Night Villa, The ~ Carol Goodman ~ June 1 ~ Book Club Online

[PatH]

The Book Club Online is  the oldest  book club on the Internet, begun in 1996, open to everyone.  We offer cordial discussions of one book a month,  24/7 and  enjoy the company of readers from all over the world.  Everyone is welcome to join in.

The book can certainly be read on a variety of levels and each one is great in its own way!---Joan R.

Week IV: Finis!

The climax of the mystery rites: the kneeling initiate uncovers a fertility symbol while the winged figure prepares to strike her.
Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii

What a finish!  What a movie this would make! Were you right? Did you get any of them right at all?

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in this ending full of surprises?
2. What is the climax?
3. Was there a parallel plot? If so who was Iusta?
4. Why did they move to the Hotel Convento?
5. Who sent the note Nemesis?
6. SO much to talk about!  Tell us what you think!
7. Who left the scroll in the courtyard, originally? Remember that one? Why?
8. Odette has surfaced again. What part does she play in this book? Who does she represent?
9.Any book with a Magic 8 Ball in it is magic itself.  Still got a lingering question? Click here and ask  the   a question!
10. What did you like best about this book? (Joan R)
11. I would love to talk about what we each saw as red herrings.  What had YOU individually chasing a clue you finally gave up on, or realized in the end it was nothing more than either a what it represented, or indeed was a red herring? (Bellamarie)
12. Who is your favorite character? (Bellamarie)
13.  Who is  the Queen of the Underworld-- Iusta? (Andrea)

The Return of Persephone by Frederic Leighton(1830)–1896)
Demeter, to whom Iusta still prayed, receives her daughter Persephone at last.

The Initiate is comforted
as the Bacchante begins her wild  dance...
Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii

---         Interesting Links NYC Interview with Carol Goodman / Book Gathering '08 Carol Goodman Homepage The Philodemus Project -- Herculaneum Papyri Fordham Roman Mystery Religions (submitted by Suzie) Cult  (submitted by Marcie) Real or Fictional ? Links to Classical References in the NIGHT VILLA- researched by participants

Discussion Leaders: Andrea & Ginny

Floor Plan of the Villa of the Papyri by Karl Weber, 1750-.

Thank you, Pat

[PatH]

The people on the train: I see this as part of a building up to an oppressive emotional climax.  Sophie has just gotten in from a long flight, with diminished lung capacity and fighting pneumonia.  All the things that can go wrong for a tourist go wrong for her, but always in a way that calls for more physical effort, or make breathing harder. It's too hot, no air conditioning, she has a big schlep to get to Herculaneum, everything there is oppressive, a lot of minor stuff goes wrong, like the watch and the man with an erection, she gets back and can't swim or eat because of a private party, and collapses in the first stages of delerium from the pneumonia.  By this time I could hardly breathe myself.

[PatH]

Comment and request for Carol

I am an extremely food-oriented person, and I love your descriptions.  I can't do much about the wonderful tomatoes and mozzarella, given the quality of fresh tomatoes here, but the pasta with eggplant and anchovies or sardines is possible.  If you know of a recipe, I'd love to have it, but I found a couple of likely candidates, and the next time I see fresh sardines (chancy but possible here) I'll make it.  So, sometime in the next month, if you feel like someone is toasting you, that will be me, raising my glass of crisp white wine to you as I start in on my delicious pasta.

[Steph]

Excellent book, but if I were Elgin, I would turn and run. I think that Sophie simply cannot give up onEli.. No idea why, but he seems to be what she really wants.. as does Agnes of course. I hoped that both Agnes and Eli spend the rest of their years packed away in some jail.
Sam startled me.. He introduced Agnes to the cult.. How sad. Because he really does love her. Not that she cares.

[bellamarie]

Steph, 

Sam startled me.. He introduced Agnes to the cult.. How sad. Because he really does love her. Not that she cares.

