Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

115 reviews

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

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

bamlady's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide, and Violence

readingbrb's review against another edition

dark funny tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Stalking, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Blood

wynnsical's review against another edition

dark funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I love a story with unlikeable characters prompting us to question what we believe. The question of what trauma is, how we carry it with us, and if we have the choice to live with it or not was a theme I enjoyed exploring throughout the novel. I also loved the odd details and side characters like Sabine and her eclectic house and Om and his therapy style that Greta hates.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence

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

percybabercy's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

If you liked how weird the movie Saltburn was and how gross it made you feel after watching it -- I'd pick this book up! It's so bizarre and atmospheric. It's also quite gruesome so...warning. The banter between the main character Greta and her housemate Sabine also made me chuckle. The book is just full of crazy turns and is incredibly weird. Read it!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Death of parent

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, and Grief

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

jourdanicus's review against another edition

funny sad 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

3.75

Funny. Beyond me in some ways but then maybe not so much if I don't overthink it. I almost didn't like this one because Greta is written so well as an unlikeable character... But there's still a lot about her with which to sympathize.

In hindsight the characters and writing style remind me of Ottessa Moshfegh's novels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Drug use

Minor: Lesbophobia, Addiction, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

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