Questions for Discussion
1. How would you describe Divine at the beginning of the book? What details most clearly reveal her character?
2. Divine and Jerome have a complex relationship. Describe the different feelings Divine has toward her father at different points in the story.
3. After she has been in Temple for a while, even Divine notices that she is changing. "I'm not the same girl that left Pacific Palisades back in March. Thankfully, I'm still cute. Some things just never change." In what ways has Divine's personality altered and in what ways is she exactly the same?
4. Why do you think Divine is initially reluctant to sing in front of the church? Why does singing ultimately become so important to her?
5. Compare Reed and Phoebe's parenting style to Kara and Jerome's. What differences do you observe? Do you see any similarities?
6. After she is sentenced to eight months in rehab, Kara tells Divine, "I committed a crime...and I have to pay for it." While Kara seems to understand that her actions have consequences, learning this lesson is difficult for Divine. Describe a few of the episodes in which Divine struggles with taking responsibility for what she does. Does she ever learn this lesson?
7. What factors led to Divine joining the church? How does this decision affect her and those around her? Were you surprised by her choice?
8. Describe Divine and Alyssa's relationship. How does it change as the story progresses? In what ways do the two girls affect each other?
9. Describe Divine at the end of the book. What details reveal the kind of person she is now? What has she learned?
10. By the end of the novel, the character that caused the most damage -- Jerome -- is shown in a more sympathetic light. Why is it so important that Divine forgive him?
11. What does the future hold for Divine? Do you think she will pursue her dream of becoming a model? Will she go to college? What about her relationship with Madison?

Activities to Enhance Your Book Club
1. Bake homemade southern biscuits to serve during the discussion. For recipes, try www.recipes.com.
2. Music plays an important role in Simply Divine. For your next meeting, make a CD of songs Divine would like or gospel music that reminds you of the book.
3. Temple, Georgia is a real city. First, find it on a map. Then do an internet search for Temple and see what you can discover about the setting for Simply Divine. Based on Divine's reaction, is Temple how you imagined it?