By Jen Beagin
SPOILER-FREE
Greta lives with her friend Sabine in an ancient Dutch farmhouse in Hudson, New York. The house, built in 1737, is unrenovated, uninsulated, and full of bees. Greta spends her days transcribing therapy sessions for a sex coach who calls himself Om. She becomes infatuated with his newest client, a repressed married woman she affectionately refers to as Big Swiss, since she’s tall, stoic, and originally from Switzerland. Greta is fascinated by Big Swiss’s refreshing attitude toward trauma. They both have dark histories, but Big Swiss chooses to remain unattached to her suffering while Greta continues to be tortured by her past.
One day, Greta recognizes Big Swiss’s voice at the dog park. In a panic, she introduces herself with a fake name and they quickly become enmeshed. Although Big Swiss is unaware of Greta’s true identity, Greta has never been more herself with anyone. Her attraction to Big Swiss overrides her guilt, and she’ll do anything to sustain the relationship…
REVIEW
THEMES: DRY, HUMOROUS, LGBTQIA+, DARK, MEDIUM-PACED.
I would love to know what sparked this idea in Beagin; there is an air of originality to it.
Something I discovered whilst reading, is that something is only as embarrassing as you make it. Greta displays some rather absurd behaviours but has a care-free outlook which almost nullifies it.
Beagin’s writing is well-structured and left an impression of maturity. The unconventional way Greta sees the world and the observations she makes feels unique to Beagin. Being able to sense the writer voice through their work, which is always a plus for me.
The plot is interesting. It is a snapshot into a slightly eccentric person’s life. There is not beginning or end per say.
The relationships were endearing in a peculiar yet distant way – this will make more sense if you have read it/ once you read it.
I would definitely recommend you add this to your list, Big Swiss has its own distinctive quality, setting it apart from others.
Click link below for Storygraph overview, which includes general rating, summary (same as above) and other reviews.
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