve said "the field is...
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Enzo says that he tried to act nonchalant because he knew how much Denny loved Eve, but he wasn't embracing of her presence. In turn, Eve was less embracing of Enzo....
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Chapter 6
At first, Enzo resents how Eve changes his and Denny's lives, particularly the attention Denny pays to her body. She is...
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Not long after Eve moves in with Denny and Enzo, she and Denny are married in a small ceremony...
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After the family returns from the wedding, Enzo notices that Eve is much bolder in her moving and replacing of household things. Enzo, while unhappy with...
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Enzo resents the attention Eve pays to the unborn baby, but in retrospect, he realizes that he never gave her...
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Enzo describes how Eve interacts with the baby before it is born, touching it through her skin, dancing to...
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...opportunity the same year he became a father changes depending on who's doing the interpreting. Eve is put off by the unfortunate timing, while Denny believes he's getting everything he could...
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...timing is wrong according to Enzo. On race day, a week before she is due, Eve feels contractions and calls her midwives. They assume Denny is driving and winning as Eve...
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Eve puts a hand down and lets it dangle. Enzo doesn't want to assume she is...
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...day, unhappy. His mood changes when he holds the baby, whom they name Zoë after Eve's grandmother. Denny asks Enzo if he sees his little angel, to which Enzo mentally replies...
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Eve's parents, Trish and Maxwell, had been in the apartment since Zoë's birth to care for...
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Chapter 7
After Eve became pregnant, Denny took a job behind the counter at a fancy auto shop that...
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Several months after Zoë is born, Eve goes back to work. Denny offers to stay home and care for Zoë but Eve...
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Denny asks Enzo what he's watching, as though he's asking Eve or Zoë. Eve and Zoë are in the kitchen making dinner, however, while Enzo is...
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...loses count of the weeks and is surprised when Zoë's second birthday arrives. Denny and Eve throw a party at their apartment, and Zoë calls Enzo her big brother. The children...
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...Zoë a photo that she shows little interest in, but when he shows it to Eve, she starts to cry. They laugh and cry, and Denny shows Enzo the photo. It's...
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Every day when Denny comes home from work, he greets Eve and Zoë and then takes...
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Partially, Enzo doesn't want to give Eve anything to worry about because he can tell she’s sick. He can smell a bad,...
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Chapter 8
...begins, Denny starts passing other cars that aren't using rain tires and are therefore struggling. Eve, standing in the doorway watching, asks why Denny can take turns so fast. Denny replies...
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Denny softly says, "that which you manifest is before you." Noting Eve's confusion at the phrase, Denny describes learning to drive in the rain when he was...
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...that if he makes the car do something, he can predict what will happen next. Eve asks if that means spinning the car before the car spins itself, and Denny replies...
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...on success or failure through their own intention or ignorance. Enzo considers his relationship with Eve, thinking that his resentment of her is mirrored by her aloof nature with him, and...
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Eve is self-conscious about Enzo's presence, but Enzo believes she simply doesn't understand his intentions. As...
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Chapter 9
It then, suddenly, became the worst of times. Eve wakes up early on the morning of the race in so much pain that she...
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Chapter 11
...narrative, Enzo takes stock of his situation, locked in the house alone. He thinks that Eve is ill and it's affecting her judgment, and Denny will be home after two nights....
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...surprised to see the zebra, since it's one of Zoë's favorites, but he reasons that Eve was in so much pain she overlooked it when she was packing.
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...steps right onto the squishy doormat. Surprised, he hops off the mat and calls for Eve, but Enzo is the only one home. Denny picks up the phone, and after a...
(full context)
Hearing crying, Enzo and Eve look over and see Zoë weeping in the hallway and Eve rushes to comfort her....
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...strikes Enzo on the head, yelling "bad dog!" When he moves to hit Enzo again, Eve protects Enzo. Denny stops, and Enzo knows that he won't hit Eve. Enzo says Denny...
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Denny says he can't believe Eve left Enzo for days, even if she did have a virus that made her unable...
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Chapter 12
Enzo describes Eve's condition as elusive and unpredictable: one day headaches, the next nausea, another dizziness and anger,...
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Denny begs Eve to see a doctor and get medication, but she refuses. Denny doesn't understand, as Eve...
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...so he can take over the running of the household, with the intent of relieving Eve of any burden or stress. This does not, however, allow him to continue to engage...
