The Villa

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness or death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The villa seems ordinary and beautiful on the surface but conceals dark secrets and memories. What surprised you most about how Hawkins used this sunny Italian setting, rather than relying on traditional Gothic locations, to create suspense? Did this contrast between setting and tone enhance the story for you?

2. Many readers have compared The Villa to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca in how both novels explore houses with dark histories. What similarities and differences did you notice between these works, particularly in how they handle the theme of a past that refuses to stay buried?

3. What lingered with you most about the story of Mari, Pierce, and the events of 1974? Why did you connect with that particular aspect of the narrative?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Emily finds herself trapped in writing commercially successful but creatively unfulfilling mystery novels. Have you ever felt conflicted between pursuing what brings you financial stability versus what brings you creative fulfillment?

2. The phrase “Houses remember” appears repeatedly throughout the novel. What spaces in your own life seem to hold memories or feel haunted by past events? How have these places shaped who you are?

3. Chess and Emily maintain a friendship marked by competition, jealousy, and eventual betrayal. What friendships in your life have contained similarly complex emotional dynamics?

4. Mari’s relationship with her mother’s legacy shapes much of her identity and creative work. In what ways have family legacies or expectations influenced your own life choices?

5. Both Emily and Mari experience periods of illness that coincide with stressful relationships. When have you noticed connections between your physical well-being and your emotional state?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Female characters like Mari and Emily face unique challenges in their creative pursuits. What observations can you make about how gender impacts artistic success in the novel?

2. The novel draws inspiration from the artistic tensions of Fleetwood Mac during the recording of Rumours and the literary gathering that produced Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. What similarities do you see between these historical creative collaborations and the fictional ones portrayed in The Villa?

3. The symbol of Lilith represents women who defy patriarchal control but are labeled as monstrous for their independence. Where do you see this pattern of demonizing independent women in contemporary culture? How has this changed or remained the same since the 1970s setting of Mari’s story?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What significance does the villa hold beyond being a physical location? How does it contribute to both the plot and thematic development?

2. Mari’s novel, Lilith Rising, plays a crucial role within Hawkins’s larger narrative. How does this story-within-a-story structure enhance your understanding of the main narrative? What happens when we view Mari as not just a character but as an author?

3. Pozzo di San Patrizio serves as both a physical location and a powerful symbol in the novel. What meaning did this deep well and its double helix staircase hold for you as you read?

4. The novel shifts between different time periods and perspectives. How effective did you find this narrative structure in building suspense and revealing character motivations? Did certain timelines engage you more than others?

5. The repeated motif of water appears throughout the novel, from St. Patrick’s well to the drownings that occur. What symbolic meaning might water hold in the context of the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write your own novel inspired by a famous historical artistic collaboration or friendship, which would you choose and why?

2. Imagine Emily and Chess return to Villa Aestas 10 years after the events of the novel. Write a short scene describing their reunion and the state of their relationship.

3. The novel ends with Emily realizing she has substituted one binding relationship for another. Create an alternative ending for Emily that offers her a different type of resolution.

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