Book Club Discussion Questions for So Far Gone by Jess Walter

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Washington State Authors and our BookBrowse Review of So Far Gone.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The title phrase "so far gone" might apply to many of the book's characters who get caught up in extreme ideologies or behaviors. What do you think the novel is saying about extremism, especially radical conservatism and conspiracy theories, and do you agree with it? Do you believe it is possible for people to overcome extremist thinking?
2. Can you relate to Rhys Kinnick's decision to live off-grid in a remote cabin? What benefits do you see to being offline and out of communication? On the other hand, how else might he have responded to his family disagreements and his frustrations with modern culture?
3. During his seven years of solitude, Rhys read hundreds of books and contemplated philosophical ideas for his planned book The Atlas of Wisdom. If you were in a similar situation for that amount of time, what project might you have undertaken?
4. What did you think of how humor and coincidences are used in the novel? Did you find it funny overall, and if so, how did that affect your reaction to some of the darker subject matter?
5. What do you think attracted Bethany to Shane in the first place, and why does she tolerate his involvement with the Church of the Blessed Fire?
6. Rhys may not be the best husband and father, but some of his ideas about marriage and parenting are presented as insightful. For instance, he thinks to himself, "Isn't infidelity more a symptom of a failing marriage than the cause?" And he realizes afresh "the hardest part of parenting: the realization that you can't keep your family safe." What do you think about these statements and Rhys's ideas about relationships? Did you find yourself agreeing with him or disagreeing with him more?
7. What does the scene from Bethany's high school years reveal about her relationship with Rhys? To what extent has she repeated patterns of behavior she learned from her father?
8. Both Rhys and Lucy have a child who has been addicted to drugs. What connection does this create between them?
9. Did you appreciate the structure of this novel—the different chapters that each focused on a different character—or would you have preferred a more conventional structure? Did you find that the shifts in perspective affected your understanding of the characters, and were there any characters that you were surprised to find yourself relating to?
10. Did you find the plot believable? If there were scenes or elements that felt less than realistic, did that bother you, and if so, how would you have changed them?
11. Are you familiar with the landscapes of Washington State and/or Idaho? How does this setting influence the plot?




Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Harper. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.