Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The revelation that Marcella used her ticket to save Lauren, not Dave, is a major turning point in the novel. How did this twist affect your reading experience and your perception of Marcella’s character throughout the rest of the novel?

2. Serle often explores “what if” scenarios in her books, like the premonition in In Five Years or befriending a younger version of one’s parent in One Italian Summer. How does the “silver ticket” concept in this book compare to the speculative elements in her other works? If this is your first Serle novel, how effective did you find this blend of magical realism and contemporary drama?

3. The story ends with Lauren using the ticket to fix a burnt birthday cake. What did you make of this final scene? Did it feel like a fitting conclusion to her journey toward accepting life’s imperfections, or did it suggest something else to you?

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

1. Sylvia chooses not to use her ticket to save the love of her life, Bobby, after feeling her unborn baby kick, deciding instead to let life move forward. Think about a time when you faced a choice between holding onto the past and embracing an unknown future. What factors influenced your decision?

2. Lauren and Leo’s long struggle with infertility creates a major strain on their marriage. Have you ever been in a situation where you and a loved one had different ideas about the direction of your life? How did you navigate that difference in perspective?

3. Dave refuses the second chance offered by Sylvia’s ticket, saying he wouldn’t trade the last ten years of his life, even if it meant a longer future. What memories or experiences in your own life would you be unwilling to erase, even to avoid hardship?

4. Lauren’s family home in Malibu shapes her sense of identity and connection to the past. Do you have a physical place that holds a similar significance for you or your family, acting as an archive of your history?

5. For Lauren, surfing brings a feeling of “total and complete presence” that helps her escape her anxieties. What activities or hobbies in your own life bring you a similar sense of mindfulness and help you stay grounded in the present moment?

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

1. The silver ticket’s origin is tied to Irina’s escape from the violent anti-Jewish pogroms in 1920s Ukraine. How does grounding this magical gift in a real historical trauma change its meaning throughout the novel? What might it suggest about the relationship between survival, memory, and suffering?

2. What do you think the novel is saying about the specific burdens, strengths, and responsibilities passed down through generations of women, given that the ticket is a matrilineal inheritance? How might the story and its dynamics have been different if the men in the family had inherited this power?

3. How does Once and Again’s exploration of a “do-over” challenge or reinforce our culture’s fascination with second chances and the fear of regret, as seen in popular stories like the film Sliding Doors?

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

1. The novel is mostly told from Lauren’s perspective but includes chapters from Marcella and Sylvia’s third-person perspectives. What did these shifts in point of view add to your understanding of the family’s dynamics and secrets? How would the story have been different if told entirely from Lauren’s perspective?

2. How does the meaning of the silver ticket evolve for each of the Novak women throughout the story? Does it represent the same thing to Lauren, Marcella, and Sylvia, or does its significance change with each generation?

3. Serle uses the ocean and surfing as a recurring motif throughout the novel. In what ways does Lauren’s relationship with the water mirror her internal Tension Between Control and Acceptance?

4. Consider how Sylvia and Marcella function as foils for each other. What does their dynamic reveal about the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and the novel’s central argument about how to live a meaningful life?

5. Was Lauren’s final confession to Leo and their eventual reconciliation a satisfying conclusion to their arc, particularly since it was achieved without the use of a magical do-over? Why or why not?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write an alternate scene in which Sylvia uses her ticket. What specific moment might she return to, and what do you think the unintended consequences of that choice could be for the family line?

2. The heirloom is a silver ticket in a small wooden box. If you were to design this box to reflect its journey from 1920s Odessa to modern-day Malibu, what specific details would you add? What materials, carvings, or features would you include to tell the story of its history?

3. Imagine Lauren writes a letter to her son, Damien, to be opened on his 18th birthday. In it, she explains the family’s history with the silver ticket, even though he wasn’t born with one. What key lessons about life, love, and acceptance do you think she would want to pass on to him from this extraordinary legacy?