Diavola

“‘This is so nice,’ Anna heard her mother say behind her. ‘Everybody together.’”

This quotation occurs shortly after Anna arrives at the villa and comes on the heels of several tense interactions; Nicole, for instance, remarks that Anna could sleep on the plane because she has no children, simultaneously shaming Anna and hinting at her own dissatisfaction as a mother. In this context, the remark reflects Anna’s mother’s forced belief in happy family dynamics. This insistence on pretending that everything is fine keeps the Paces trapped in dysfunction, developing the theme of Imprisonment in Denial and Repression.

“Seriously, Anna, what specifically are your dreams? Your aspirations?”

Nicole asks this question, implying that Anna lacks motivations and goals in life. The quotation reflects the snobbish and dismissive way in which Anna’s family treats her simply because she rejects some social norms, such as completing college, advancing her career, and getting married. Anna is intelligent and creative, but her family does not value these traits, highlighting The Empty Performance of Social Elitism.

“That was the unforgivable thing, really, not the baby, but the fact that I laughed at him.”

Anna says this to Benny as she explains why her relationship with Josh ended. Anna’s tone is pragmatic and matter-of-fact as she discusses her decision to end an unplanned pregnancy, and she astutely notes that Josh’s pride was hurt when she mocked his dramatic reaction—his comment that Anna has a “darkness” about her. The exchange thus reveals not only Anna’s disinterest in motherhood but also her broader rejection of patriarchal norms and the backlash this inspires, developing the theme of Mistrust of Feminine Agency and Desire.

“It seemed to Anna that the concept of vacation was antithetical to the concept of family. Vacation required vacancy. The abandonment of all scraps of everyday life.”

As the vacation continues, Anna grows increasingly frustrated. The ironic juxtaposition of expectations (vacations should be relaxing and more pleasant than everyday life) and reality (Anna is confined and unhappy, longing to return to her normal life) points to how difficult familial dynamics impact the experience of travel. While Anna’s vacation is literally haunted by Caterina’s ghost, it is also metaphorically haunted by family trauma and dysfunction. The play on the etymology of “vacation” and “vacancy” underscores this point, suggesting that a happy vacation requires an empty house.

“It didn’t feel vacant. Locked up, yes, unfurnished, but not empty.”

This quotation occurs when Anna first enters the locked tower room, accompanied by Benny and Christopher. The strange, ominous atmosphere that permeates the villa is intensified in the tower room because that is where Caterina’s ghost has been enclosed. The quotation continues to characterize Anna as intuitive and sensitive; she feels a connection to the ghost that the other characters lack, foreshadowing their similarities.

“Her beauty was tightly coiled, something in the careful stillness of her pose that suggested the moment before a predator strikes.”

This description refers to the portrait of Caterina hanging in the Uffizi gallery. Despite Caterina’s beauty, there is a sinister mood to the painting; the metaphors and imagery allude to Caterina’s threatening and rapacious nature. The novel eventually reveals that Caterina turned to violence out of a desire for revenge after her lover spurned her, and Anna’s response to the portrait characterizes Caterina’s beauty and sensuality as a force for evil.

“How long we tried, and for you to just conceive, just like that! And then throw that gift away!”

Nicole says this to Anna after learning that Anna terminated a pregnancy without telling her. Nicole had difficulties conceiving and feels bitterness and envy that Anna was able to get pregnant when she didn’t even want a child. The quotation reflects the tension and jealousy between the two sisters, which manifests in Nicole shaming Anna for making choices about her body and sexuality.

“There’s something fucking haunted about it, and that thing is a ghost.”

Benny says this as the entire family grows more uncomfortable with the villa and begins to avoid spending time there. Benny’s directness, punctuated by the expletive, reveals that (like Anna) he is not in denial about the reality of a supernatural presence. However, while Anna’s knowledge spurs her to action (advocating for leaving the villa), Benny remains largely passive, foreshadowing his ultimate unwillingness to change.

“She could swear today was Thursday. Because yesterday was very obviously Wednesday.”

This quotation occurs as Anna becomes confused about dates and timelines; mysteriously, an entire day seems to be missing from her memory. This confusion increases the sinister and chaotic atmosphere, building to the climax of the family fleeing the villa. It also reflects themes of denial and repression since Anna and the others erase their memories of murdering Christopher.

“La Dama Bianca the locals call her, a deadly ghost, they say, claiming victim after victim over the years […]”

This quotation occurs when Anna researches the villa and learns that it is widely considered to be haunted by the ghost of a Florentine noblewoman. The nickname “La Dama Bianca” translates to “the white lady” and refers to Caterina’s pale skin and blonde hair, which were seen as hallmarks of feminine beauty during the Italian Renaissance. Ghostly women in white are also a staple of Gothic literature broadly; Diavola’s particular twist on this archetype reflects its interrogation of gender and class norms.

“So you’re going to sit back, you’re going to enjoy yourself, and you are going to keep your mouth shut for the rest of the week. That is final.”

Anna’s father says this when he becomes frustrated that she is trying to convince the family to curtail the vacation and leave the villa. He talks to his adult daughter as though she were a small child, revealing how Anna’s family infantilizes her and does not take her seriously. The quotation shows how the family stubbornly ignores Anna’s good advice and creates more danger by staying in the haunted villa.

“She couldn’t tell [whether the circle of dead grass around the house had contracted], though. She couldn’t say for certain that any of this was even happening.”

