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Bonus Content

The Pale:
Diary of the dead
Ebook.jpg

*50% of J.McDonald's profits from The Pale: Diary of the dead go to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. To learn more about CAEH or to make a donation of your own, visit caeh.ca.

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If you enjoyed The Pale and want to dive a little deeper into your experience of it, or the references within the story, check out the bonus material below.

The Pale: Diary of the dead
ThePale-BonusContent

Discussion Questions

  1. What gender did you assign to Alex?

    • Why?

    • What does this tell you about yourself?

  2. Do you think assigning Alex a different gender would change the story?

    • How?

  3. List an example of intertextuality from the novel and provide a guess as to why the author may have included this reference.

  4. How would you visualize your version of Alex’s fast travel technique?

    • Why?

  5. What songs would be on your playlist for communicating with Billie?

    • Why?

Easter Eggs & Intertextuality

For those who think they spotted a reference and want to see what other Easter eggs may be hidden throughout the novel, check out this list of conscious additions to the world of The Pale.

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

  • Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

  • The works of Zora Neale Hurston

  • Harry Potter series - J. K. Rowling

  • The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum

  • "The Tell-tale Heart" - Edgar Allan Poe

  • "Amazing Fantasy" #15 - Stan Lee

  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis

  • The works of Jules Verne

  • The works of M. R. James

  • "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads

  • "Girl on Fire" - Alicia Keys

  • "Another One Bites the Dust" - Queen

  • "I am the Walrus" - The Beatles

  • "Pork and Beans" - Weezer

  • "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino

  • "Father and Son" - Yusuf/Cat Stevens

  • "Rappan Rappi Rap" - Benny Dayal

  • "Dream a Little Dream" - Ella Fitzgerald

  • "Alone" - Heart

  • "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" - Barenaked Ladies

  • "Say my Name" - Destiny's Child

  • "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler

  • "Aliens Exist" - Blink-182

  • "Dangerous" - Big Data

  • "The Hampster Dance Song" - Hampton the Hampster

  • "Hold on, I'm Coming" - Sam & Dave

  • "Only in Dreams" - Weezer

  • The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

  • Psycho (1960)

  • Casper (1995)

  • The Aviator (2004)

  • Mary Poppins (1964)

  • Mr. Dressup (1967-1996)

  • The Muppets (1955-Present)

  • Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota (2018)

  • Train to Busan (2016)

  • Alien (1979)

  • Pitch Perfect (2012)

  • The Legend of Zelda - Nintendo

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Critical Commentary

"This is skilled, tantalising world-building that keeps us 'hungry' and engaged."
- M.A Dissertation Marker

"You avoid cliche, and even somewhat subvert the patriarchal nature/norms of the Hero's Journey model."
- M.A Dissertation Marker

"Your novel offers something fresh and original to the genre."
- M.A Dissertation Marker

"You demonstrate a secure command of pace, plot, and structure, and I was compelled to read on and find out what happened next."
- M.A Dissertation Marker

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