Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

32 reviews

queenbookbuff's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.0

I read this book for my bookclub. I finished it because I am bothered when people show up to bookclubs unprepared. If not for that, I would have never finished this book. I am appalled by the behavior of the main character, and the woman she was obsessed with. I feel like the author was deliberately being provocative, and it felt overdone and trite. If you have trauma with suicide, assault, depression, sex, drugs, and stalking don't read this book.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Medical trauma

kerriski's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Blood, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Animal death

jfin54's review against another edition

dark slow-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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Violence, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Infidelity, Death of parent, Blood, and Suicide

oliviakoeppen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

3.0

The author’s descriptions of feelings & events simultaneously enamored me and disgusted me. This book made me feel a lot, but mostly feelings of discomfort and embarrassment. I am glad I read it but would be contentious in who I recommend this book to. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Drug use, Addiction, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Mental illness

catch__up's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Addiction

Minor: Kidnapping, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

cigarete_smoke's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Self harm, and Drug abuse

Minor: Eating disorder, Vomit, and Adult/minor relationship

katierosecrane's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is weird as hell. But I loved it. The plot is set up to go in a million different directions and I had to read each word to understand what the hell Greta was saying. 

There were parts where I was confused about where it was going. Those were the parts that were harder to get through. But this book is made for all weirdos out there. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Sexual content

christina85's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Infidelity, Torture, and Drug use

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Cursing, Drug use, Death, Grief, and Self harm

plumdustsuns's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

0.25

😭😭 the plot was so all over the place and everything was so racist. I need to stop listening to online book recommendations/buying them because the book has queer content. 
There was no linear string of concentration. Went from flavia’s trauma to random affair to Greta’s random descent into jealousy without showing that she had a tendency to be as much and that her mom was the same way. The blasé way of ‘I didn’t care that my mother offed herself’ in the last therapy session versus her using and being bogged down and sad by this trauma was not only conflicting but distasteful. Also Om randomly caring about her when she’s just his transcriptionist and his care/their friendship not even being handled before?? It’s not plausible/would have made for a better plot line and betrayal and made sense when he offered her sessions if they were friends or friendly. He said ‘Lmao’ when she said her house was cold and rain was coming in. And he suddenly cares? 
And Keith was made out to be such a big deal and the stalker narrative and it barely did anything/added anything into the story? It wasn’t even resolved in the end properly?
Greta saying she had been SA’ed but it never coming up for her own intimacy issues? And it was just an offhand mention?? 
Also racist humour and just… so much wrong with this book, man. And how Flavia reacts to/keeps coming back to Greta doesn’t quite make sense. Also Greta gaslighting Flavia that adultery was worse than what she did? No??? 
Absolute fucking disappointment. Just a lazy and unfocused book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Stalking, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Self harm, Drug use, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Racism, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Physical abuse

mheneghan's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Self harm