Things We Do in the Dark

The murder of Charles Baxter is the only crime that Joey is guilty of committing. Analyze the symbolism of the ice skate throughout the novel.

A theme that runs through the stories of Joey, her mother, and her grandmother is the story of Filipino immigration and the treatment that they receive in Canada. How does Hillier explore Filipino culture and examine the issue of racism in the novel?

Analyze the descriptions of Ruby Reyes, the Ice Queen, in the press. How does Hillier critique representations of Asian women in the media?

The novel investigates Violent Crime as Entertainment. Research a so-called crime of the century and compare the treatment of this crime in the media with Hillier’s exploration of this theme in the novel.

One of the most complicated secondary characters is Elsie Dixon. How does Elsie both adhere to and subvert the conventions of a “whodunit” culprit?

The novel shifts in time chapter to chapter. It also shifts in setting. How does Hillier use setting in the novel?

Jimmy is the novel’s murder victim but plays a small part in the novel itself. How does Hillier construct his character?

The novel explores the resilience of love. Compare and contrast Drew Malcolm and Elsie Dixon as characters whose love is resilient.