Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It has been a while since I’ve enjoyed a fiction book this much, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up.
**Big Swiss** follows Greta, a woman in her mid-40s who, after ending a ten-year relationship, finds herself in the very small, very hipster Hudson, NY. There, she takes a job as a transcriptionist for a local sex therapist. Greta, with her history of trauma and attachment issues, becomes deeply connected and oddly obsessed with one patient in particular, setting the whole book in motion.
I found **Big Swiss** to be that perfect combination of irreverent and hilarious, which I love so much. Greta and Flavia have a deeply troubled, yet intense, relationship that, on the surface, doesn’t make much sense. However, we eventually realize it is likely the product of their respective traumas. It is a story about Sapphic love, craving, obsession, and how trauma can affect every facet of our lives, should we let it. Beagin doesn’t just let her characters be problematic and faultless, though. The idea of not letting our past control our lives and taking accountability for our actions is a major message here.
I loved how Greta says whatever is on her mind at any given moment; she is the definition of no-filter, to a point where I think some readers might find her off-putting and gross. But I love a weird, gross, unlikable main character, and here we get two!
My only qualm with **Big Swiss** is the ending. With a plot like this, the climax is quite predictable. Despite this, the writing was funny and interesting enough that I remained invested in the story. However, the climax came and went, and I found myself most disappointed by the “resolution” phase. The ending felt a bit rushed and incomplete, leaving much to be desired. I’ve noticed this is a common theme in my reviews of similar books; I’ll have to reflect on why that is. There were also a handful of moments where I thought “wait what are we talking about here? how does this apply?”
I really hope to read more from Beagin in the future. Her writing style is genuinely funny; I found myself laughing out loud at several points. The characters were weird and problematic, and the plot was perfectly unique.
**Big Swiss** follows Greta, a woman in her mid-40s who, after ending a ten-year relationship, finds herself in the very small, very hipster Hudson, NY. There, she takes a job as a transcriptionist for a local sex therapist. Greta, with her history of trauma and attachment issues, becomes deeply connected and oddly obsessed with one patient in particular, setting the whole book in motion.
I found **Big Swiss** to be that perfect combination of irreverent and hilarious, which I love so much. Greta and Flavia have a deeply troubled, yet intense, relationship that, on the surface, doesn’t make much sense. However, we eventually realize it is likely the product of their respective traumas. It is a story about Sapphic love, craving, obsession, and how trauma can affect every facet of our lives, should we let it. Beagin doesn’t just let her characters be problematic and faultless, though. The idea of not letting our past control our lives and taking accountability for our actions is a major message here.
I loved how Greta says whatever is on her mind at any given moment; she is the definition of no-filter, to a point where I think some readers might find her off-putting and gross. But I love a weird, gross, unlikable main character, and here we get two!
My only qualm with **Big Swiss** is the ending. With a plot like this, the climax is quite predictable. Despite this, the writing was funny and interesting enough that I remained invested in the story. However, the climax came and went, and I found myself most disappointed by the “resolution” phase. The ending felt a bit rushed and incomplete, leaving much to be desired. I’ve noticed this is a common theme in my reviews of similar books; I’ll have to reflect on why that is. There were also a handful of moments where I thought “wait what are we talking about here? how does this apply?”
I really hope to read more from Beagin in the future. Her writing style is genuinely funny; I found myself laughing out loud at several points. The characters were weird and problematic, and the plot was perfectly unique.