In Once and Again, Serle uses an element of magical realism—the silver ticket that offers a single do‑over to change a past mistake—to explore the complex nature of second chances. At first, the women in Lauren’s family each view the ticket as a gift, yet the narrative steadily nuances that idea away, positioning the chance at a do-over as both a blessing and a curse. Serle’s story suggests that a second chance doesn’t erase pain or guarantee happiness. It often trades one kind of suffering for another and creates consequences that echo through a lifetime. By following three generations of Novak women, the novel anchors this thematic exploration in personal choices. When Marcella and Lauren use their tickets, they each experience new anxieties and unforeseen difficulties, while Sylvia gives hers to Lauren with a quiet contentment at the end of her life.

Dave’s heart condition raises the narrative stakes of Marcella’s choice to save Lauren’s life. Knowing her husband has a potentially fatal heart defect, she secretly uses her ticket to save Lauren from a fatal car accident, relying on the idea that Lauren still has a ticket to use to save Dave should the need arise.