I'm not so sure Sam's caring for Agnes was healthy.  He seemed a bit over protective.  Anyone brainwashed in that cult can't be trusted.  I like your thinking of Agnes and Eli spending the rest of their lives in a jail.  lolol 

Run Elgin, run as fast as you can away for Sophie.  lololol

PatH, 

All the things that can go wrong for a tourist go wrong for her

Perfect observation, that is how I felt while reading it at first, then I let my overactive mind take over. I was so darn frustrated with Sophie already, I just could NOT understand why she would have gone in the first place, in such poor health.  I guess there would have been no story, if she stayed home.  lolol

[ALF43]

You're right Pat, five years of silence from your only living child is a bit much to swallow.  If I were Ely's father I probably would be hard pressed to forgive him as well.

Steph says:

Excellent book, but if I were Elgin, I would turn and run.

You've got that right! I too, would run like the wind.  Poor Elgin at least he tried.  Sophie finally replayed the moments under the table and realized that Elgin was only trying to help-- not hide.  Wasn't he the first to realize that Agnes could have been a threat and admonished Sophie when she entered the tunnel with Agnes?  
Elgin is QUITE concerned, is he not, when he realizes that Sophie will most probably go into the hospital to visit Ely?  oops the green eyed monster just reared his ugly head again.

[ALF43]

Ginny- you are a riot with your magic eight ball.  I have asked it two questions already and have r/c a MAYBE!

[bellamarie]

Odette has surfaced again. What part does she play in this book? Who does she represent?

I see Odette as a spirit guide for Sophie.  They were friends and by the short intro the narrator gave us with the two of them in the boardroom before the shootings, they seemed to have a warm, friendly repore.  Odette is like a guardian angel.  I'm sure you all have had a loved one pass on, and you seem to talk with at times.  I could relate to Odette's voice there to help Sophie.  I sort of wondered why not Sophie's mother's voice be the saving grace?

[bellamarie]

Andrea, I clicked answer on the 8 ball, without typing in a question, and it said definetly and maybe.  So its a hoax. As if we didn't know.    In Junior High my friends and I played the Quigi board.  She didn't like I was dating her ex boyfriend so she asked who would I marry.  It spelled out REINHART a not so cute guy's name in our class.  She got a good laugh out of that.

Guess who I married.....NOT the not so cute guy Dale Reinhart in our class  but ............
Joe Reinhart, a guy that lived in a neighboring state. We met by chance at a night club after I moved out of my parents house after I graduated High School, and he had just gotten out of the Air Force. lol  We got a good laugh out of that!
Dooooo  Doooo Doooooo Doooooo

[ginny]

What fanstastic points. I really have enjoyed this discussion, your  comments, and the book. What fun it's been!

Lyros was not the bad guy, so why did they move to the Hotel Convento? That surprised me.

Andrea good point on Ely's dark eyes and soul.

I keep thinking about the plot and the climax. I guess you could say the climax of the main plot (Sophie's) was ....when two heads appeared over the hole? Ely and Agnes?

Or was it when Agnes entwined herself around Ely (remember the painting  Andrea put in here? Just like that?) under the water and they were brought out?

For Iusta the climax had to be when...I get dicey on the climax part, she went back for Phineas, do you think?

Pat I loved that post on food. Ever since we started this I have thought of tomatoes and cheese but my stuff NEVER begins to taste like it does in Italy. I wonder what I'm doing wrong.

I think I'll tackle #10  in the heading (am so enjoying the Ball hahahaa, you know if you turn it without a question in your own hands it answers, Bella, that's the magic, it's answering what you really are mentally thinking) hahahaa  'Fess up, you were thinking I wonder if it will answer if I don't put in a question! hahaha

Andrea I have yet to "feel " Sodona. I've been there but missed what others go for apparently, but it's very pretty,  but I have to admit some of the ancient Roman stones do seem to speak.

Yes we may need to see what happens to Elgin and Sophie, sequel?

Great red herrings, Bella!

Joan  G and Bella saw thru  Agnes immediately, I never did. hahaa Never saw it coming.

You know when I began to see it coming? When Sophie climbed down in the hole and Agnes said leave your bag up here (containing her walkie talkies and/ or  phone).. I would have not had the walkie talkie IN the bag (and it's a good thing Sophie didn't, for Agnes's sake) but on my person.  THAT set off my alarm bells.

