Manny, Lucia, Miranda, and Yonah all struggle to find a balance between their obligations to others and their personal desires. Compare and contrast two of these characters and the way they handle this conflict.

“Parentification” means that a child is regularly placed in the role of “parenting” their parents or siblings through emotional or financial support. How has Miranda’s upbringing impacted her life? How does this “parentification” affect her character development throughout the novel?

Lucia’s journey is propelled by her desire to live a fulfilling life. However, all of her actions directly impact the other people involved in her care. How do the stigmas and perceptions of mental health, particularly schizophrenia, influence the way others treat Lucia’s actions and desires?

Miranda and Manny often find themselves at odds with what to do regarding Lucia’s care. Miranda believes Lucia needs to constantly be monitored. Manny takes an opposite approach, quietly watching Lucia and trusting her to take her medication until it is no longer safe to do so. How do their approaches to Lucia’s care reflect their own views on Balancing Self-Care and Family Obligations?

The concept of cultural assimilation is present throughout the novel in different capacities. How does culture tie into the major themes of the book, such as mental health stigma or familial obligation?

Lucia points out the differences between the way mental illness is perceived and discussed versus that of physical ailments. Look into DEIB language, particularly surrounding the destigmatization of mental illness, and compare your findings to the way mental illness is discussed in the book.

Yonah, Manny, and Stefan each have different ideas on how to love the women in their lives. How did their different approaches affect their relationships? Were any of these relationships “successful”? Why or why not?

The circumstances surrounding Lucia’s death remain unclear at the end of the novel. Why do you believe the author chose to leave it ambiguous? Do you think Lucia’s death was an accident? Why or why not?