As someone who has read innumerable novels across genres, I keep returning to tales that expertly merge the past and the present. The appeal of solving mysteries set in historical settings is alluring to me, which is why Rachel Hawkins’ The Villa quickly piqued my interest. It’s one of the most recent books I’ve purchased, motivated by a desire to read more gothic suspense novels. My past experience with novels like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoohad given me a taste for intricate storylines where history and modern-day challenges intersected, so I was excited to plunge into Hawkins’ newest work.
Furthermore, the notion of two female writers at various phases in their lives and careers—a topic similar to previous literary trips I’ve taken—made me anxious to learn more about their experiences. As someone who has read a wide range of stories, from modern thrillers to historical dramas, this book looked to be the ideal combination of the two, promising a story rich in intrigue, suspense, and a profound investigation of human connections.
Plot Summary
The estate is a dual-timeline book that tells the experiences of two ladies from separate times, each dealing with their own problems, against the background of a remote Italian estate.
Present Day Storyline: Emily and Chess
The current story revolves on Emily, a novelist suffering from writer’s block, and her longtime friend Chess, a successful self-help author. Emily is going through a traumatic divorce, her once-thriving profession is languishing, and she has anxieties about her writing and life choices. Chess, on the other hand, seems to have it all—fame, fortune, and a successful profession. In order to revive their connection and potentially ignite some creativity, Chess invites Emily to Villa Aestas, a beautiful estate in Orvieto, Italy.
However, the villa has a sinister history that starts to permeate their lives. Emily gets interested in the villa’s past, specifically a heinous murder committed there in the 1970s. As she delved more into the past, she discovered secrets that began to undermine her relationship with Chess. The tension between the two women, compounded by professional envy and prior grudges, reaches a breaking point as they confront the villa’s frightening legacy.
Historical Story: Mari, Pierce, and Lara
In 1974, Villa Aestas was renamed Villa Rosato and served as a retreat for a group of artists and musicians headed by the mysterious rock sensation Noel Gordon. Among them were Mari Godwick, an aspiring writer, and her partner Pierce Sheldon, a poor musician. Mari’s stepsister, Lara, is also there, complicating the group dynamics. The summer turns tragic when Pierce is discovered killed, a tragedy that remains unsolved.
The narrative alternates between these two timelines, demonstrating how events in the past affect the present. Mari ultimately puts her experience at the villa into a gothic book called Lilith Rising, which became a cult classic. As Emily analyzes Mari’s narrative, she notices connections between her life and Mari’s, both suffering women overshadowed by the males and more successful women around them. The more Emily delves, the more she learns about the real events of that fateful summer, leading to devastating truths that reverberate across all eras.
Analysis and Themes
Emily and Chess’ complicated connection is central to The Villa, highlighting friendship and rivalry. Their friendship has lasted since infancy, but as the novel progresses, it becomes evident that their relationship is riddled with latent resentments and competitiveness. Chess’s success in the self-help sector, along with Emily’s stagnated career, creates an imbalance in their relationship. Hawkins expertly depicts how jealously and competition can grow in long-term friendships, especially when one friend’s success contrasts sharply with the other’s shortcomings.
Creativity & Madness
The book also explores the demands of creation and the thin line between inspiration and obsession. Emily’s focus on the villa’s dark past is a metaphor for her own writing troubles. Similarly, Mari’s journey into the craziness of her own creation during the 1974 timeline demonstrates the consequences of being obsessed by one’s creativity. Both women’s experiences serve as cautionary tales about the sacrifices that are frequently required in the quest of artistic achievement.
The Haunted Past
Hawkins utilizes the multiple timelines to investigate how the past continues to haunt the present. The murder at estate Rosato throws a long shadow over the lives of those who survived, just as the estate impacts events today. The story implies that places, like people, bear the weight of their history, and those who investigate these histories must be prepared to face the repercussions.
Gender and Power Dynamics
The work also addresses gender dynamics, specifically the portrayal of male-female interactions. In both eras, the female characters are often eclipsed by the males around them, whether it is Pierce’s dominant presence in Mari’s life or Matt’s efforts to dominate Emily after their divorce. However, the women in The Villa gradually retake their control, although at significant personal sacrifice.
Spoiler and Ending Explained
The tension between Emily and Chess bursts as the narrative approaches its conclusion. Emily realizes that Chess has been surreptitiously writing a book about the villa, utilizing Emily’s research without permission. This betrayal sparks a confrontation, forcing both ladies to face the reality about their relationship and their personal vulnerabilities.
