Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

298 reviews

nataliegray's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Stalking, and Death of parent

johanna_thehissilent's review against another edition

dark funny 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

I really enjoyed this even though there isn’t much of a plot… until the ending…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent

sammyb's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, Blood, Stalking, and Death of parent

realmagicfakereality's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

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

clarencemd12's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, and Death of parent

jackbifrost's review

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: Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

hank_numinen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

yayathegreat38's review against another edition

dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent

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: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail