Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your initial reaction to the novella’s central premise of trading a life for a life? Did the story’s blend of a realistic hospital setting with a fantastical, fable-like bargain feel effective to you?

2. How does this novella compare to Fredrik Backman’s longer works that you might have read, such as A Man Called Ove or Anxious People? Do you notice similar themes or character types? 

3. The story opens with the narrator’s startling confession that he has “killed a person” (1). How did this opening statement shape your expectations for the story that followed, and were you surprised by the true nature of his “crime”?

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

1. The narrator has spent his life building a legacy based on wealth and professional achievement, which he calls his “footprints.” What does a meaningful legacy look like to you? Has this story changed or reinforced your ideas about what it means to leave something behind?

2. A key tension in the book is the narrator’s contempt for his son’s philosophy of being content with things that are “good enough.” Where do you personally fall on the spectrum between striving for the exceptional and finding satisfaction in the sufficient?

3. The narrator has a complicated relationship with his hometown of Helsingborg, which he says can’t be “fooled.” How does his experience resonate with your own feelings about the place you consider your hometown?

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

1. The story presents a utilitarian dilemma about the value of a human life, forcing a choice between a successful but selfish man and an innocent child. In what ways does the novella challenge a purely logical or calculative approach to a person’s worth?

2. The novella can be read as a modern fable about redemption set during Christmas. How does it compare to other classic redemption stories, like Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol? What do the similarities or differences suggest about timeless versus contemporary ideas of forgiveness and self-sacrifice?

3. What commentary might the novella be making about modern definitions of success? How does the narrator’s obsession with a public, quantifiable legacy reflect or critique cultural values surrounding wealth and influence?

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

1. How does the portrayal of the woman in the gray sweater as a weary, bureaucratic administrator rather than a malevolent figure of death affect the story’s overall tone? What does this characterization suggest about mortality and fate?

2. The entire narrative is framed as a letter from the narrator to his son, which his son will never read. What is the effect of this epistolary structure on your experience as a reader, and why do you think Backman chose this device?

3. The five-year-old girl acts as the catalyst for the narrator’s internal transformation. How does her innocence and creativity serve as a direct foil to the narrator’s complex, cynical worldview?

4. How do the story’s frequent shifts in time, moving between the hospital, the car crash, and memories from the narrator’s past, contribute to the narrative’s emotional impact and urgency?

5. The narrator’s son is a static character who embodies kindness and contentment. How does his steady, unwavering value system function as a moral anchor in the story? How does it impact his father’s final decision?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The narrator’s final moments with his son motivate him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Describe a single, simple experience that you would choose to have as your final memory before being erased if you were in the narrator’s position.

2. The woman in the gray sweater knits to pass the time and as a gesture of care. Design a small, handmade object for her to give to people before they “jump inwards.” What would it be, and what would it symbolize?

3. Imagine that you are tasked with creating a public monument in Helsingborg to honor the anonymous deal that the narrator made. What would this monument look like, and how would it represent a legacy of selfless love rather than public success?