Mary Karr meets Miranda July in this hilarious debut about a young woman's quest for self-acceptance and belonging
Jen Beagin Books
Jen Beagin crafts narratives centered on characters navigating the fringes of society, striving to find their place in the world. Her distinctive style is both incisive and humorous, often delving into life's darker aspects with unexpected wit. Her works explore complex interpersonal dynamics and the pursuit of authenticity in an ambiguous reality. Beagin offers a unique perspective on the human condition through her unconventional protagonists.
"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"--
Vacuum in the Dark
- 240 pages
- 9 hours of reading
"Mona is twenty-six and cleans houses for a living in Taos, New Mexico. She moved there mostly because of a bad boyfriend--a junkie named Mr. Disgusting, long story--and her efforts to restart her life since haven't exactly gone as planned. For one thing she's got another bad boyfriend. She calls this one Dark, and he happens to be married to one of Mona's clients. Dark and his wife aren't the only complicated clients on Mona's roster...there's also the Hungarian artist couple who remind her of troubling aspects of her past and some of the underlying reasons her life had to be restarted in the first place. As Mona tries to get over the heartache of her affair and the pains of her youth, she winds up on an eccentric, moving journey of self-discovery that takes her back to the home she grew up in and that--she hopes--will unlock the key to having a sense of home in the future" -- Front jacket flap