So Far Gone by Jess Walter

I loved the beginning of this book. It’s funny and interesting, and the protagonist, Rhys, feels very relatable. I too dislike my phone, get irritated by the state of the world, and sometimes wish I could just escape it all and live in a cabin in the woods with a bunch of good books. And I don’t think I’m the only one; Rhys is the embodiment of many of our common frustrations.

As the story goes on, it becomes heavier. Most of us (thankfully) don’t experience things quite as extreme as Rhys does, but his predicament feels relatable, and as things worsen, that similarity transitions from funny to a bit alarming. There is still plenty of humor throughout, but it certainly isn’t the light, let’s-poke-fun-at-our-crazy-world story I thought I was going to get at first.

I appreciated Rhys’s realization that escaping the many annoyances of modern life isn’t worth losing relationships with people he loves. I think most of us benefit from being reminded of that from time to time.

Having said that, I was a bit disappointed by the way he seems to jump back into the modern world, particularly as illustrated by his acquiring a new smartphone and returning to news and social media without much thought. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what I dislike about that. Mostly I think it smells like a false dichotomy, that we can either be recluses or accept being bombarded by negative (and positive) information. I’m convinced there’s a middle ground, where we can remain involved with the people we love while also rejecting the bits of technology that make our lives worse.

So Far Gone was definitely a page turner. Between the short length and the fast pace, I finished it in just a few days. I don’t know that I’d call it a fun story, but it’s interesting and has some welcome comic relief mixed in. The fact that it feels so relatable makes it a good one to think/talk about.