Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

87 reviews

liss_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.75

Both not what I expected and exceeding expectation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Stalking

Minor: Animal cruelty

josie2k's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, and Stalking

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

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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. 

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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

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

jam_03's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

The themes of this book are so fun to read and very unique. I did enjoy reading the transcripts that Greta was writing. 

I didn't feel very connected to any of the characters, except Piñon, which made it harder for me to want to keep reading. Maybe it just went over my head but I think it's overhyped. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Animal cruelty

Minor: Addiction

brewingdaisies's review against another edition

challenging emotional lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

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

4.75

—a good read for psychology students/enthusiasts. I enjoyed reading the transcripts, being in people's minds (especially greta's) and seeing how fucking unhinged everybody is. LMAO. not your average small town story, that's for 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Grief

aestinson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent and Animal cruelty

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

lilgriff's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Stalking, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Blood, Violence, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, and Rape

Minor: Vomit, Pregnancy, Cancer, Gore, Misogyny, and Miscarriage

katerina_l's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Excrement, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Infidelity, Misogyny, Drug use, Body shaming, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Grief, Gore, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Stalking, Medical content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Sexual harassment