So Far Gone

by Jess Walter

35/60 | Started 08.03.26 • Finished 08.11.26

I started reading this impulsively, based on the August choice for the online book club Kate Bowler is running on her substack. I really had no idea what to expect. I just had a gap in books and thought, "well, why not this?"

What I discovered was a novel that spoke to loneliness, isolation, and familial relationships.

We live only as long as someone remembers us. Only as long as someone cares.

The book opens on the main character, Rhys Kinnick, a self-made recluse in the Pacific Northwest, discovering his grandchildren on his doorstep. The ensuing story involves a broken bone, a cult, a kidnapping, guns, a dramatic death, and more. And I don't think I'm giving too much away. The real question is, will Rhys realize what he's been missing while holed up in his off-grid concrete block homestead? And is he willing to fix it?

I found this to be engaging and fast-paced, while having interesting and insightful characters. I'd recommend it as an easy read that isn't shallow. 4 stars.