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rosrey's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin follows Greta, a former pharmacy tech turned transcriber. She works for a sex therapist, transcribing his sessions with his patients for a book he is writing. Through her transcribing, she falls in love with a woman she dubs "Big Swiss." When they meet in real life, Greta can't help but befriend Big Swiss, but the looming fact that she knows too much about Big Swiss' personal life hangs in the air, threatening to ruin their relationship.
Although I couldn't help but be hooked by the book, listening to it as I drove to work, I couldn't overlook Greta's racist comments. Throughout the book, she references the fact that she is a problematic character and knows it, but most of her problematic actions have consequences. On the other hand, her weird and racist comments towards Asian people go unchecked and leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Greta's character reminded me a lot of the protagonist in My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. This whole trope of a white woman who has some edgy, problematic opinions and could care less about anything going on around her is starting to get tired. Maybe it's because I read them close in time, but I didn't enjoy Big Swiss as much as I did My Year of Rest and Relaxation. For that reason, I give this book 3 stars.
Although I couldn't help but be hooked by the book, listening to it as I drove to work, I couldn't overlook Greta's racist comments. Throughout the book, she references the fact that she is a problematic character and knows it, but most of her problematic actions have consequences. On the other hand, her weird and racist comments towards Asian people go unchecked and leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Greta's character reminded me a lot of the protagonist in My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. This whole trope of a white woman who has some edgy, problematic opinions and could care less about anything going on around her is starting to get tired. Maybe it's because I read them close in time, but I didn't enjoy Big Swiss as much as I did My Year of Rest and Relaxation. For that reason, I give this book 3 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Suicide
clarencemd12's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Drug use
jackbifrost's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Misogyny, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use
loquaciousleon's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Personally did not find this book to be funny. Yes, there were maybe two times I genuinely laughed, but I found it to be much more raw.
This book is a slow plunge into a clear lake that appears refreshingly cold, before you dive in and your breath hitches at the discomfort.
To be succinct: this book takes the course between precontemplation and preparation. The way Jen Beagin curated these characters with such genuine humanity that I forgot I was reading fiction, and honestly divulges into those difficult stages, is art.
I personally found my perspective focusing on the truth of how trauma and unhealthy behaviors snow-ball.
I think it made me uncomfortable because, from an objective/reader's point of view, I was experiencing second-hand ""embarassment"" for lack of better words.
The awareness of how such trauma operates on internal and external levels, from a healed place, was uncomfortable in the way working out or stretching is.
Utterly: this book was human and I found it to be more compelling to think than to laugh.
This book is a slow plunge into a clear lake that appears refreshingly cold, before you dive in and your breath hitches at the discomfort.
To be succinct: this book takes the course between precontemplation and preparation. The way Jen Beagin curated these characters with such genuine humanity that I forgot I was reading fiction, and honestly divulges into those difficult stages, is art.
I personally found my perspective focusing on the truth of how trauma and unhealthy behaviors snow-ball.
I think it made me uncomfortable because, from an objective/reader's point of view, I was experiencing second-hand ""embarassment"" for lack of better words.
The awareness of how such trauma operates on internal and external levels, from a healed place, was uncomfortable in the way working out or stretching is.
Utterly: this book was human and I found it to be more compelling to think than to laugh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Rape, and Addiction
kelsea's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness and Addiction
amessina3399's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is pure weird, poetic beauty. The narrator's voice is perfection, and the underlying darkness of the main character is so beautifully present throughout. Definitely one of my new favs!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual content, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Violence
glitterdeww's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Just about everything in this book is an A+, and I need to give it all that credit up front. The plot setup of Big Swiss is brilliant. An emotionally immature woman in her 40s has on a whim, uprooted her life, moved in to a friend's 300 year old dilapidated farm house in a small New York town, started a job as a transcriptionist to a sex therapist, and became infatuated with a client that she hears through the recordings. I see why this is supposed to be an HBO series (if they just get a move on, already). You look at that cover, and you know this is going to be an unhinged, horny, and hilarious novel, and it sure holds up on each of those aspects.
Pairing with the "bigness" of the title, there is certainly a BIG messy energy all throughout this book. Each one of these characters put out an intense but yet imaginable chaos. I feel like I have seen versions of these people in the wild. They are exceptionally written.
Speaking of messy, Big Swiss is also a great depiction of unreliable narrators. Jen Beagin uses transcripts from those aforementioned therapy sessions AND the POV's unhinged internal monologue to show how memories and storytelling aren't dependable from person to person.
Now all that said, are there things in this book that simply aren't for me? Yes, 100%, and that will bring down my rating a smidge. Because reviewing IS a subjective activity, no matter how you come at it. The POV character of Greta... I wanted to. Throw. Her. Off. A. Bridge. 🤣. Goddamnit lol I ended up pushing through some parts quickly because I just couldn't personally stand her actions anymore. I could never be her friend, Sabine is a saint, and Big Swiss needs even more therapy. So again, the characters in this book DO get 5 stars, because she's supposed to be the pitiful, gross, traumatized, selfish mess that she is. I believe that is entirely on purpose, so well done... But I still didn't *enjoy* wanting to smack her so much.
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Craft: 4.5
Engagement: 4
SPARK: 3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Suicide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Gore, and Stalking
cspa's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I had heard great things about this book and have recently been drawn to complex female characters, particularly of the unhinged variety. I thought it would be a perfect match, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The passion seemed lacking, and the character dynamics felt flat. Despite the characters expressing desire, as a reader, I struggled to sense it. The cozy moments felt more awkward than a cat trying to swim, and the intimate scenes were anything but, which made it challenging to believe the characters genuinely cared for each other even a little bit. The narrative leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, leaving interactions unexplored and reactions unexpressed. Though I would actively avoid these characters in real life - finding them quite irritating - I’ve managed to love books with unlikeable characters in the past, this one, however, will not be added to that list.
When I initially grabbed this book, the summary on the back cover intrigued me: a sex therapist's transcriptionist crosses ethical boundaries by engaging in an affair with a client... talk about drama! While there were some amusing moments, they weren't sufficient for me to classify it as a humorous read. I was looking forward to seeing therapeutic interactions that could offer a deeper understanding of the characters' challenges. However, it did not meet my expectations in that regard either...
When I initially grabbed this book, the summary on the back cover intrigued me: a sex therapist's transcriptionist crosses ethical boundaries by engaging in an affair with a client... talk about drama! While there were some amusing moments, they weren't sufficient for me to classify it as a humorous read. I was looking forward to seeing therapeutic interactions that could offer a deeper understanding of the characters' challenges. However, it did not meet my expectations in that regard either...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Torture
Moderate: Fatphobia, Gun violence, and Animal cruelty
readingbrb's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Stalking, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Blood
jourdanicus's review
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Funny. Beyond me in some ways but then maybe not so much if I don't overthink it. I almost didn't like this one because Greta is written so well as an unlikeable character... But there's still a lot about her with which to sympathize.
In hindsight the characters and writing style remind me of Ottessa Moshfegh's novels.
In hindsight the characters and writing style remind me of Ottessa Moshfegh's novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Drug use
Minor: Lesbophobia, Addiction, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy