Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

378 reviews

glitterdeww's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense 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

4.25

Just about everything in this book is an A+, and I need to give it all that credit up front. The plot setup of Big Swiss is brilliant. An emotionally immature woman in her 40s has on a whim, uprooted her life, moved in to a friend's 300 year old dilapidated farm house in a small New York town, started a job as a transcriptionist to a sex therapist, and became infatuated with a client that she hears through the recordings. I see why this is supposed to be an HBO series (if they just get a move on, already). You look at that cover, and you know this is going to be an unhinged, horny, and hilarious novel, and it sure holds up on each of those aspects. 

Pairing with the "bigness" of the title, there is certainly a BIG messy energy all throughout this book. Each one of these characters put out an intense but yet imaginable chaos. I feel like I have seen versions of these people in the wild. They are exceptionally written. 

Speaking of messy, Big Swiss is also a great depiction of unreliable narrators. Jen Beagin uses transcripts from those aforementioned therapy sessions AND the POV's unhinged internal monologue to show how memories and storytelling aren't dependable from person to person.

Now all that said, are there things in this book that simply aren't for me? Yes, 100%, and that will bring down my rating a smidge. Because reviewing IS a subjective activity, no matter how you come at it. The POV character of Greta... I wanted to. Throw. Her. Off. A. Bridge. 🤣. Goddamnit lol I ended up pushing through some parts quickly because I just couldn't personally stand her actions anymore. I could never be her friend, Sabine is a saint, and Big Swiss needs even more therapy. So again, the characters in this book DO get 5 stars, because she's supposed to be the pitiful, gross, traumatized, selfish mess that she is. I believe that is entirely on purpose, so well done... But I still didn't *enjoy* wanting to smack her so much. 

Plot: 5

Characters: 5

Craft: 4.5

Engagement: 4

SPARK: 3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Gore, and Stalking

maryoliverenjoyer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

if you’re looking for messedddd up lesbians, BOY do I have a book for you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Stalking, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

ssamdaly's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

miafromorchardstreet's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Rape

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

thegillbird's review against another edition

funny medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt

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

erinmg's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

3.5

I wasn’t really sure what to expect coming into this novel, but to be honest I was a bit underwhelmed. The characters were definitely interesting and the plot was witty, but I thought it was going to be a lot more wild than it turned out to be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Infidelity, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Death of parent, Stalking, Sexual content, and Miscarriage

Minor: Cancer and Drug use

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

poppyjarratt's review against another edition

challenging funny mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

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