Life's Too Short

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

1. Have you ever faced a situation of significant uncertainty in your life? How did it affect your priorities and decision-making, including romantic or familial relationships?

2. In Life’s Too Short, Vanessa and Adrian each navigate the tension between wanting to help someone you care about and respecting their boundaries and personal autonomy. How have you navigated this tension in your life?

3. Reflect on how Vanessa’s story prompts readers to consider their purpose and legacy. How does the story illustrate what it means to live a meaningful life, regardless of its length? What character did you relate to most, and why?

4. When has taking an emotional risk, despite fear of the outcome, been worthwhile in your own life? What gave you the courage to be vulnerable, and how does it relate to Vanessa’s or Adrian’s experiences?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How has social media changed cultural conversations around chronic illness, disability, and end-of-life decisions?

2. Discuss the book’s portrayal of nontraditional family structures and what constitutes a family, particularly Adrian and Vanessa’s relationship with Grace

3. Explore what commentary the book provides on how people interact with the healthcare system. How does Jimenez highlight the tension between personal choice and medical intervention, particularly as it relates to an incurable disease like ALS?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Analyze the alternating narrative structure of the book. How does hearing Adrian and Vanessa’s perspectives help develop the story of their coming together and individual journeys? Consider how the narrative would change if it were told from only one character’s perspective.

2. How does Vanessa’s view of fate shape her decision-making? Does her philosophy change by the end? What facilitates that change?

3. How does Jimenez incorporate humor and hope alongside discussions of terminal illness to balance the tone?

4. How does the novel explore living fully versus living carefully? How do characters embody these two approaches?

5. Analyze the role of time as a literal and symbolic element in the novel. How does the fear of limited time drive Vanessa and Adrian to make their choices?

6. Discuss the recurring storm metaphors Vanessa uses to describe her life. How does this language capture her trauma and fear?