What is the effect of the narrator’s retrospective point of view on his representation of his youthful choices and eventual transformation?

How does the novel weigh the value of security against the pursuit of passion through the contrasting choices made by Oscar, Giacomo, and Geoffrey?

To what extent does the novel challenge the Baronessa’s philosophy by revealing its negative consequences or the merits of a logical approach? Use at least three examples from the novel to support your position.

How do characters in Villa Coco use objects to construct and perform their identities, and what does the final forgery scheme suggest about the nature of authenticity?

Analyze the Baronessa’s character and the role she plays in the narrative and Geoffrey’s transformation. How does the novel complicate this role with revelations about her loyalty to Oscar and Furman Childress’s accusations.

How does the setting of Villa Coco function as more than a backdrop? How does it actively contribute to the narrator’s development?

If you have read Andrew Sean Greer’s Less, compare Geoffrey’s journey abroad with that of Arthur Less. What do these narratives reveal about Greer’s recurring themes?

Research the real Santa Maddalena Foundation. How does understanding this source of inspiration inform a reading of the novel’s themes of artifice, performance, and memory?