In Beatrice Prior's Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to a virtue: selflessness, peace, honesty, bravery and knowledge. Every year, sixteen-year-olds must select the faction that they value most, and to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is – she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.