Discussion questions
- Did you realise immediately that Emily’s Thoughts From Tuscany column was a spoof? How well do you think this works?
- How do the different narrators – Emily, Petra, Paris, Siena and Charlie – contribute to the novel? Which narrator did you like best?
- How does the presence of Raffaello reflect the theme of not disturbing the past? What are the links between archaeology, the story of the partisans and Emily’s obsession with Michael?
- What did you think when Don Angelo first came into the story? How does the priest contribute to Emily’s dawning understanding of Italy?
- What role does food play in the novel? How do the two restaurants, Vittorio’s and La Foresta, portray different sides of the Italian experience?
- Does Emily really love Michael? Does Michael really love Emily? What role do you think that the past plays in these relationships?
- Who understands Italy best: Emily, Paris or Siena? How do their perceptions change during the course of the novel?
- Whose relationship stands the best chance of surviving: Emily and Raffaello, Petra and Darren, Paris and Andrea?
- Emily and Petra are both loving mothers, although they don’t always understand their children. How well do you think the author writes about motherhood and family life?
- Friendship plays an important part in the novel. Think about Emily’s women friends, Petra, Monica and Antonella, as well as Raffaello’s friends, like Tino the policeman. How does the author use these relationships to tell you something about the characters?
- Don Angelo, Zio Virgilio and Romano all have different opinions of the partisans. Do you think Carlo Belotti was a hero or a villain?
- Does reading Villa Serena make you want to buy an Italian dream house or does it have the opposite effect?
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