Paulo Coelho poses fundamental questions in this novel that millions of people ask daily: "What should I do with my life? Why do I continue living?"

Veronica is a young 24-year-old woman who seemingly has everything: youth, beauty, attractive suitors, a comfortable job, and a loving family. Yet, she feels an unfillable emptiness inside her.

Therefore, she decides to die by suicide on November 11, 1997, by taking sleeping pills, expecting never to wake up again. Veronica is shocked when she opens her eyes in a mental hospital, where she learns she survived the overdose, but her heart is irreparably damaged, leaving her with only a few days to live.

After this incident, the novel delves deeply into the life Veronica leads, believing these to be her last days. During this period, Veronica discovers herself and experiences emotions she never allowed herself to feel: resentment, fear, curiosity, love, and desire. She also realizes that every moment of her existence is a choice between life and death, until her last moments see her more eager to live than ever before.

In this novel, Paulo Coelho takes us on a journey to explore what a culture shrouded in worries and debilitating routines means. While questioning the meaning of madness, he celebrates the individual suffocated by what society considers normal patterns. It is a poignant portrayal of a young woman at the crossroads of despair and liberation, filled with poetic vitality, feeling that every new day is a renewed opportunity for life.