Both from Seattle, John William Barry inherited wealth and pedigree while Neil Countryman came from blue-collar Irish stock. At the age of 16 they met and began a friendship based on their love of the outdoors. John William was intellectual and talked incessantly on Gnosticism. His mother had mental health problems and his father was a busy executive who spent little time with his family. Neil longed to be a writer, taking notes about observations he made in life. His mother died with he was 12 and he lived with his father. Neil went to college after a summer of hiking through Europe. When a writing career did not blossom he did further study and became a high school English teacher. He married and had two sons. John William rebelled against the establishment, and unlike other young people in his life situation, he didn’t get over it. After dropping out of college he also dropped out of society to live in the wilderness, carving a cave home with a pick-ax. Neil was his only friend and confident and swore a blood oath not to tell his family or anyone the whereabouts of John William.
Neil remained his friend, visiting him when possible, taking supplies and conversation. When tragedy strikes Neil is devastated by guilt. Through interviews with John William’s family Neil begins to piece together a web of family dysfunction and deceit, culminating in a life-altering revelation.
Guterson’s style delves into the nooks and crannies of characters’ lives and psyches. Through lengthy dialog between characters and ruminations on vignettes in individual lives, he causes the reader to look into the reasoning behind what seem to be irrational acts.