One Italian Summer

How does Serle portray Katy Silver ’s evolving perception of Carol Silver throughout the novel?

What is the significance of the different settings in the story? How does each setting function differently and what do they represent for the characters?

How does time function in the novel? How does Serle manipulate time, and how does this affect Katy’s grieving process and discovery of her identity?

Compare Adam Westbrooke and Eric. What is their function in relation to Katy’s character development, and how do they affect her self-discovery journey?

Discuss Katy’s relationship with food. How does it evolve over the course of the novel? How does Serle represent food?

Explain how gender functions in the text. How do the characters defy or adhere to gender stereotypes?

What is fabulism, and how does One Italian Summer adhere to this genre? What are the implications of utilizing fantastical, or otherwise improbable, plot points in the text?

Consider how Katy positions herself in relation to the other characters. How does Serle represent the notion of “belonging”? Does Katy’s sense of “belonging” evolve over the course of the novel? Why, or why not?