I like #10 for today, our last days here, what did you like most? I loved the creative ingenuity: the puzzles. Puzzles everywhere, at every turn:  kept me guessing just like Sophie, the entire time. I enjoyed  the super background information, so cleverly tied in to the plot. I assure you that Iusta Petronia is not on the lips of every classics major you meet, I loved the mingling of myth and real history, the creation of something new.

Very clever, but still with a base in real history, loved that, and I enjoyed learning about the  ways that they can now read papyrus. If you haven't gotten hold of the Deiss, do try.

They really need to make a movie of this, I wonder why they have not, I'll ask one last question.  Loved the discussion.

[ginny]

Carol: this would make a fantastic movie. I'm surprised nobody has optioned it. Are there any plans for the future to put it on the screen?

[bellamarie]

What did you like best about this book?

Besides the great discussion we had as a group, and having you all in my living room with the dust bunnies hanging from the ceiling and you not minding I was in my pjs some of the time.......I must say I liked learning all about the mythology and the classic Ovid's Metamorphoses.  Had it not been for this book I may have never known what a brilliant Epistle it is.  I loved the mystery, although I got very frustrated at times.  My favorite character was......Phineas!  He was such a rogue, yet ends up being a hero. I surprised myself because I ended up liking Iusta in spite of her being  involved in the rites and stealing the scrolls.  I loved reading her confession as the last words of the book. I think Phineas was drawn to her because of seeing her inner soul.  

The part that has stayed with me the most throughout this book was when Sophie and Elgin were approaching the sirens and the way Carol described the entire setting and characters at that moment.  It has lingered in  my mind with such a serene feeling.  Maybe that's when I fell for Elgin, maybe that's the one and only time I could get a glimpse of Sophie's unguarded emotions.  
pg. 112

"We're taking you to the island," he said.  "We can take care of you better there."  "As long as you promise not to let me forget to breathe or sink to the bottom of the river," I say.  This makes him laugh.  He leans down close to me and I see his eyes are the same blue as the sky.  He takes my hand and squeezes it.  "I promise I'll remind you to breathe.  And I won't let you sink.  I'm going to hold on to you the whole way."  "And he does.  It's a long boat trip, but he holds my hand the whole way and every time I feel like I'm falling he squeezes my hand and says, "Hold on."  So I do.  When I open my eyes I see an immense tower of rock above me climbing from the sea to the sky.  Swallows are looping through the bright air.  Houses so white they look like they've been carved out of sugar cling to the steep slopes.  The air is so sweet that no one could ever forget to breathe here.  We've come, I think, to the island of the sirens.

It's like in the Jerry Maguire movie with Tom Cruise and Rene Zelwiger,  "You had me at hello."  
(too bad Sophie couldn't appreciate him.)

Yes, Ginny, I confess....I was thinking, " Will this silly 8 ball answer, even if I don't type a question?"  You little sneak.  lol  

I agree, I think this would make a great movie.  It has all the elements of an academy award.  It really did remind me of the
Da vinci Code.  Someone mentined Merly Streep as Sophie, I sense Sophie was a bit younger than Merly could pull off.  Meryl plays strong women and Sophie was a bit too weak.  Julia Roberts in "Sleeping With the Enemy" is truly Sophie.

[ginny]

Excellent question, Bellamarie: who is your favorite character? Good one!

[Babi]

 Thank you, Ginny. (blushing)  I thought Phineas dropped the scroll in the
courtyard when he was rushing to get out. Or am I in the wrong half of the
story? (Darn, there goes my 'brilliant' rating.)

  Now see, I didn't know Agnes had been in the cult until the end. I must
have missed something earlier on.

BELLAMARIE, on the subject of forgiveness, you are right on. It is always
a release for the forgiver. It is a release for the forgiven only if they
acknowledge the need for it and want it. That's up to them. STEPH, I think
this is the point at which Sophie truly was free from Eli.

PATH, I think you explanation is most likely correct. This poor woman had
simply suffered too much.  The reason for the incident on the train makes very
good sense, also. You've got your thinking cap on today, girl!

[ALF43]

My only regret throughout this story was that I did not take enough time to parallel our characters with the mythological aspect.
Was Sophie Persophone?  Could Agnes, the embittered one, be Demeter, the lonely,vengeful one?

