Diverse Reads Annotation -- Big Swiss
“It’s like, yes, what happened to you is shitty, I’m not denying that,
but why do you keep rolling around in your own shit? If they stopped doing that for two seconds
and got over themselves, even a little, they might actually become who they were meant to be” (Beagin, 2023, p. 12).
Author: Jen Beagin
Title: Big Swiss
Genre: LGBTQIA+ literary fiction
Publication Date: February 7, 2023
Number of Pages: 336 pages
Geographical Setting: Hudson, New York
Time Period: Contemporary, 2020s
Series: N/A
Plot Summary: Greta, a former pharmacy worker, has moved to Hudson to work as a transcriber for a sex therapist. One patient, a married Swiss gynecologist named Flavia (aka “Big Swiss”), greatly intrigues Greta, and so she uses the knowledge gained from the (confidential) recordings to woo her. As their relationship grows more intense, and Greta becomes more and more entrenched in her lies, the two women must come to terms with their sexualities and identities.
Elements of LGBTQIA+/gender identity fiction:
Sapphic/WLW love story: The romance is between two women.
Secret identity/repressed sexuality theme: Flavia is married to a man, and Greta is separated from her male fiance of 10 years. This is Flavia’s first lesbian relationship, and this is Greta’s second (after denying her bisexual identity for so long).
Complex yet flawed characters that drive the storyline: The focus is not just on the women’s relationship, but also on Greta’s own traumatic past and current mess ups that contribute to their combustible love.
Similar Authors and Works: The three nonfiction works I chose are all books about lesbianism, bisexuality, or coming to terms with your sexual identity. These titles will help readers who are looking to discover more about their sexual identity after reading this sapphic love story. Highlighting these topics felt important, especially at a time outside of Pride Month.
The three fiction books I chose are either about lesbian relationships (Milk Fed and The Dance Tree) or feature an unhinged female protagonist (My Year of Rest and Relaxation). The latter title, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, is an excellent read alike that has a similar vibe to this novel – the narrators have voices that read the same way, with dry wit and questionable actions.
3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors:
How to Understand Your Sexuality by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi
Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
Pride and Joy: LGBTQ Artists, Icons and Everyday Heroes by Kathleen Archambeau
3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
References
Beagrin, J. (2023, February 7). Big swiss. Simon & Schuster.
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting premise that could play either as a sort of eccentric absurdist comedy or a deeply unsettling psychological horror—depending entirely on Greta’s motivations. I was immediately wondering: does Greta develop genuine feelings for Flavia as a result of hearing her intimate feelings and try to connect with her because of this, or does she just leverage illicit knowledge unethically in an effort to seduce her?
They definitely fall in love at some point, but the narrative does leave you questioning if it's truthful at all since it is based on one big lie. The author almost wants you to ask yourself, "Have I ever *truly* known and loved anyone ever?" The book was definitely eccentric absurdist comedy -- I laughed the whole way through despite the dumpster fire that was going on with their relationship! I'm a sucker for a messed up narrator, so I loved this book. Definitely making Top 5 Books of 2023 for me (so far).
DeleteHi Megan,
ReplyDeleteI know that TV shows, films, and books featuring a romance between two women, even if they both identify as bisexual, can fall into the trope of bisexual erasure; does Beagin’s Big Swiss align with or resist this stereotype? In light of this knowledge, I appreciate that you chose read-alikes that cover bisexuality and lesbianism—offering both options appeals to a broader audience. In your plot summary, you describe this relationship as borne from deception—would you agree that this feeling of suspense or anticipation is a significant appeal factor for readers, or is the appeal more about the romance and not as much about the journey?
The appeal definitely is more so the romance/dead pan humor, but the journey element could be said to be of note as well; the main character definitely goes through some intense change mentally. This book challenges bisexual stereotypes I think! I'm not bi/lesbian myself, and I'd love to hear what members of the community think of this novel.
DeleteFirst off - this cover is amazing. Secondly - so is your annotation! Full points!
ReplyDelete