Synopsis:
Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.
It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he’s practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone—including her blandly docile husband and two kids—falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet.
The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails—the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself.
(Warning: May invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings.)
Review:
Many thanks to Titan Books for my Arc of Diavola, out in your local bookstore March 26th.
I feel like I have been saying this about books a lot as of late, but ‘Diavola’ was quite simply put, a lot of fun. There are so many threads to explore with this one. At its core, Jennifer Thorne’s latest novel is a family drama set in a haunted villa. What it turns into is an exploration of family bonds, the monotony of urban life, and what it truly means to be free. There is a lot going on and Jennifer Thorne tackles each thread head on.
The family drama is fantastic. The main character Anna’s personality oozes through the pages from the very beginning of the story, when she arrives at the holiday villa that her family are staying in. Anna is undoubtedly the black sheep of the family, for no real fair or rational reason, and her verbal spars, particularly with her sister Nicole, are as entertaining as they are infuriating to witness. We all know someone like Nicole, or Anna’s mother, or her father, or even her brother Benny – all maddening in their own petty and unique style.
At the beginning, the supernatural strand of the story enveloping Villa Taccola almost felt like a bit of a hinderance – give me more of the family drama! Fortunately, the horror certainly ramps up, and fast. Villa Taccola is certainly unique when considering the traditional haunted house, mansion or hotel. It is difficult to imagine a haunted villa in sunny old picturesque Italy, but Jennifer Thorne more than makes it work. Some of the scenes were genuinely frightening, and I particularly enjoyed Thorne’s use of rot and atmosphere to create disruption and unease within the villa. The mystery of Villa Taccola is locked in its ancient forbidden tower, and I was pleasantly surprised that we were not left wondering for the entirety of the book, Bluebeard-style, what the tower had to offer. Within a day the tower had been opened, and the fun commences.
Another aspect I particularly enjoyed about the supernatural occurrences that follow was Anna’s acceptance of her surroundings. We do not spend half the book following Anna as she finds more and more ludicrous ways to rationalize what is going on; as is befitting of Anna’s personality, she takes the information in her stride, even as the terrors ramp up and the danger increases. Anna’s rationality only heightens the tension and drama within her own family when, of course, they refuse to believe what they see.
‘Diavola’ proves that ghosts come in all different shapes and sizes. Anna is entrapped and haunted by her bloodline, their expectations of her, and her less than inspiring job that exists only to pay her rent and keep her alive. There is a poignant moment on the holiday where Anna looks enviously over at a young traveller, wishing for everything that they have: freedom with no strings attached. ‘Diavola’ is about a haunted villa, but it is also about feeling trapped by familial expectations, the endless monotony of everyday life, and the fight to escape what imprisons you.
Come for the family drama and spooky ghosts, stay for the existential crises!
‘Diavola’ comes highly recommended by me.
And also by Anna!
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