I lost track of who I wanted to pair whom with here.
Who should be the Iron Maiden?  the Queen of the Underworld-- Iusta?
Oh well, we've come full circle and will await Carol's response today.

Bella- you cheated- harumphhh you didn't even ASk the stupid 8 ball a question you merely thought it- NOT FAIR!

Greeat job Ginny with the plot, climax, ending points.  The climax always ends up in the pit doesn't it?
Iusta's fleeing and then her return for Phineas and Agnes'es / ely's betrayal.(I don't like him now, so I am not even going to Capitalize the E)

Babi- you didn't miss anything with Agnes.  There was nothing said about that until the end, just a few innuendos.
OK ladies, I will give you the "forgiven" thing; honestly I have been there - done that as well, just not with as much finesse as Sophie used.

[Eloise]

No, I can't give my thoughts about the book because they are too negative, but I enjoyed reading the discussion a lot. You are all so interesting and you reveal yourselves so candidly.

The author can, at the drop of a hat, turn every character around and portray them as totally different where villains  become heroes and heroes villains. The plot is so unbelievable that I lost interest right from the start. Am I living in Alice in Wonderland or what?

But in all this, the Italian setting was marvelous, the mythology, the history and references to the classics very enjoyable and the graphics are just lovely, thank you for that.

Still I am sorry that the discussion is coming to an end. You are all so much fun.

Thank you Ginny and Andy for your dedication, you are wonderful hosts.

Ginny I hope your fracture is healing well, you don't mention it though but I can visualize you with your leg up working at the computer never complaining. Get well my friend.

[ALF43]

Oh Madame Eloise, you are so sweet.  I have missed you in our discussion here.  You always manage to add so much depth into your thoughts and your posts.  I hope that you are well and I will soon see you around the boards in another choice discussion.
 Hugs to you, mon amie.

I am in, let us all go to Italy.  Who's in?  

oops, We have to wait until next year until our "leader" can maneuver herself around enough to climb in and out of those pits we will be checking out in Herculeneum.

 Ginny, don't worry, I will hold your back pack, your flash light and your walkie talkie.  
YOU CAN TRUST ME!

[bellamarie]

Andrea,  "Ginny, don't worry, I will hold your back pack, your flash light and your walkie talkie. 
YOU CAN TRUST ME![/b]

This coming from someone who said, "Babi- you didn't miss anything with Agnes.  There was nothing said about that until the end, just a few innuendos."

Run, Ginny, Run........she couldn't even spot an evil one from the start!...ROFLMAO      

I'm not ready to give thanks and good byes just yet, so I will say,
Ciao for now....................................

[bellamarie]

Eloise,

No, I can't give my thoughts about the book because they are too negative, but I enjoyed reading the discussion a lot. You are all so interesting and you reveal yourselves so candidly.

This morning I was getting my book ready to return to the library and realized I had not read anything in the back of the book, the section "A Regional Muse", "A Conversation With Carol Goodman", or the "Reader's Group Questions and Topics for Discussion"

Elosie you might like to know the book "Eloise" was Carol's inspriration to begin her writing.  How sweet.  Thank you for your candor.  That's what makes the discussion so interesting and fun and sometimes a bit lively, we all say what we think and feel without hesitation, but with much respect for the author and the group.

[Gumtree]

So, I'm wondering just what kind of scholars Sophie and Elgin really are - FIRST Sophie secretly finds and tucks away a scroll and then in the dead of night gets Agnes to help her decipher it THEN Sophie and Elgin start messing with the statuette in the chapel - remove the sealing wax with a Swiss army knife, unroll the papyrus there and then and start reading even though every second is destroying the scroll.

Will someone please tell me how Elgin and Sophie will explain all THAT to the Papyrus Police ?    It destroyed their credibility but made for a great ending to their story.

My favourite character was a minor one though an important one - Odette. I loved her positive down to earth, non nonsense, call a spade a spade approach.  Her attitude was in strong contrast to Sophie who gave everyone the benefit of the doubt except for Elgin. Apart from Aunt M'Lou, it seems that Odette was Sophie's only friend - she's the one who knows Sophie well  - Odette knew about the affair with Elgin so Sophie must have confided in her. I guess it was all those mornings swimming laps and exchanging talk in the locker room.

