Reviews with content warning for Rape - Big Swiss

i was hesitant about this book because it had blown up on tiktok, so i wasn't sure just how good it actually was. good god, this book is crazy and stressful and hilarious and ridiculous. i LOVED it. very similar energy to motherthing in the sense that this book covers some really heavy topics in a very laissez faire kind of way. i loved the way this book was written because you really felt like you were in the mind of Greta and her thought processes. not to mention, i got so freakin' stressed out when everything started to totally unfold and i just could not put this book down. i will be thinking about this one for a long time!!! i also really appreciated the perspective of an older woman because my books tend to skew younger main characters. im not a big rereader by any means, but i definitely anticipate myself reading this again.

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indiahaze's review against another edition

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dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Pleasantly queer, unapologetically weird, and deeply human.

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julessssss's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

this is largely a small glimpse into the life of a mentally-ill woman, during which she falls in love. the absurdity of it all was my favorite part.

I enjoyed a lot of things about this book, and at times it was quite difficult to put down. On the other hand though, there was a good amount of things that did not hit too hard, like a lot of the comedy wasn't necessarily funny to me.

overall, I would not recommend this generally, but it is an interesting read.

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hannahgarstang's review against another edition

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I was super busy whilst reading this, but binged it any free moment I had. I wasn't sure if I liked it earlier on, but as soon as we met Big Swiss I became obsessed, which is ironic.

The drama and characters are messy as they make lots of bad decisions. These personal flaws matched with an unfiltered sense of humor make them ultimately likeable and relatable.

How people relate to traumatic experiences is explored very thoroughly. It asks questions like how does trauma impact our sense of identity? Should we focus on the future and cleave it away from our personhood, but then potentially dismiss any influence it has had on us leading to unresolved emotional processing and maladpative behaviour? Alternatively do we overly identify with it and use it as an excuse to shirk accountabilty for maladpative coping mechanisms and bad behaviour, using it ultimately as a crutch to become a passive or destructive actor in our own lives?

Or should we all maybe go to therapy and process being alive, accepting that accepting ourselves is a lifelong practice?
After thinking about this all so much it made me reflect on my own relationship with trauma.

Their is also a frankness and sometimes even humor in the way they speak about trauma which felt true to life. Humor is a pretty common way of dealing with the hardest stuff in life.

The rich inner lives of animals in this book is also whimsical and wonderful. Adoration or horror of the local insect and bird population along with miniature donkey anticipation parallel the mental states of our protagonist in a really satisfying way. The house Greta and Sabine live in is also a character in itself.

Finally, I really appreciated the perspective Big Swiss is written from. Adult woman doing gay shit in the woods and bar bathrooms is hard to come by, you know. So with that said, what are you waiting for? Don't Regretta not getting around to this bad Boi!

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sjxa's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring tense fast-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

4.75

Big Swiss is a riot.

It handles its difficult themes, well, I wouldn’t say ‘delicately’ so much as thoroughly. It spanks them and sends them home to their mamas. Which I appreciate.

People keep saying that this book is gross, often in good reviews, and I guess it is, but I think really it’s SEXY. It’s ‘gross’ parts are bodily, obsessive, and cosmically kinky.

Greta is completely lovable in her obvious flaws and bad behaviour, and I quickly bacame just as obsessed with Big Swiss as she is. So much so that I was pining for more of her tall blonde coldness in the last act, and as the book ended I didn’t know if I found the ending itself dissapointing for a lack of her, or wether I was just dissapointed that the book was over.

I did actually take a quater of a point off for this. I’m sure something else could’ve been done with that very last leg, but not all books can be perfect.

It’s a completley addicting read with vibrant characters that makes you believe in a more interesting world.

PS: I accidentally fancast La Grande Dame from RPDR France and then UK vs The World as Big Swiss, Kimiko Glenn (who I aged 10 years with the power of my mind) as Greta, and Harriet Walter (-10 years) as Sabine (who I LOVED and kind of want to be when i grow up). These castings would be impossible for obvious reasons but are somehow the only right answer.

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