The Unraveling of Julia

“Mike stared at the stars. Seeing between them, forever.”

This is the moment when Julia’s life changes when her husband Mike dies. Before she realizes that her horoscope that day predicted his death, and accepts that her premonition was accurate, Scottoline introduces the stars. Astrology is an important symbol in the novel, becoming a way for Julia to feel a sense of control over her fate by knowing it in advance. Mike’s glimpse of “forever” here will be echoed toward the end of the novel, when he reappears in a vision to Julia and says he will love her “forever.”

“It was pure, weapons-grade guilt, Catholic in origin. Mike had died for her.”

This passage develops Julia’s character by showing the reader that she was raised Catholic and she suffers from survivor’s guilt. The descriptor “weapons-grade” indicates that her guilt destroys her identity and completely upends her normal life, developing the theme of Identity Destabilized by Grief.

“It struck her that unlike a ruined villa, untamed nature never rested.”

This passage develops the dichotomy of inside and outside that runs through the novel. The villa, as a gothic structure, is wrecked inside from neglect. Outside, nature that is neglected by humans continues to grow and flourish. Abandoned or decaying castles, villas, and other structures are a common trope in gothic fiction. Here, the villa speaks to Inheritance as a Portal to Hidden History.

“She’d never realized death could be so fresh, so near, and so present.”

This is a description of memento mori: death being a part of life for the living. Julia notices that Italians are more comfortable with discussing death and accepting it in their lives than Americans are.

“She felt she was of Rossi, that they shared a twisted skein of DNA, tethering one to the other over time and space.”

This quote develops the theme of The Importance of Integrating Different Families. Julia wants to add her biological family to her community because they share genetic traits. These traits, like her blue eyes, endure when older family members die, transcending time and location.

“Under the Tuscan Sun still sells villas.”

This is an allusion to Frances Mayes’s, memoir which was adapted into a film. The Unraveling of Julia draws upon the popularity of this work, which also features a villa in Italy. Mayes’s influence is most strongly seen in the romance between Julia and Gianluca.

“Aw.”

This is what Julia thinks when Anna says she’ll pray for Julia. It is an example of the close third person, where she/her pronouns are usually used, but the narrator has intimate knowledge of the character’s thoughts. This thought is repeated frequently throughout the novel (190, 232, 359, 364) in a variety of moments when Julia is touched by something someone does for her. The simple and informal nature of the thought separates Julia’s inner voice from the narrator’s more literary voice.

“Polenta with mozzarella and broccoli rabe, like lasagne.”

This passage names one of the meals that Anna cooks for Julia. Here, food seems to be a symbol of Tuscan culture. Later, it is revealed that Anna is using food to drug Julia so she will sell the villa. Food turns out to be a deception.

“You told me before the blue light was trying to kill you. Now she’s your bestie? Which is it?”

This comment by Courtney is a humorous description of how the symbolism of the color blue evolves in the novel. At first, Julia feels threatened by the blue light that appears in her nightmares and visions. Here, she realizes that the blue light is a source of knowledge, as it revealed the underground tunnel and cell to her.

“They hashed it out over a tasty appetizer of gnocchi with pesto and fresh mint.”

This is part of the dinner that Julia has with Gianluca in a restaurant. It can be contrasted with Anna’s deceptive meals. Here, food symbolizes local culture and community, as well as an element of romance. There is no hidden evil intent, as in Anna’s food.

“That’s what I like about astrology. The connection, to everything.”

This quote develops the symbolism of astrology. Julia not only likes being able to have a glimpse into the future (so she can possibly change it), but also likes feeling less alone. Astrology creates communities, and identities, around zodiac signs, giving one a sense of belonging.

“This is Dante and Beatrice by Henry Holiday, painted in 1884.”

Gianluca takes Julia to the bridge depicted in Holiday’s painting. This develops the setting of the novel; Julia travels among not only pieces of art, like paintings and sculptures, but also the physical locations that are depicted in art. Florence is a deeply artistic city: This painting is a reference to architecture, as well as one of Italy’s most famous poets, Dante.