For me the mystery was a means to an end - I was mostly interested in the classical background, the history and mythology encountered along the way, the peripheral reading I immersed myself in (including the David Sider book - read from cover to cover - and a fresh look at Ovid through the Ted Hughes version which is very readable). I liked pondering on the Pythagorean math and golden verses.

I enjoyed the food references and am still munching on rich red Baby Roma tomatoes - for lunch today I had them thinly sliced on thin crispy toast with a sliver of ham and a couple of fat, juicy olives...m'mmm.



ALF asks: who was Queen of the Underworld - for me that was Calatoria - the scene where she appears covered with blood and with her clothing in disarray and then topples to her doom was very fitting.

[bellamarie]

Gumtree,

I enjoyed the food references and am still munching on rich red Baby Roma tomatoes - for lunch today I had them thinly sliced on thin crispy toast with a sliver of ham and a couple of fat, juicy olives...m'mmm.

OH MY GOSH I AM STARVING and that sound sooooooo  good!  Off I go for lunch.

I agree Gumtree, Calatoria is a perfect pick for the Queen of the Underworld.

[ALF43]

Gumtree-

ALF asks: who was Queen of the Underworld - for me that was Calatoria - the scene where she appears covered with blood and with her clothing in disarray and then topples to her doom was very fitting.

She was quite the Queen, was she not, standing in her circle of 12 other beauties, around the goddess of night with her hair wreathed in poppies, "the flower of sleep and forgetting."  I will never look at a poppy again without thinking what this flower means.

I had forgeotten this but here it is:
"I noticed, as I had not when Iusta turned the stone, that when the lid was in the right position a series of trianges were formed by the dots on the interior circle and the exterior rim.  I saw then that beneath their veils the women wore painted DOTS shaped like triangles upon their foreheads."  One of Queen Calatoria's mysteries.

[sandyrose]

I really enjoyed this last section of the book.  It seemed a much more relaxing read, even though my blood pressure went up when Sophie decided to enlist Agnes as her confidante.  I would not have suspected Agnes of anything, but after some of you thought she was suspicious..well, I did too.

Carol Goodman is a very clever writer.   Right up to the end there were twists and turns...and Phineas and Justa...wow, I loved the ending.  If this were non fiction I would be upset that Sophie and Elgin ruined a scroll.

When I picked up The Night Villa and The Seduction of Water, the head librarian said she likes Carol Goodman's writing.  I will probably have to arm wrestle her for the next one.  Hope Night Villa will be made into a movie.

 

[Steph]

I have had tomatoes and cheese all over Italy and the key there is fresh.. Fresh mozzarella, fresh hand ripe tomatoes.. Yum..yum.. One of the great Italian things to eat.
Favorite character..hmm. I think maybe Elgin. I see now how hard he tried to keep Sophy safe and how much he cared for her. She was the one who retreated..
Ginny and Alf.. You have done a spectacular job. In the end, I loved the book.. have found one more Carol Goodman at the used book store and it is now in the long row of to be read immediately books.. Sigh..

[bellamarie]

Steph,  How is the trip?  Are you back home now?  Have all of you ladies traveled to Italy, and I am the only one who has not?  How lucky for those who have.  I am Italian and long to see my ancestor's homeland one day.  One can only wish.  

Sandyrose,

I really enjoyed this last section of the book.  It seemed a much more relaxing read, even though my blood pressure went up when Sophie decided to enlist Agnes as her confidante.,

I felt the same way, the last section was so much more relaxing to read, even with all the things happening.  For me it just kept revealing all my suspicions and theories, I was so excited.  Iusta and Phineas surviving was my only surprise.  I loved Iusta's confession being the last words of the book.  How perfect!

[CarolGoodman]

QUESTION FOR CAROL

Most versions of the so-called 'Golden Verses' contain in excess of 40 adages which may be interpreted by adherents as precepts for living.

What led you to choose to use only the three questions a Tetraktys member must ask himself each night:
Where did I go wrong today?
What did I accomplish?
What obligation did I not perform?
in preference to one or more of the more positive precepts.

