Kelsey Rodgers is a student on the Palatka campus and a regular attendee of the Book Club. She writes poetry and has an interest in novel- and screen-writing. This is Kelsey's first post as a guest blogger on the Book Blog.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin is about a 45-year-old woman named Greta who is a transcriptionist for a sex therapist. She begins to form a obession with one of the clients, who she calls Big Swiss. The two of them then have an affair after their unplanned meeting. The story discusses the topics of trauma, sexuality, and mental health in a heavy and (sometimes) sarcastic way.
The book Big Swiss has been a growing topic on booktok over this past year. You will come across a wide range of opinions with just one search on social media. I was intrigued to read it when I saw it on the shelf at the Palatka campus library. I knew very little about the rollercoaster ride I would experience.
Many have claimed this book to be a five-stars read. They promoted it as a dark comedy that allows us to laugh at the flawed characters while empathizing with them. The other group of readers finds this book to be racist and downplaying problematic behaviors. It is fair to say that it was a challenge to find my own perspective knowing these almost polar opposite opinions existed.
At first, I was put off about the book because of the microaggressive comments made from the main character Greta. The comments would seem to come out of the blue and disturb me. I was starting to feel wary about continuing to read the story. However, I continued it after being encouraged to read it in full at book club. After finishing the book, it all clicked in my head.
Greta’s mircoagressive comments were terrible to say. However, I believe that was the whole point. The reader experiences Greta’s terrible actions throughout the entire book. Her actions are meant to be examined, not laughed at. Greta is a middle aged woman that has grown up in multiple privileged white middle class societies . It make sense that she would have her own bias that she developed throughout her life. She has not been around others that challenges her thinking until she comes across Big Swiss. The difference between their views of life and traumas fuels Greta’s obsession and love for Big Swiss. This leads to the theme of the book: that we can still be held accountable for our actions while discussing the trauma and flaws that influence said actions.
I don’t believe this is a “dark comedy” that just tells the readers to point and laugh. I also do not conclude this book is meant to offend others with it’s problematic characters. What I took away was your environment, childhood, and identity can greatly affect your mental health. You cannot began to fully live until have question and reflected on these aspects of your life. Then you can start to grow mentally and emtionally like Greta does at the end of her story.
Big Swiss by