Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

29 reviews

simrun__'s review against another edition

adventurous funny sad fast-paced

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

3.75

Lot of storylines weren't resolved, no real closure. A very simple ending for a book that delved into a lot of tough topics in the middle and nearing the end of the book.

That being said, it was a fun, fast read, I found the characters loveable and the setting enticing.

Edited rating from 3.25 to 3.75. Actually, this was a gripping, funny, chaotic, lesbian tale and I enjoyed it a lot, I just wouldn’t put a lot of weight and expectations for the treatment and resolution of the serious and heavy topics in here. It’s just a book about two fucked up lesbians!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Grief, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Self harm

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Stalking

maidinnah's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective tense 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

4.0

A lustful, balls-to-the-wall, cheeky romp that explores the synergy between trauma and toxic relationships. It’s not a book for everyone; the main character is pathetic, inappropriate, but also hilarious. Some of the passages can be problematic (maybe for the sake of satire but it’s hard to say), while the plot is almost unbelievably absurd. Like the relationship at the center of this novel, I too have a love-hate regard for this novel and so I settled on 4/5 stars because I went along for this off-rails ride anyway. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse and Stalking

Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, Blood, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

dexkit10's review against another edition

dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Addiction, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Violence

just_one_more_paige's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

 

I can't say I would have read this if it wasn't offered as an ALC from Libro.fm. Honestly, this is one of the most visually off-putting covers I have ever seen (personally...I know it's all a matter of opinion). And it does really match the off-putting-ness of the topics, so there's that. But as I was carrying my physical copy out of the library (you know I like having both), I got three separate comments from people either wanting to read it or having really enjoyed her prior books or being struck by the cover. So maybe this book is a bigger deal than I thought! Haha. 

 

Greta has just moved in with her friend, Sabine, who owns a decrepit old farmhouse in rural New York. There's no heat, and there's a beehive in the house with them, but Greta is having enough of a struggle with her life that really, she's making it work. Her days are spent transcribing the sessions of a local sex therapist and with her dog. She's mostly just coasting, until she first hears the voice of a new patient she nicknames Big Swiss, and her obsession with this stoic and sexually repressed married woman begins to form. Both Big Swiss and Greta have some truly dark and traumatic events in their pasts, but while Big Swiss holds everything at arms length to cope, Greta sort of enjoys dwelling and holding on to her own. When they meet in real life (and Greta lies about her identity), they quickly become deeply intertwined, emotionally and physically. But the unreality of the situation has to break, at some point, and with a complicated situation like this one, it's unlikely to go easily. 

 

What a weird freaking story. Like, not weird in the fantasy/sci-fi tentacles and what-happens-in-the-dark sort of way, but weird in the profoundly uncomfortable and ridiculous sort of way. One of the first little notes I made was actually "what a strange book." There is some really unique and insightful human observational content mixed with myriad uncomfortable topics within a deeply discomfiting framework. The dark quotidian humor, delivered with incredibly precise language, feels like it can only have come from someone who has direct knowledge of this specific lifestyle. So, whether Hudson, NY or old farmhouses or "retired to the country to pursue off the wall hobbies" is something Beagin has been around a lot or not, the writing makes it seem that she has, and that's impressive. It felt super tangible and with a well-appointed eye for the absurd. 

 

The whole “I know all your secrets and hidden truths, but you don’t know me at all nor know that I know” that Greta has going on was itchy-in-my-skin levels of uncomfortable for me. Side note here: I did love the nicknames Greta gave people she doesn’t know personally to delineate them. Anyways, I was essentially dread-anticipating what would happen when she’s found out until it happened, so that honestly it did feel a bit anticlimactic at that point (but I know for sure that's a "me" issue). While I found Greta’s voyeurism of Big Swiss’ therapy sessions so fascinating conceptually - to be able to hear someone’s unfettered thoughts about you, confession style, but also without shame because of the confidentiality of the setting...it mesmerized me - I was also terrified by the thought of being on either end of that in real life. The way it’s written, with Greta’s own interjections, made for a really nice structure and reading experience that toned down the discomfort marginally. And it added in some of the dark humor that every other review I've seen has centrally mentioned. The entirety of the affair between Greta and Big Swiss (their interactions both in solitude and in public), as well as Greta's living situation, had the exact same mix of discomfort and dark humor. Overall, Beagin nailed the literary vibes she was going for. They were consistent and strong and (imo) took what My Year of Rest and Relaxation did to a whole new level. 

 

Quick content warning for violence/physical assault, suicide and suicidal indeation and attempts, and animal injury. 

 

The story itself wrapped up about as well as it could have, considering the relational and personal issues central to the plot and the characterizations. I honestly don’t mind an open ended finish, since that’s pretty realistic here, but just, I’m not sure how I feel about this closing, when all is said and done. And in general, although I think I have used all these words enough times already that my opinion about this book has been quite established, this was a ridiculous, uncomfortable, anxiety-ridden reading experience, with really meticulous, high quality writing. It absolutely will not be for everyone, may not actually have been for me, but I really respect what Beagin created here.   

 

“Because, well, the pain is rarely in the actual words, which nine times out of ten are imprecise, or the wrong words altogether. People are almost never articulate about their pain, as I'm sure you've noticed. Their pain can only really be felt in the pauses…” 

 

“…but maybe one was never too old for a little behavioral modification.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, Sexual content, Mental illness, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Lesbophobia, Sexism, Addiction, and Biphobia

readersreadingnook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug use, Cursing, Body shaming, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual content, Self harm, Alcoholism, and Mental illness

Minor: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape

jaiari12's review against another edition

dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Cursing, Addiction, Biphobia, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Homophobia

Minor: Excrement

hschlecht's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Cursing, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia

craignb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Addiction, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

In an old Dutch farmhouse full of bees and lead paint, Greta transcribes sessions between a sex coach and his patients. Greta becomes fascinated with one of the patients, whom she refers to as Big Swiss. When Greta and Big Swiss meet at the dog park, their lives become irreversibly entangled.

Big Swiss is the sort of strange and beautiful novel that you have to read to believe. It's utterly shocking, absolutely hysterical, and beautifully cynical. Honestly, it was unlike anything else I've ever read.

I laughed out loud on every other page, rolled my eyes at the pervasive hipster things Big Swiss pokes fun at, and thoroughly enjoyed the quirky atmosphere.

However funny and entertaining, though, know that Big Swiss is also an intimate and often disturbing portrait of mental illness, infidelity, and trauma. It's a close encounter with human damage and nothing is off limits. The characters' flaws are glaring and their desperate attempts to cope feel all too real.

Raging feminism, bunk psychology, and bisexuality all mix with ennui, infatuation, and humor in Jen Beagin's newest novel, Big Swiss. It's a book you won't want to leave and one your mind will probably still be puzzling over long after you've finished reading it.

And just in case you haven't already heard, Big Swiss is already in development to become a show on HBO (and the book isn't even out yet)! You know the rule - the book is always better, so read it first! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Cursing, and Stalking

Minor: Self harm, Blood, and Cancer