These were the ones that spoke most forcefully to me.  They actually seemed like a pretty good way of summing up one's day.  I guess I've always had a lot of guilt--chalk it up to a half Jewish/half Irish Catholic background--and the idea of asking yourself these three basic questions seemed very powerful.  I quickly saw how I could use them in the book.

[CarolGoodman]

Question for Carol

When Sophie studies the Smorfia tiles looking for patterns that meant something to Ely, as narrator she says: I remember he liked the Fibonacci Sequence, prime numbers, the digits of pi, and palindromic numbers ...

As 'the digits of pi' are devoid of pattern why are they included in this list of sequences in which patterns do occur? The inclusion of prime numbers is also somewhat of a puzzle as there is no formula for evaluating the sequence of the prime numbers. Therefore, what pattern could Ely have found in them?

I think I meant to suggest that these numbers meant something to Ely.  He found patterns where other people might not find any.  That could be a gift ... or it could be a psychological problem.

[CarolGoodman]

Now that's we've finished, may I ask what the FBI is doing in Italy.  It makes no sense, as to the best of my understanding, the FBI looks at so-called Domestic crimes, and other agencies are more or less looking at foreign crimes.  

Obviously Sophie would survive ...  sorry, Carol Goodman, you didn't make me tremble when it looked like Sophie would be buried alive ...  she had to live to the end of the book.  How could the book conclude without Sophie?   I still think Meryl Streep would be the best actress for the part when this is made into a movie.   Any nibbles from Hollywood, Carol?

I always thought Ely was no good, and Marie was just a red-herring character.
Thanks, Deems, for that red herring explanation, which I kind of recalled from Trollope's hunting scenes.

Agnes as the "bad guy" is confusing to me ... did we have enough hints?   

Hm ... I'll have to look back in my notes, but I think I figured that the FBI, although they wouldn't have jurisdiction in Italy, might still be able to do surveillance on an organization they were following in the United States.  And, as it turns out, Ely was lying about his involvement with the FBI in Italy. 

I thought there were plenty of hints that Agnes was a bit unhinged from her first appearance.  Sophie comments on her odd fascination with ancient cults, for instance, and her low self esteem.

[CarolGoodman]

I didn't think Sophie would have to live to the end, at all?  (And as previously noted, the events of the end scared me to death hhahaa) Had to actually put it down and get up in the sun and finish it.

Why couldn't she have died and the coda have been written by Elgin?

OR even better, by Odette! I need to put Odette back in the questions, what was she doing there? Who IS she, actually?

Even Holmes died (and was resurrected later because of Doyle's Mother's missing him).

Ginny,
I've read a few books where the narrator did die.  The best treatment of that (spoiler alert!!!!) is Susanna Moore's book THE CUT.  But it's true that we're probably expecting the narrator to live and there's not much we can do about that.


____________


That makes me want to ask Carol two more questions:

1. Is Sophie going to have a sequel?
2. Who dropped the scroll in the courtyard originally, when, and why?

And a hearty thanks, as well, to Carol, for your  generosity to us, and for  really writing  a heck of a book, I loved it right to the end, it was perfect for our discussion.

Ginny,
No sequel planned.  I think Sophie's been through enough.  She needs to go back to Texas and kick back with a couple of Shiner Bocks at Las Manitas.

Didn't I have Phineas drop it?

It's been my pleasure to participate.  You guys are thorough readers!

___________________

Babi that's brilliant on the ghost!!

___________________

What did you all like the best about the book? That's Joan R's question, will put it in the heading also.

[bellamarie]

Carol, 

I thought there were plenty of hints that Agnes was a bit unhinged from her first appearance.  Sophie comments on her odd fascination with ancient cults, for instance, and her low self esteem.

I thought you did a great job of dropping the clues on Agnes early on.  I picked up on her in the first pages, especially when she had the dark circles under her eyes when Sophie visited her at the dorm, and saw the picture of her on the wall and she was much thinner.   

Carol, I am so excited you are finally here to give us all the answers. We are honored to have an author take the time to share with us in our discussion group. Thank you so very much!!

[CarolGoodman]

The following question had to be removed from the heading when it changed so am posting it here where Carol can see it:

From Gumtree:

At the beginning of Chapter 9 there is an episode when Sophie is on the train and a young girl and a man with an accordion get on. When they leave Sophie asks herself "What was that all about?" and then discovers her watch has been stolen by the child.

