The Amalfi Curse Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters & Themes

Plot & Sequence (Questions 1–8) 1. Multiple Choice: In the 1821 timeline, what event prompts the streghe to cast the undercurrent spell at the novel’s opening? A) A pirate fleet from Tunis approaching Positano B) The arrival of the Mazza brothers’ ship C) A storm threatening the village D) The kidnapping of Lia 2. Multiple Choice: After Mari kills the drunk man with a whirlpool spell, what does she discover about his identity? A) He is Massimo Mazza B) He is a spy for the Mazza brothers C) He is her betrothed Corso D) He is a pirate from Tunis 3. Multiple Choice: What happens to Lia immediately after Mari kills Massimo? A) She is kidnapped by Matteo Mazza B) She drowns in the whirlpool C) She runs away to Naples D) She is rescued by Holmes 4. Multiple Choice: In the modern timeline, what is the name of the archaeological project Haven’s team is working on? A) Project Relic B) Project Aquila C) Project Li Galli D) Project Siren 5. Multiple Choice: What clue on the second wreck leads Haven to identify it as the Aquila? A) Orange lichen forming the letters AQU B) A brass nameplate C) A ship’s bell with an inscription D) A journal bearing the ship’s name 6. Multiple Choice: Which incantation requires the strega to remove her protective cimaruta necklace? A) Vortice centuriaria B) Incantesimo vortice C) Incantesimo divinatorio D) Incantesimo dell’elemento 7. Multiple Choice: After the Aquila sinks, what does Mari decide to do to stop the approaching La Dea? A) Perform the vortice centuriaria alone B) Flee to Ischia with Holmes C) Surrender to Matteo D) Return to the village and hide 8. Multiple Choice: In the epilogue, what does Lia do with Mari’s log? A) Mails it to an archive B) Buries it with Mari C) Gives it to her daughter D) Throws it into the sea ## Character Motivation (Questions 9–13) 9. Short Answer: Why does Mari resent the sea at the beginning of the novel? Your answer: 10. Multiple Choice: Why does Holmes sabotage the Aquila’s rigging? A) To delay the ship so his warning letter reaches Mari first B) To sink the ship and kill Matteo C) To escape from the crew D) To steal the hidden cargo 11. Multiple Choice: Why does Imelda leave her family and pretend to drown? A) To protect her daughters by convincing the Mazza brothers she is the last strega B) To escape an unhappy marriage C) To join a convent D) To seek treasure with the brothers 12. Short Answer: Why does Savina sink the yacht in the modern timeline? Your answer: 13. Multiple Choice: Why does Corso spy on the streghe and inform Matteo? A) He hopes to be paid by Matteo B) He wants to stop the witchcraft C) He is jealous of Mari’s love for Holmes D) He wants to protect the village ## Themes & Symbols (Questions 14–17) 14. Multiple Choice: What does the cimaruta necklace symbolize in the novel? A) Protection and connection to the sea B) Wealth and status C) A promise of marriage D) A curse 15. Short Answer: What does the sea represent for Mari throughout the story? Your answer: 16. Multiple Choice: What does the feather that lands at Mari’s feet signify? A) A reminder of Holmes B) An omen of death C) A sign from the sirens D) A message from her mother 17. Multiple Choice: What does the vortice centuriaria represent thematically? A) Ultimate sacrifice for the greater good B) Revenge against enemies C) The power of love D) The danger of unchecked magic ## Synthesis (Questions 18–20) 18. Short Answer: How does the novel connect the historical streghe with the modern characters like Savina and Haven? Your answer: 19. Multiple Choice: What is the significance of the “Amalfi Curse” in both timelines? A) It is a legend that masks the real supernatural events caused by streghe B) It is a natural phenomenon explained by science C) It is a hoax created by the Mazza brothers D) It is a warning to sailors to avoid the coast 20. Short Answer: How does Haven’s perspective on the curse change from the beginning to the end of the novel? Your answer: --- ## Answer Key 1. A – The streghe cast the undercurrent spell to deflect a pirate fleet from Tunis (chapter 6). 2. A – Mari finds a nail file inscribed with Massimo Mazza’s name after the whirlpool kills him (chapter 12). 3. A – Matteo Mazza kidnaps Lia, placing a sack over her head (chapter 12). 4. A – Haven’s team is working on Project Relic, an AI-assisted shipwreck reconstruction (chapter 6). 5. A – Haven notices orange lichen on the second wreck forming the letters AQU, which she identifies as part of “Aquila” (chapter 20). 6. A – The vortice centuriaria requires the strega to remove her cimaruta necklace (chapter 4). 7. A – Mari decides to perform the vortice centuriaria alone to sink La Dea, knowing it requires the greatest sacrifice (chapter 33). 8. A – In the epilogue, Lia mails Mari’s log to an archive after Mari and Holmes die (epilogue). 9. Answer: Mari resents the sea because her mother drowned when she was eight and her sister Sofia drowned two years earlier; she blames the sea for their deaths (chapter 6). 10. A – Holmes sabotages the rigging to delay the Aquila so his warning letter can reach Mari before the ship arrives (chapter 19). 11. A – Imelda left to protect her daughters by convincing the Mazza brothers she was the last strega, thus drawing their attention away from Mari and Sofia (chapter 28). 12. Answer: Savina sinks the yacht to make up for a lifetime of denying her witchcraft lineage, which she believes caused her daughter Bria’s death; she wants to prove her power and protect her son Enzo (chapter 31). 13. A – Corso confesses he spied on the streghe and informed Matteo in hopes of receiving payment (chapter 33). 14. A – The cimaruta is a protective amulet; removing it is required for the centurial spell, symbolizing vulnerability and sacrifice (chapter 4). 15. Answer: The sea is both a source of power and a source of loss for Mari—it gives the streghe their magic but also takes her mother and sister, making it a dual force of life and death (chapters 6, 12). 16. A – A feather lands at Mari’s feet, reminding her of Holmes (chapter 23). 17. A – The vortice centuriaria represents ultimate sacrifice for the greater good, as Mari uses it to save the village from La Dea (chapter 33). 18. Answer: The novel shows the streghe lineage continuing into the modern era; Savina and Renata are the last living streghe, and Haven uncovers the truth about Mari and Holmes, revealing how the past shapes the present and the legacy of the curse (chapters 34, 37). 19. A – The “Amalfi Curse” is a legend that masks the real supernatural events caused by streghe; the shipwrecks are actually the result of their incantations, not natural phenomena (chapters 7, 31). 20. Answer: Haven initially dismisses the curse as superstition, but after witnessing Savina’s power and learning the truth about the streghe, she accepts that supernatural forces are real and that the curse has a magical origin (chapters 7, 31, 37).