Gone Before Goodbye

Analyze the character of Porkchop. How does he function within the plot and contribute to the themes of the novel? How does Porkchop subvert conventional ideas of a traditional hero?

Analyze how the novel uses the Marc griefbot to manipulate narrative tension and explore the nature of truth. Discuss how the AI’s dual function as both a reliable data source and a perpetuator of deception serves as a microcosm for the novel’s broader themes.

How do the distinct settings of the TriPoint refugee camp, Oleg’s Russian palace, and glamorous Dubai work together to develop the novel’s themes and illustrate the gap between appearances and reality?

How does the novel use the language and practice of surgical alteration as a metaphor for identity?

Discuss how Maggie and Nadia function as foils. How do they and their dynamic challenge traditional notions of female relationships and rivalry?

Analyze the novel’s critique of humanitarianism by examining how characters who are driven by their need for high-stakes danger subvert the trope of the selfless aid worker.

Discuss the final conversation between Maggie and Porkchop in the epilogue of the novel. How does it contribute to the narrative’s exploration of the cyclical nature of violence and vengeance?

Analyze the novel’s portrayal of “concierge medicine.” What conclusions does it come to about the ethics of this phenomenon, and how do they build the exploration of the powers and dangers of extreme wealth?