Big Swiss

by Jen Beagin · 2023

When Greta, a strikingly tall Swiss expatriate, earns the nickname “Big Swiss,” it’s not just for her height but for the way she drapes herself in immaculate white—a uniform of surrender that both conceals and reveals her inner turmoil. In this sharply observed novel, Jen Beagin follows Greta’s arrival in a small American town, where her pristine exterior clashes with the gritty, unvarnished lives of the locals. As Greta navigates love, work, and the expectations of a community that both idolizes and scrutinizes her, the white she wears becomes a metaphor for the fragile layers we all use to hide vulnerability. Beagin’s witty, compassionate prose uncovers the humor and heartbreak of trying to belong while staying true to oneself, making “Big Swiss” a compelling portrait of identity, displacement, and the quiet courage it takes to step out of the shadows.