Choose one of the major figures in Mary Shelley’s orbit and, after some outside research, compare that person to their character in The Villa. How does Hawkins transform these real-life figures and what do you see as her purpose?

Motherhood and childbirth is often used as a metaphor for artistic production. In what ways are motherhood and childbirth treated in The Villa? Consider positive and negative treatment.

Research Orvieto. What does Hawkins’s choice of this real town bring to the fictional setting of the novel? What connections exist between the city’s history and the events that occur in the villa?