In the 1974 timeline, Pierce’s murder is ultimately solved. Mari, consumed by jealously and sorrow after learning of Pierce’s romance with Lara, kills him in a fit of wrath. Lara, in turn, covered up the crime to protect Mari and her budding music career. This revelation echoes the current plot, in which Emily must decide whether to betray Chess or continue to safeguard their damaged relationship.
The tale concludes with Emily choosing to publish her own book about the villa, apart from Chess. This choice is a watershed moment in her life, as she finally gains control of her profession and future. Meanwhile, Chess must cope with the consequences of their shattered relationship and her own immoral conduct.
Comparison of Other Works
The Villa has thematic connections with other works that combine historical and modern themes, such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Both works follow strong female heroes who must negotiate intricate, sometimes perilous relationships while uncovering dark truths. However, whereas Larsson’s story is set in the realm of corporate espionage and crime, The Villa focuses on the gothic aspects of suspense and the psychological complexities of the characters.
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
The most apparent similarity is to Daphne du Maurier’s famous work Rebecca. Both stories are extremely atmospheric, with a strong feeling of location that nearly becomes a character in its own right. In Rebecca, Manderley, the stately house at the center of the novel, has terrible secrets that influence the plot. Similarly, Villa Aestas in The Villa has a horrible history that continues to plague its current residents. Both stories also deal with issues of envy, power dynamics within relationships, and the persistent effects of a history that cannot be simply forgotten. While Rebecca focuses on gothic romance, The Villa adds aspects of psychological thriller and crime to expand its appeal.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is another current book that connects with The Villa. Michaelides’ book, like Hawkins’, is a psychological thriller centered on the uncovering of a long-standing mystery. Both tales contain multifaceted female characters who are both victims and protagonists in their own storylines. The dual narrative structure, in which the past is progressively disclosed to inform the present, is an effective approach utilized in both works to heighten tension and enhance the reader’s connection to the characters. Furthermore, both novels investigate the connection of creativity and lunacy, delving into how creative expression may be both a blessing and a burden.
The Girls, by Emma Cline
Emma Cline’s The Girls provides another intriguing point of reference. Both The Villa and The Girls are set in the aftermath of an infamous summer of violence. Cline’s story, inspired by the Manson Family cult, looks into the minds of young women trapped in a hazardous circle, similar to Mari and Lara in The Villa. Both works are atmospherically rich, exploring how young purity may be perverted by the darker powers of ambition, passion, and envy. Both novels emphasize female connections, particularly how they can be both caring and harmful.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies is another work that shares some of the issues explored in The Villa. Moriarty’s novel, set in a suburban setting, also explores the intricacies of female friendships, the secrets that women hide, and the conflict between public personalities and private reality. Both works include a multi-layered storyline in which the truth is gradually revealed, culminating in a dramatic and violent finale. Both works explore topics such as betrayal, societal expectations, and the underlying challenges behind apparently flawless lifestyles.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House is another important source of reference. Although Jackson’s work is a more typical ghost tale, its influence may be seen in the way Hawkins portrays the villa as a character with its own evil past. Both books investigate the psychological effects of a haunted environment on its residents, blurring the distinction between exterior supernatural forces and interior psychological anguish. Both works feature characteristics such as the gradual buildup of tension, the fall into lunacy, and the final uncertainty about the actual origin of the terror.
Shirley Jackson’s novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle
In addition to The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle is an appropriate analogy. This tale, about two sisters living in a mansion that has become their stronghold against the outside world, reflects Emily and Chess’s relationship in The Villa. Both sets of women are inextricably linked, with their relationships marked by a combination of affection, reliance, and underlying tension. Both works revolve on the themes of solitude, family secrets, and the psychological effects of living in a tragedy-filled environment.
The novel also draws on the work of writers such as Daphne du Maurier, notably in its use of an eerie location and study of the darkest parts of human nature. The villa itself becomes a character in the story, impacting the events of both timelines in subtle but crucial ways.
Conclusion
Rachel Hawkins’ The Villa is an engrossing novel that effectively links past and present, combining aspects of gothic suspense with a keen commentary on the nature of creativity and friendship. It’s a work that will appeal to aficionados of both historical mysteries and current thrillers, with a deep, multilayered plot that keeps readers interested until the very end. While it bears parallels with previous works in the genre, its distinct location and in-depth character profiles set it apart.
If you’re seeking for a novel that blends a compelling storyline with deep insights into the human condition, The Villa is a must-read. And for those who like stories that last long beyond the last chapter, this one offers in spades.