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Enzo says that Denny simply delegated his love-giving of Eve to Enzo. When Eve experienced episodes, Denny would take Zoë to movies or to the...
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Through the winter, Eve loses weight and becomes drawn and pale. Despite Denny's concern, Eve continues to refuse to...
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Chapter 13
...love going after bags of groceries and often try to steal items when Denny and Eve make multiple trips and leave bags on the porch. On this occasion, Eve brought home...
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Chapter 14
...March day that Denny comes downstairs with his track bag packed and his special helmet. Eve and Zoë seem to know what's going on, but Denny hasn't told Enzo. Enzo is...
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Denny asks Enzo to look over the girls, hugs Zoë, and kisses Eve. As he turns away, Eve grabs him and starts to cry, imploring him to please...
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The first two races go well for Zoë, Eve, and Enzo, but poorly for Denny, who finishes 24th and 30th. Denny is frustrated, saying...
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Enzo hears Eve stand and gather plates and tell Zoë to eat her nuggets. Zoë declares that she's...
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Bursting into the kitchen, Eve grabs the hot dog package from the freezer and as she tries to cut it...
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...Zoë to the living room where she turns on a kids' show. When Denny and Eve appear a few minutes later, they sit down with Zoë and watch. When the show...
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Chapter 15
The following weekend when Denny is away racing, Eve, Zoë, and Enzo go to stay with Trish and Maxwell. Eve's hand is bandaged, which...
(full context)
As soon as they arrive, Trish and Maxwell start ragging on Denny to Eve. They stand in the kitchen drinking, and Maxwell asks Eve what she's going to do,...
(full context)
Maxwell opens a jar of his favorite hot peppers, and Trish comments on how frail Eve is. Maxwell shakes his head and wonders where they went wrong with Eve. After a...
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Chapter 16
Eve has recovered from her episodes with no explanation, although her hand injury continues to give...
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...and the damage done to his car means he finishes “DFL,” or dead fucking last. Eve doesn't think it's fair, since it was the other driver's fault, but Denny says it...
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One day Denny and Eve sit on the porch while Enzo soaks up the sun and Zoë plays in the...
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Eve says she can't go to the track now that she's feeling good, as she's afraid...
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Denny suggests they use a turkey baster, and Eve starts laughing uncontrollably. He continues, saying he could leave a cupful of babies in the...
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Chapter 17
...arrive at the Slippery Slabs, a series of flat slick rocks in the creek. Denny, Eve, and Zoë strip to their swimsuits, and since Zoë is old enough to navigate parts...
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Then, Eve dips Zoë into the river and rather than splashing, Zoë pulls her feet out of...
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On the drive Eve keeps saying she’s okay, but she obviously isn't. Her words slur and she keeps nodding...
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Chapter 19
...Denny says the doctors might just go in and get the “mass” because it's causing Eve's problems whether it's malignant or not. Mike jokes that maybe his wife has a tumor,...
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Denny looks up at Mike and says this is why Eve didn't want to go to the hospital. Mike doesn't understand but agrees. He asks about...
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Chapter 20
...get to go to the hospital to hear what the doctors have to say about Eve. Enzo laments this fact, saying that nothing was expected of him except to do his...
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Eve stays in the hospital for weeks. Denny cares for Enzo and Zoë, and visits Eve...
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...and Trish offer to take Zoë for a weekend to give Denny a break, and Eve supports the idea. Denny is hesitant but agrees. He and Enzo do everything they used...
(full context)
...dinner, Denny stands up, takes Enzo outside, and then says he has to go see Eve, telling Enzo to stay. Enzo lies down in his bed, and Denny leaves. Several hours...
(full context)
Chapter 22
...a face before climbing onto the bus, and Enzo swears for a moment that she's Eve. As the bus pulls away, another father asks Denny if it's his first. Denny says...
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Chapter 23
..."it" is is left unsaid. In the car on the way home, Zoë asks when Eve is coming home, and Denny replies that she's going to stay with Trish and Maxwell...
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Denny calls from the back door that Eve is here, and Zoë and Enzo come inside. Trish and an unknown man help a...
(full context)
As dinnertime rolls around, the mood lifts. Eve showers and shows everyone her scars, and, wearing her own dress rather than the hospital...
