One Italian Summer

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Who were your favorite characters in One Italian Summer, and who were your least favorite? Did you relate to Katy Silver, Carol Silver, or Adam Westbrooke in specific ways?
• Did One Italian Summer remind you of other fabulist novels or works of magical realism? What draws you to this genre (if you enjoy it) or deters you (if you don’t)? How did the fabulist elements in One Italian Summer impact you emotionally?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• All of the main characters experience loss or grief. Whose grieving and healing process did you relate to most? Consider how Katy, Carol, and Adam each respond to their loss and how their losses relate to their identities.
• How did you feel about Katy and Carol’s bond? Does it ring true to your own experiences (firsthand or otherwise) of mother-daughter relationships?
• Katy’s and Carol’s travels aid their self-discovery journeys. Have you had any travel experiences that have similarly impacted how you see yourself and your life? What do you see as the primary benefit of travel?
• Katy is caught between her feelings for Adam and her marriage to