Big Swiss

Big Swiss is a contemporary literary novel by Jen Beagin. Published in 2023 by Simon & Schuster, Big Swiss explores the conflux of psychology, repression, love, desire, and individual development. The novel follows the protagonist, Greta, as she engages in an inappropriate and coerced relationship with the object of her desire, a woman she refers to as Big Swiss. Greta learned about Big Swiss through her job of transcribing recordings of sexual therapy meetings for a new-age therapist, Om, which she uses to gain insights into the extremely private parts of Big Swiss’s life alongside other patients. The novel explores themes of Physical and Psychological Trauma, Manipulation and Power Dynamics in unhealthy relationships, and The Complexity of Human Connection.

Jean Beagin is an American novelist. She is the author of three novels: Pretend I’m Dead (2015), Vacuum in the Dark (2019), and Big Swiss (2023). Beagin is the recipient of the Whiting Award for fiction (2017).

This guide uses the 2023 Kindle eBook edition for pagination. Pagination may vary significantly in other editions.

Content Warning: This guide contains biased language regarding race, sexuality, and mental health and depictions of graphic assault, death by suicide, drug abuse, stalking, mental health conditions, and suicidal ideation.

Plot Summary

Greta is a 45-year-old woman whose life is turned around when a tragedy strikes her workplace. Greta was long engaged to her loving boyfriend, Stacy, before moving to Hudson, New York. Greta worked at a pharmacy and ignored the traumas of her past. One day, she was robbed at the pharmacy at gun point, and shortly after, her boss died by suicide. Stacy was concerned about Greta’s response to this tragedy, so she went to therapy. When Greta was diagnosed with emotional detachment disorder, she refused the diagnosis, quit therapy, broke up with Stacy, quit pharmaceutical work, and moved to Hudson, New York.

Greta moves in with her friend Sabine, who owns a dilapidated house in Hudson. The house has no heating and is home to many insects, including a giant beehive. Greta finds work transcribing therapy sessions for a local sex and relationship therapist named Om. Greta enjoys this work because it allows her to work from home and become privy to a world of people’s secret vulnerabilities. Greta becomes infatuated with one patient, a woman she names Big Swiss because the only thing she knows about the woman is that she’s from Switzerland. As Greta becomes more acquainted with Hudson, she starts meeting the people whose voices she recognizes from the therapy sessions. Greta signed a strict privacy agreement with Om, so she doesn’t reveal who she is to them.

One day, Greta meets Big Swiss in the dog park while walking her dog, Piñon. Greta and Big Swiss strike up a conversation and start a friendship. Through transcription, Greta has learned about Big Swiss’s trauma: When she was younger, she was assaulted by a man named Keith, who met her in a restaurant after being released from prison for stalking his ex-wife’s girlfriend. He took Big Swiss home with him, and when she refused his sexual advances, he assaulted her. Keith went to prison for eight years for this assault, but he is being released back into the Hudson community soon.

Greta and Big Swiss’s friendship quickly turns sexual. Big Swiss’s real name is Flavia. She is a gynecologist and a wife with a well-situated life. Greta tells Big Swiss that her name is Rebekah. Greta considers resigning from her job or revealing the truth about her identity. More than once, she feels guilty about their affair, which is a major violation of her privacy agreement with Om. Greta has a sexual awakening with Big Swiss and can’t bear the possibility of their affair ending. As their affair continues, Greta’s passion and joy turns into jealousy and insecurity.

Keith is released from prison and Big Swiss is sure that he is following her around town. Greta becomes paranoid, believing that she sees Keith everywhere. Big Swiss and her husband, Luke, are working toward having children. Luke knows that Big Swiss has a new friend named Rebekah, but he doesn’t know about the affair. Big Swiss invites Greta to her and Luke’s house for dinner, where the women get into an argument and Greta becomes envious of Luke’s relationship with Big Swiss. Shortly after, Big Swiss tells Om in therapy that she suspects Luke is having an affair. Big Swiss also discusses her own affair in therapy; she talks about Rebekah as though she’s “slumming.”

Big Swiss figures out who Greta truly is. She confronts Om about it, the first time Om hears about Big Swiss’s connection to the real Greta. Om fires Greta but extends an offer to pursue therapy with him. Om believes that if Greta comes to therapy and transcribes her own sessions, she’ll be able to confront her trauma. Big Swiss confronts Greta as well. Greta argues that because Big Swiss has a privileged life, she will get over her lies. While Big Swiss and Greta are arguing about Greta’s deception, they lose their dogs and go off into the woods to find them. They find Greta’s beloved dog shot. Greta experiences searing pain and begins hemorrhaging blood. Big Swiss steps in to save both Greta and Piñon, who survives the gunshot wound.

Greta is convinced that Keith is the one who shot Piñon. Greta and Big Swiss continue their affair, despite the truth. Greta has also learned that Hudson has been gossiping about their affair for much longer than Greta thought possible. Greta goes to a bar and accuses Keith of shooting her dog. Keith grows angry with her and is shortly afterwards confronted by Luke. Keith stabs Luke eight times. Big Swiss finally ends things with Greta so she can focus on her husband.

In therapy, Greta finally confronts her past. Om suggests that she needs to nurture her inner child. Greta tells Om all the details of her mother’s death and finally recalls her mother’s suicide note. Greta’s mother had bipolar disorder, so Greta’s childhood was marked by being silent and careful with her emotions, trying to hide away from her mother’s problems. When Greta was 13 away for a horseback riding camp, her mother died by suicide. Greta’s mother left her a note, thanking her for letting her set herself free. Greta has felt guilty and responsible for her mother’s death for decades.

Greta’s roommate Sabine buys two miniature donkeys. Sabine has been struggling with a cocaine addiction and disappeared for a month during Greta’s affair. Sabine believes that the donkeys can help settle her. She asks Greta to throw away the remainder of her cocaine. Greta contemplates using the cocaine to die by suicide, but ultimately disposes of the cocaine. The novel ends with Greta feeding and embracing the donkeys.