“The thing about a broken heart is that it’s open.”

This develops the theme of Identity Destabilized by Grief. Gianluca believes that Julia’s grief will allow her to accept new experiences and new love. This is seen not only in her relationship with Gianluca, but also in her open-hearted acceptance of her psychic gifts.

“I want Thy Heart.”

Scottoline uses this phrase repeatedly when Gianluca communicates telepathically with Julia. Earlier in the novel, he told her the story of Saint Lutgardis saying this phrase to Jesus, and Jesus replying, “I, too, want Your Heart” (188). Here, it comes to represent Gianluca and Julia’s growing connection.

“Was she feeling Caterina right now? Could she channel Caterina?”

At this moment, Julia is near Machiavelli’s grave in the Basilica and wants to leave. She isn’t sure if this feeling is coming from her anxiety or from her psychic connection to her ancestor, invoking Inheritance as a Portal to Hidden History. This is part of her character development; she is still learning to accept her gifts.

“‘Dinner is served.’ ‘What are we having?’ ‘Bad guys, of course.’”

After Julia sees someone running near the villa, Courtney gets steak knives for them to defend themselves. Her figurative “dinner” develops the symbolism of food. It represents fighting back—the opposite of Anna drugging the food.

“She felt herself coming into herself again, tingling all over, nothing less than a woman in full, possessing an array of powers, a strength of her own, one profoundly human and powered by love. She was a wife, avenging a dearly beloved husband.”

After Julia defeats Mike’s killer, she regains her identity, developing the theme of Identity Destabilized by Grief. She is even stronger and more powerful than she was before Mike’s death, having accepted her psychic powers and her biological mother. Scottoline argues that one can continue to grow after experiencing great loss and suffering from grief.

“It had so much charm, and the grounds were stunning. She let it fall down around her.”

Here, Fiamma sees the villa for the first time in many years. Unlike Julia, Fiamma can compare it to its former state. This highlights the setting’s gothic nature of ruin and disrepair, while also speaking to Inheritance as a Portal to Hidden History.

“‘I believe that as an artist, my job is to create myself.’ Fiamma’s blue eyes calmed like a sea. ‘I think we’re all artists, and we create ourselves. The past does not create you, the present does, and in return, you create the future. Your future.’”

This passage develops the symbolism of art and the color blue, as well as the theme of Identity Destabilized by Grief. Art is a way to focus on the present and the future instead of past grief. This allows one to control their identity, rather than have it controlled by the past. Additionally, Scottoline includes a simile comparing Fiamma’s eyes to a sea. This is in contrast with the electric blue of Caterina’s eyes; Fiamma is more connected to the element of water.

“It was a cool, foggy morning, and a bluish gray mist enrobed the vineyard and obscured the cypress trees and hills on its horizon.”

This passage develops the symbolism of the color blue. Here, in the blue hour before sunrise, Julia has a vision of Mike and Gianluca, confirming that Gianluca will live and Mike approves of their love. Here, blue symbolizes love and life.

“Julia was the keeper of Mike’s memory now.”

By the time Mike’s killer is tried, his father is dead and his mother has Alzheimer’s. This means that only Julia can witness his murderer being brought to justice. Julia’s continuing love and loyalty toward Mike’s memory speaks to The Importance of Integrating Different Families, while Gianluca’s presence and support shows his own acceptance of Julia’s status as “keeper of Mike’s memory.”

“She’d learned there was evil in the world, and sometimes it wore a tie.”

This is part of an undercurrent in the novel: Scottoline examining class. The people who run the conspiracy, like Franco, to wrest Julia’s villa from her are wealthy businessmen. Ties make them seem like upstanding members of society but, in fact, they can indicate someone is more interested in money than human life.

“She realized this was her dream, not a painting of a family tree but a flesh-and-blood family, filling a tiny car with noisy love for a baby they had yet to meet but already adored.”

This concludes the theme of The Importance of Integrating Different Families. Family includes the people who love and support you. These people can be related by blood, marriage, or simply found family. All kinds of connections between living people are important, as Julia’s diverse family shows.