If you are a part of a book club and are looking for a new book to read, Rejected would be a perfect one! Here is a quick Book Club discussion guide to go along with the book.
About This Guide
This guide helps book clubs explore the emotional, spiritual, and social themes in Rejected. Each section now includes chapter references so readers always know where they should be before beginning discussion.
Section One: Survival, Power, and Control
Covers Chapters 1 through 4
These early chapters explore Hillary’s life before and during her captivity in Mexico, her years in the cartel, and her arrival at the Serug Ranch.
Discussion Questions
In Chapters 1 through 3, what moments shaped your understanding of Hillary’s resilience?
How do Chapters 2 and 3 reveal the psychological effects of coercion and exploitation?
In Chapters 3 and 4, what changes do you notice as Hillary transitions from overt trafficking into a more subtle form of control?
Section Two: Faith, Fear, and the Tradition of Obedience
Covers Chapters 5 through 9
These chapters parallel Hagar’s biblical story and explore obedience, fear, and divine encounter.
Discussion Questions
How do Chapters 5, 6, and 7 deepen your understanding of the original biblical passages from Genesis 16?
Which scenes in Chapters 8 and 9 best illustrate the intersection of suffering and divine presence?
Why do you think Hillary obeyed the instruction to return in Chapter 9 even when safety was not guaranteed?
Section Three: Trauma Responses and Emotional Memory
Covers Chapters 10 through 14
These chapters include flashbacks, panic triggers, and the ways trauma resurfaces through daily routines.
Discussion Questions
Which trauma-response scene in Chapters 10 through 12 impacted you the most?
How do Chapters 12, 13, and 14 show the physical and emotional weight of memories Hillary tries to suppress?
How do these scenes expand your empathy for real survivors?
Section Four: Morality, Manipulation, and Abuse Within Religious Structures
Covers Chapters 15 through 20
The Serug household becomes a microcosm of spiritual manipulation, pressure, and harmful theology.
Discussion Questions
What forms of manipulation appear in Chapters 15, 16, and 17 when Patrona Isa and Abe justify their decisions?
How did you feel about Patrona Isa’s desperation for a child in Chapters 16 through 18?
What do Chapters 18, 19, and 20 suggest about the misuse of religious authority?
Section Five: Identity, Self-Worth, and the Search for Belonging
Covers Chapters 21 through 25
Hillary’s internal battle intensifies as she wrestles with her past, her dreams, and her desire for real connection.
Discussion Questions
Which scenes in Chapters 21 through 23 reveal Hillary’s longing for belonging?
How does Ignacio’s presence in Chapters 22 and 24 shape Hillary’s identity as a mother and survivor?
What does belonging look like for Hillary across Chapters 24 and 25?
Section Six: Motherhood, Loss, and Protection
Covers Chapters 26 through 30
These chapters include Hillary’s most painful and transformative moments, paralleling Hagar in the wilderness.
Discussion Questions
How do Chapters 26 and 27 use the South Texas landscape to echo the biblical wilderness?
What does Hillary’s choice to place Ignacio under the tree in Chapter 29 reveal about her emotional breaking point?
How did you interpret God’s provision of water and guidance in Chapter 30?
Section Seven: Justice, Hope, and the Return of Dignity
Covers Chapter 31 through the Epilogue
Ignacio becomes an archer. Hillary witnesses restoration and finally experiences belonging.
Discussion Questions
In the wedding scene of Chapter 31, how did your understanding of rejection shift?
What emotions surfaced as you read the final scenes of Chapter 31?
How does the epilogue reinforce the themes of hope and redemption?
Section Eight: Faith, Liberation, and Modern Slavery
Pairs with the Entire Book and the Back Matter
This section connects fiction to lived reality and survivor advocacy.
Discussion Questions
What did the novel teach you about modern trafficking that you did not know before?
Which scenes challenged assumptions or misconceptions?
How can churches, community groups, or individuals respond with awareness and compassion?
General Reflection Questions
(Use after completing the entire book)
Which character’s arc moved you the most?
What did you think about the blending of Scripture with contemporary trauma and survival?
What theme stayed with you long after closing the book?
If you could ask Hillary one question, what would you ask?
What should readers unfamiliar with trafficking understand after reading Rejected?
Leave a comment