Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

215 reviews

readingbits's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

johanna_thehissilent's review against another edition

dark funny 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

3.5

I really enjoyed this even though there isn’t much of a plot… until the ending…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Suicide, Death of parent, and Animal cruelty

sammyb's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Blood, Addiction, Sexual content, Stalking, and Death of parent

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. 

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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

lgiery's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective 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

4.0

I'm borrowing this from a reviewer: Made me laugh and think abour sex and death and honesty

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Suicide

rahthesungod's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual content

aheinicke27's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad slow-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 was a really interesting book. Initially, the hilarious commentary of Greta the main character, drew me in. As the plot unfolded into a somewhat chaotic and disastrous love affair however, I found myself unable to look away. Greta seems to be a fairly unreliable narrator, and as the book progresses, it’s difficult to tell what is real, what is her perception, and whether those two truths overlap if at all. I also felt like the ending of this book was fairly interesting too. It felt like a lot was building only to end on a fairly anticlimactic note. When the book ended, I didn’t believe it at first because it didn’t feel “done” necessarily. I’m still undecided if that is a good thing or a bad thing. This book definitely has a little more of a literary feel to it, which is a lot different from what I’ve been reading lately. Overall I enjoyed it, but I also wouldn’t say it kept me totally enthralled. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

lo_ferrara's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.5

So dark, weird, strange, enjoyable!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, and Blood

Moderate: Suicide, Rape, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

elinorrae's review against another edition

4.5

Loved this book!!!!!! I LOVE DAMAGED WOMEN DOING UNETHICAL THINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give me moreeeeeee
Is the 4.5 a bit pedantic ye maybe but I wasn’t sure about the 2nd last chapter (written as a transcript) which seemed to just kind of base cover her traumas ? I do get the purpose but I felt it was a little lacking 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Grief, Violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

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!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual content, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Violence