 Like Sophie, I'm asking myself What was that all about? Why is this passage in the novel?  What is the purpose or meaning of this incident other than Sophie is now bereft of her watch? Is it just for local colour - to indicate time passing as Sophie waits for the train to move on - or did I miss something?

Gumtree,
Aside from providing local color--and a fair warning to tourists to the Naples area to watch out for pickpockets--I saw that scene as a mini "Mystery" rite.  It was meant to mysterious and stagey (it is staged), and it also contains some of the elements of a mystery rite--a child playing a role, the corruption of innocence, an enigmatic figure playing a musical instrument.  I experienced part of the scene myself on the Circumvesuviana--the child, the accordian player, the irate woman who may or may not have been the child's mother.  Luckily, I didn't have my watch stolen, though.

[bellamarie]

Carol,

No sequel planned.  I think Sophie's been through enough.  She needs to go back to Texas and kick back with a couple of Shiner Bocks at Las Manitas.

ROFLMAO.....  How about a movie of Night Villa instead?

[CarolGoodman]

The following excellent questions were received in email so am posting them here so Carol can see them.

From bellamarie:

1. Carol, while reading all our posts and how we were researching and tying clues together, did you see where we missed some things that would have given us more insight to what the ending would be?

I think you were all very astute readers.

2. Did you feel at any time when we were posting our likes or dislikes or indifference about Sophie's character that you could understand where we were coming from?

Sophie's not perfect.  I can never predict how any reader will respond to any character.  I'm just happy if you keep reading.

3.  Was it your intent to have Sophie seem strong physically and yet weak emotionally because of her losses? Is this  athletic Sophie YOU, Carol?

I tend to write characters who, like myself and the people I know, have many strengths and weaknesses.  Oh, no, I'm not so very athletic.  I do have asthma, and so can relate to Sophie's breathlessness.

4.. When you said in your interview this book would make people see religions in a different way, is it because of the cult mentality of the Tetraktys and their behaviors or did you feel with the Pythagorean theory, Sibyls, fortune tellers and the mythological practices along with the mention of the fanatical Catholic upbringing of Sophie and Agnes's fear of the nuns this all would give reason to ponder?

Gosh, did I say that?  I suppose I might have.  I did find that in doing the research for the book I saw the beginnings of Christianity differently.  I hadn't realized there had been so many different versions of Christianity in the beginning. Also, I think it's easy to forget when looking at a modern cult that Christianity once had the status of a foreign cult.  As for the last part--I tried to include a sympathetic nun in the book.  The one who leads Sophie by the hand.  She's based on an experience I had in the Naples hospital when I was a student and my roommate fell ill in Naples.  When we were leaving, a nun took me by the hand and led me to the food pantry and loaded up our backpacks with cheese and bread--all without ever saying a word.  She must have thought my roommate and I were starving!

5. Since the scrolls were the essential story plot from beginning to end, would it be fair to assess ultimately, the theme of the book was about the keys to possessing "The Power" overall?  (the trident in Little Mermaid and Poseidon, the scrolls for the church/ cult/Iusta/Phineas/Calotoria, and the answers to Sophie for her book and possibly her finding closure)

Hm ... not sure what you mean.  For me the key in any novel I write is for the narrator to find some closure to whatever experience is keeping her from moving on with her life--in this case, Sophie's unresolved grief over the dissolution of her marriage with Ely.

6. Why the mention of the Little Mermaid quilt on Agnes's bed and Sophie going to the mermaid shows?  Were those clues dropped along the way or did I read more into it than what you intended?

Well, originally The Little Mermaid quilt is there because my step-daughter Nora had one.  Then I liked the idea of playing with the Siren/Mermaid theme.  Just a reminder that myth is all around us.  I saw the mermaid show and Ralph the diving pig at Aquarena Springs when I first moved to Texas.  I would put them in every book I wrote if my editor would let me.

7. I was a little taken with Sophie going to the church in the end since she so strongly disliked the fanatical Catholic religion growing up.  Are we to believe Sophie had a change of heart with her Catholic faith in then end, or was that just a way for her to find the statue and Iusta's confession?