(full context)
...repeating "until" revealed everything about the situation. Denny is irritated and accuses Trish of condemning Eve before they even know, and Trish begins to sob. Maxwell says the doctor said six...
(full context)
After dinner, Denny takes Zoë outside to talk and tells her that Eve would like it if she stayed with her. Zoë is concerned about being able to...
(full context)
Later that night, Enzo finds Denny sitting with Eve, saying that he wants to stay too. Eve says no, and Denny asks what he's...
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Everyone goes to sleep except for the nurse, who soon wakes Enzo and leads him to...
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Hours later, Eve appears and calls Enzo back into the living room. She tells him she needs him...
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Chapter 24
For the first few weeks, Denny visits Eve and Zoë nightly, but by Thanksgiving, he only visits twice per week. Denny gives Enzo...
(full context)
Chapter 25
...Enzo take a trip to a cabin in north-central Washington owned by a relative of Eve's. Eve and her parents don't attend, but a variety of other cousins and relatives are...
(full context)
...that maybe he needed to connect on some level with someone who reminded him of Eve and the passion they shared.
(full context)
Chapter 26
As spring approaches, life proceeds as usual. Eve continues the process of dying while she and Zoë remain with Trish and Maxwell, but...
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Chapter 27
...the first of May, Denny and Enzo are invited to Trish and Maxwell's for dinner. Eve is absent, and Enzo finds it awkward, so he wanders into Zoë's room and finds...
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Returning to the living room, Enzo waits with Denny until Eve comes out of the bathroom, assisted by a nurse. Eve is radiant, dressed in a...
(full context)
Eve sits on the sofa while Denny gets Zoë ready for bed. Eve calls Enzo to...
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Enzo says he doesn't know everything, but he knew that Eve was right about the doctors and the course of her illness, and that once she...
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Chapter 28
The next morning, Denny and Enzo, unaware of Eve's passing, head to a dog park to play fetch. As Denny and Enzo play, Denny...
(full context)
...animal again, and he notes that trying to live to human standards did nothing for Eve. After he finishes, he falls asleep in the bushes. Denny finds Enzo when he wakes,...
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Chapter 29
...Zoë come out of the house too. Denny goes inside alone to say goodbye to Eve. Enzo feels as though he has to do something, and seeing a tennis ball, drops...
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...the experience and finances to properly raise Zoë, but Denny again refuses. Trish states that Eve wanted them to have custody, and Denny says she never told him that. Sighing, Maxwell...
(full context)
...sick if Denny is going to keep her from the doctors like he did with Eve. Denny retorts that Eve refused to see a doctor, and that nobody could make Eve...
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Chapter 31
...then asks for the paperwork. He looks over the papers as Denny desperately says that Eve couldn't have possibly meant that she wanted Trish and Maxwell to have custody of Zoë....
(full context)
Chapter 35
...and emotions, and restricting information is foolish. Enzo says that Denny's hands shook often after Eve's death, and it was unsettling to them both.
(full context)
...satisfied that Denny got his point. Denny is watching an old home video of himself, Eve, Zoë, and Enzo playing on the beach when Zoë was a toddler. Enzo remarks that...
(full context)
Chapter 36
...Seattle is known for, since a light rain amplifies scents and brings odors to life. Eve has only been dead a few days, but since she died Enzo and Denny have...
(full context)
...three men break off and walk to meet them. They are Maxwell and two of Eve's brothers, and Maxwell tells Denny he's not welcome. Denny replies calmly that Eve is his...
(full context)
One of Eve's brothers calls Denny a child molester, and Denny doesn't budge. Zoë reaches them and jumps...
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...They stay and watch workers dismantle the tent, and finally watch workers shovel dirt on Eve's grave. When the workers leave, Denny and Enzo walk down the hill and cry at...
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Chapter 37
...increased, although he tried to hide the problem. He wonders that maybe he's more like Eve than he's admitted, since he distrusts the medical world and behaved in such a way...
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Enzo continues and says that he doesn't know why Eve distrusted medicine, but his own distrust stems from an event that took place when he...
(full context)
...the car goes where the eyes go. Enzo says that he saw what happened with Eve, that she was unable to escape when those around her agreed that she would die....
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Chapter 51
...without supervision. Annika is silent, listening. Finally, Denny says that the first time he saw Eve, he couldn't breathe or function. He tells Annika that someday, she'll find a partner that...
(full context)