This quotation comes just after Anna finds Christopher’s abandoned suitcase, filled with broken bottles of wine. By this point, Anna is feeling increasingly disoriented about the strange events occurring at the villa. Especially because no one agrees with her or understands the urgency of the situation, Anna is left alone and alienated. This heightens her own sense that she might be losing track of reality.

“And about the house. It had to be fed. If it wasn’t fed, her rot would spread.”

Anna’s conversation with the caretaker contains exposition regarding the cursed nature of the villa. The villa continues to be rented out because Caterina requires victims to “feed on,” and the local townspeople tolerate tourists dying to prevent the “rot” of the villa from spreading and impacting their own livelihoods and safety. The quotation draws on a common aspect of ghost lore as it pertains to the relationship between the living and the dead: While Caterina poses a threat to Anna and her family, she is also reliant on them. This codependence is another way in which the haunting mirrors the unhealthy dynamics within the Pace family.

“But what could she actually achieve, staying here with them in the sinking ship, except bear witness to whatever happened?”

This quotation occurs as Anna debates whether to leave Italy after her family refuses to move out of the villa. Anna wonders if she should try to save herself, but she feels guilty about abandoning her family to the villa’s dangers. The quotation highlights Anna’s internal conflict: She is torn, broadly, between ensuring her own well-being and heeding her family’s wishes. It also serves as further characterization, showing that while her family considers Anna to be selfish, she is actually quite loyal and caring.

“She felt that bone-deep familiar ache of shame. She’d done it again. Hadn’t remained within the bounds of mutually agreed upon correct behavior.”

This quotation occurs as Anna leaves Italy alone, without saying goodbye or explicitly explaining that she is leaving. She does so after ensuring that her family is safely out of the villa, but she is still left feeling deep guilt and shame about her decision. The quotation exemplifies how Anna internalizes her family’s judgment, which gradually erodes her self-esteem.

“Nope. You have to go. You don’t belong here. At all.”

Anna says this to Caterina when she appears in her New York City apartment. The tone of the novel takes a darkly comic turn as Anna rejects the ghost’s presence in the contemporary US—a metafictional nod to the conventions of Gothic literature. Anna’s words also reject the ghost’s efforts to take over her life. Once she returns to New York, Anna feels more confident in setting boundaries and fighting back against the ghost rather than simply trying to escape from it. This lays the groundwork for her ultimate, victorious confrontation with Caterina.

“You are mine, that smile seemed to say. Everything’s mine.”

This quotation describes Caterina’s malevolent, willful presence as she follows Anna around New York. Caterina is determined to drive Anna to give up—to cede control over her body or to die by suicide and become another spirit for Caterina to prey on. Her behavior echoes that of Anna’s family, who likewise seek to police Anna’s choices, making the threat Caterina poses more potent and Anna’s resistance more significant.

“It couldn’t be random. She would have to choose.”

This quotation reveals Anna’s thoughts about banishing Caterina’s ghost. At first, she simply wants any passerby to pick up the key so that Caterina will latch on to someone else. However, Anna quickly realizes that she does not want an innocent or good-intentioned person to suffer. This further underscores that Anna is not actually selfish, although her family often accuses her of being so. In particular, it reveals her determination to break the cycle of trauma, anticipating her break with her family.

“What is it this time? Am I trying to steal her husband again? Her prom date?”

Anna says this in exasperation, expressing her frustration with Nicole’s resentment and jealousy. Nicole often expresses suspicion of Anna’s sexuality and presumes that Anna is trying to steal something from her, although Anna never seeks to hurt her sister. The quotation shows how patriarchy and internalized misogyny pit women against one another: Nicole judges Anna for the choices she makes and sees her as a threat.

“I think it’s you […] I think you are the ghost.”

Benny says this when he discusses his experience of the vacation with Anna. Though he acknowledges the presence of a literal ghost, Benny ultimately sees Anna as the true threat. Because Anna is the black sheep of her family, she can also function as a scapegoat; this is the role she has played for Nicole and her parents, and now Benny endorses it as well. In reality, it is precisely because Anna recognizes and threatens to expose (however well-meaningly) the family’s dysfunction that they perceive her as dangerous. Benny’s comment also underscores that Anna and Caterina have some traits in common; they are both powerful women, and this agency makes others uncomfortable.

“Anna succumbed to it, to her, her Lady in white sheets, as pleasure swept her, and she knew what she wanted. Understand. Obey.”

This quotation occurs as Anna has a dream-like vision of herself and Caterina having sex. It reveals Caterina’s seductive allure for Anna: She represents what it would mean if Anna simply stopped fighting for her autonomy and gave herself over to others’ demands. That it briefly seems like Anna will do exactly that sets up the twist in Anna’s confrontation with Caterina.

“I’m not a lost lamb. I’m a black sheep. These are two very different things.”

Anna says this to Caterina as she reveals that she has no intention of passively submitting to the ghost. Anna returns to the villa with the apparent intention of allowing Caterina to claim her; in reality, she has come to entrap Caterina by conducting a ritual to seal the ghost into the tower room. Anna knows that Caterina perceived her as vulnerable because she was alienated from her family, but Anna here reclaims that alienation as a source of power, declaring her independence from both Caterina and her family.

“Well, here I am, Caterina. Get a good look. […] There is a darkness in me.”

Anna continues to taunt Caterina, directly addressing the ghost. Anna uses the same words that Josh uttered in horror when he learned that she had terminated a pregnancy. However, where Josh implied that Anna is in some way evil because of her independence and decisiveness, Anna reclaims this identity, celebrating herself as a strong woman who can defeat Caterina precisely because she is not reliant on anyone else.