Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Big Swiss, by Jen Beagin

4 reviews

bookhead420's review

challenging sad tense 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

lafocareta's review

dark emotional funny medium-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Death, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, and Abandonment

toffishay's review

dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

3.0

I found this book engaging, but in a strange way, it also didn't really jump out to me. A lot of it washed over me. Greta is an interesting, conflicting character and the relationship at the center was so strange, that I had to keep reading. But it was also gone from me once I set the book down. I could see other folks really connecting with this though. I think if you really liked My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, then you would really like this one too. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Blood, Infidelity, Violence, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Stalking

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, Suicide, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Sexism, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Hate crime, Grief, Excrement, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Classism

marywahlmeierbracciano's review

challenging funny medium-paced

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

5.0

Hot damn, I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2023—every page makes me want to bray in delight!  Its self-destructive, middle-aged heroine, Greta, is one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever read.  Greta has trauma, Greta has issues, Greta has a dog named Piñon and a job as a transcriptionist for a sex therapist with questionable credentials.  To me, Greta’s job feels like drinking gossip through a straw like a milkshake, and it’s how she becomes obsessed with Big Swiss, a client whose sessions she transcribes.  To Greta’s surprise, Big Swiss soon becomes obsessed with her, too.  For readers of Melissa Broder and other fans of hilarious, unforgettable queer chaos.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Drug use, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Stalking, Blood, and Mental illness

Minor: Abandonment and Emotional abuse