Book Club

In Freedom One, citizens are given the opportunity to change everything about their appearance. Nine wants to get rid of her freckles and red hair, but is unsure about her other choices. Have you ever wished you could change how you look? If you could change something, what would it be and why? Have you ever wanted to change solely to fit in with others?
Nine goes by her given Maker number until she chooses a name for herself. What significance, if any, does this have for Nine and her character’s journey? Is your name an important part of who you are? How did you get your name? Does it have special meaning for you or your parents? Do you wish you could change it? If so, to what . . . and why?
One of the Remake decisions Nine struggles with is her gender choice. Do you think there’s more to being male or female than the obvious physical differences? If so, what? Are these traits learned or inherent? Can artificial hormones change this, or is gender a part of who you are no matter what you alter?
Nine doesn’t think she is courageous, and she admires Theron for his natural strength and bravery. Is bravery something you can be born with? Is it something that can be learned? Have you ever admired someone so much you wished you could become like them? While Nine doubts her own bravery throughout the story, there are several instances where she shows the reader the opposite is true. Can you name a few of them?
Freedom One wants its batchers to be raised as equals and have the freedom to choose whatever they want. What does it mean to be equal? Can people be different yet still be equal, or is equality impossible to obtain? What are the dangers of having no consequences for our actions? Do you think people can truly be happy living this way? Why or why not?
When Nine first washes up on the island, Kai is suspicious of her, while the rest of his family is not. Why do you think that is? At what point does he start thinking differently? Do you think their journey from hate to indifference to romance is a believable one?
Nine must learn to adjust to life without electricity on the island. What would you miss if you didn’t have electricity? How would your life change?
When Nine returns to Freedom, her perception of the people and society has changed, mostly because of what she learned on the island. Have you ever revisited a place from your childhood that isn’t quite how you remembered? Have you ever encountered someone from your past who had vastly changed from who they used to be? How much do you think our experiences shape who we are and how we view the world? How have you changed from one, five, or ten years ago?
Theron tends to be protective of Nine, while Kai pushes her into difficult situations to grow. Which approach is better for Nine? Do you think it would be the same for all people, or would it depend on their character? Which works better for you? Do you think Kai does the right thing by leaving Nine and making her choose the Rise for herself? Would she have had the same conviction if he had stayed with her and they escaped Freedom together? What could he have done differently?
In the end, Nine has to choose between two different love interests, lifestyles, and beliefs—two different versions of herself. Do you think she makes the right choice? Have you ever had to choose between two things you thought could be right for you? Do you think Nine could have been happy if she stayed with Theron?
In today’s society, for the most part, children are raised in family units. This might consist of two parents, a single parent, children raised by other family members or by foster or adoptive parents, etc., but the nurturing nature of a family community is at our society’s foundation. Freedom One attempts to raise children without any form of family or parental figures. Do you think a society like this could ever prosper, let alone survive for very long? Do you think an individual can succeed without the influence of a family? What strengths or benefits come from living in a family, both within the family unit and in the outside community? How important are parental figures in the lives of children?
Are you on Team Theron or Team Kai?