I think there is good and bad in Catholicism, as in any faith.  (See good nun story above.)

6. Was the saying, "many are the narthex bearers, but few are the Bacchoi." to represent anything in particular?  Was it a clue in some way?  I really didn't tie it into anything other than Noah's Ark and the survivors of the volcano.

It's supposed to indicate the idea of being chosen.  Ely and Agnes would believe that they are the chosen.

7. How did you decide to have Odette's voice become the voice to help save Sophie in the end?  Was Odette's voice Sophie's own subconscious voice helping her when her conscious was not clear enough to think it through?  I was a bit troubled a with Odette's voice being the saving grace here, but then as a Christian believer there have been times my mother or other loved ones who have passed away have given me direction and insight to help me in situations by hearing their voices spiritually so I decided to be okay with Odette's voice helping Sophie escape.

I really liked the character of Odette and was sorry to have lost her in the early pages of the book.  I liked the idea of having her come back.  As to whether her voice is in Sophie's head or real ... that will have to remain a mystery.

8.  Did you enjoy reading our posts, and at any time did we offend you with any of our comments?  If so I apologize in advance.

Yes, I did enjoy reading your posts!  No, I wasn't offended by any of them.  I realize that every reader's experience of the book will be different.  I'm happy if the reader is engaged enough to keep reading.  I may not be as tough as Sophie in all ways, but I'm certainly tough enough to take a little criticism.  Thank you for asking, though! 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[CarolGoodman]

Carol: this would make a fantastic movie. I'm surprised nobody has optioned it. Are there any plans for the future to put it on the screen?

No, but if you happen to sit next to a famous movie director on a plane, please do pass the book along to him or her.  (Ditto for Oprah.)

[bellamarie]

Carol, 

No, but if you happen to sit next to a famous movie director on a plane, please do pass the book along to him or her.  (Ditto for Oprah.)

ROFLMOA....we sure will keep you in mind if we ever have the opportunity to further Night Villa. 

Thank you sooooo much for answering all of our questions.  It is so wonderful to know your thoughts and reasons as you wrote this wonderful book.  Much success to you in your future endeavors.

[joangrimes]

Carol,

Thanks for answering the questions.

I want to  read another of your books.  I am trying to decide which one I think I will try next.  They all look interesting.


Joan Grimes

[bellamarie]

Carol,

For me the key in any novel I write is for the narrator to find some closure to whatever experience is keeping her from moving on with her life--in this case, Sophie's unresolved grief over the dissolution of her marriage with Ely.

AHA!!!  Found this interesting,  Sophie and Ely were married!  No where, did it say they were actually married or went through a dissolutionment.  I remember it was pointed out to me they were NOT married, when I assumed they were married, and in turn I corrected someone later when they mentioned them being married.  

[Babi]

 I really appreciated those answers to our questons, CAROL.  I liked Odette
from the first and hated that she was one of those killed early on, so I was
happy to see her continuing to be with us 'in the spirit'.

On the narthex bearers and the bacchoi, I was pleased to read your answer:

It's supposed to indicate the idea of being chosen.  Ely and Agnes would believe that they are the chosen

  When I first read that line, I thought
of the scripture, "Many are called, but few are chosen." It seems that was the
correct reaction.
  I also had to smile at your comment about being 'half-Jewish, half Irish Catholic'.   Both do lean rather heavily on guilt, don't they?   
   Thank you so much, both for an intriguing book and your kind participation.
 

 

[Mippy]

Carol Goodman ~  What a great book!   I'm glad none of my comments were too critical for you.  Thanks for answering so many questions!
I think we all wish you the best of luck on selling this story to Hollywood for large $$$   

[bellamarie]

Babi,   

"Many are called, but few are chosen."

When I first read "Many are the narthex bearers, few are the Bacchoi"" I thought about Noah's Ark and how only so few were chosen to go on to begin anew.  I suppose in this book we could also see only few who survived the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius,  Iusta and Phineas among the few.  It also brought to mind how Jesus chose certain ones to follow him to spread the word.

We are so fortnate to have Carol come in and give us so much insight to her writing the book.  How very exciting!

I am Irish/Italian Cathoic, Mea Culpa is part of my life's vocabulary.  lolol