A review by megansmith
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

For someone that A) dislikes reading books about characters you're supposed to dislike or even hate,  B) hates reading about infidelity, and C) didn't think I'd get over this cover, I'm so genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. I read it really quickly in the span of a week and I was truly surprised when I got halfway through the book, wondering what was left in such a large chunk of pages! 

The story is just really enticing to follow - for a book that covers a lot of trauma, it's not a trauma dump, but you still get to explore the themes through an engaging story. I thought the premise and execution were both done really well and this felt like a fresh read for what I've typically read. The description was ripe with detail and I found myself just really drawn into the world Beagin had created. 

I'd only have one complaint, which might be that

Flavia could get especially on my nerves at the end, and I don't feel like we had a really solid exposure of her true feelings anytime throughout the novel, which felt like a bit of a miss to me. But also, maybe that's the point, that some relationships never truly open up and that's why they end?

Overall, I highly recommend this read!