Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

35 reviews

mountainmantra's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.25

This book was triggering for me at points as someone with trauma. I ended up enjoying the story, and the ending made me smile. Lots of relatable moments.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Terminal illness

mothmaul's review against another edition

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Rape, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, and Abandonment

Minor: Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

fkshg8465's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Why is this book such a big deal? The characters were too unlikeable to have any sympathy toward them. Only characters I liked were the dogs and the sex therapist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

ml_schoon's review against another edition

dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Abandonment

maryyyyyy's review against another edition

dark funny reflective fast-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

Critics will call this an "irreverent romp" or "scandalously funny." Very unique, I couldn't put it down, but I'm undecided on the ending. LOTS of content warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

jesselandolfi's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

Incredibly unhinged. Probably the most uncomfortable book I’ve ever read and I loved every second. Comforted by Greta’s chaos like some tight socks. 

One of the books where I could clearly understand why someone might dislike it and I would not have a good argument for why I did love it, but I do. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Stalking

kharkeyz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted sad 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

a good one! cant lie, always a bit confused about everything in this book, but it’s definitely funny and worth reading if you’re looking for something a bit more left-field with your comedy haha. definitely enjoyable and strange and funny with a love??? story in the middle!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, and Abandonment

mraddd's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape, Stalking, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

alicialicia's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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

3.5

Weird & darkly humorous. Found myself entranced but also struggled to feel as though some of the emotional dynamics taking place between characters were earned.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Mental illness, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Rape, and Vomit

pdxpagemaster's review against another edition

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

4.25

What a strange little book.

I was absolute enamored until the end, which left a feeling of the author quickly tying up plot questions.

The ending is the only thing that docked this from being a 5 star read for me. I also believe that it would have likely benefited from being written in first person vs. third, but wasn't put off by this decision. Otherwise, the book really had me enamored. I don’t think the characters are meant to be likable, but I found myself liking parts of each of them.

I really appreciated how the story approaches the MC’s memories of how suicide impacts a family and lingering suicidal ideation. Particularly the concept of a haunting “p.s.”

I also appreciated the depiction of middle aged female friendship and the MC’s relation to her dog. Both felt authentic and frantic, which is what I miss from many contemporary fiction books.

Great book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment