eatingbrains's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I've read my share of epistolary style writings and this was definitely different from others. I think the main reason I wasn't as keen on it was the use of emojis and gifs, but like the text representation rather than the actual thing. If there was a way for the ebook to have the actual visual component represented exactly as intended then I think it would have been an improved experience.
It was a weird one for sure.
It was a weird one for sure.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Eating disorder, Rape, Child abuse, Confinement, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Body horror, and Body shaming
shaydream's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
keira_reckons's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I found this uproariously funny and a very quick read. It's an unhinged modern epistolary novel, told via Slack messages.
Despite it's brevity there are complicated plots, not all of which are fully explained, in an excellent X-Files sort of way.
It would probably only be readable to users of Slack or Discord or similar thread and channel online communications apps, so it's not for everyone.
Despite it's brevity there are complicated plots, not all of which are fully explained, in an excellent X-Files sort of way.
It would probably only be readable to users of Slack or Discord or similar thread and channel online communications apps, so it's not for everyone.
Spoiler
As others have mentioned, there's a non consentual sexual encounter. This would usually put me right off, but it didn't, I think because of the fact the people piloting the bodies involved were consenting. And the owner of the body was ok after the fact. That wouldn't be good enough in real life, or in a more realistic or darker fiction, but it didn't leave me with the upset such a scene usually would, I think because the whole plot was so absurd. It definitely would have been better without that though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
galaheadh's review against another edition
2.0
i was enjoying this so much right up to the fucked-up approach to consent (ie there was none, and it was apparently fine and romantic) at the end
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
msprufrock's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This was a really quick, really weird read. Only because I've never had to use slack for work, to me it felt like a combination of a Welcome to Night Vale episode and a bizarre, ongoing Tumblr conversation - and mostly in a good way. I did laugh multiple times while reading, and I enjoyed most of the book.
I didn't like the major dub-con moment in the last third, and how that was glossed over, so that is one reason I didn't rate this higher.
Spoiler
Poetry nerd that I am, when I realized slackbot was quoting The Second Coming, I thought maybe it was leading to a broader message or world building - and then I realized it was probably all for a "second coming" joke. Fair. (Or :dusty stick:?) Also, it wasn't totally clear to me how what happened with Lydia tied in with everything, and Beverly's role in all of that.I didn't like the major dub-con moment in the last third, and how that was glossed over, so that is one reason I didn't rate this higher.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Rape and Animal death
tigger89's review
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
While this isn't high literature by any means, I found it to be an enjoyable, fast-paced satire of both the workplace and the human condition. I will say upfront that, if you're looking for a logical resolution, you won't find one here. Nothing is really explained with regard to the main hook, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth coming along on the trip. And a trip it is, with some of the logs being downright bizarre. My takeaway? Corporate capitalism is driving us insane, and we all need a vacation before we devolve to communicating solely via mangled emojis.
The main obstacle most readers would have engaging with this story is the way its told, in chat log form. You don't have to know Slack to understand the format. I've never used Slack myself, but if you understand Discord(#channels and DMs/private chats) then you'll be able to understand this. The book's strongest point was how well it executed this technique, with each character managing to be distinct despite only existing in the context of chat logs. I was particularly appreciative of the way the author gendered all of the characters near the start, by having a character request access to the #gents-only channel. It's hard to subtly slip pronouns into a pure dialogue situation, and I thought that was a clever solution!
I don't want to nitpick the plot too much because this wasn't really that kind of book. It's designed to play a little fast and loose with the logic. But there was one thing, a moral rather than a logical issue, that bothered me.
This isn't depicted as a violation and all parties wind up being cool with it, but I can't tell if it was a case of the characters being down with whatever or if the consent issue wasn't considered a problem by the author. Because of the unique format of the story I could see it going either way, because there's no good way to address it in-narrative if the characters aren't going to say it out loud to each other, right? So that was a thing that happened. If it'll bother you, brace for it, and I guess come to your own conclusion about what the author might have intended there.
The main obstacle most readers would have engaging with this story is the way its told, in chat log form. You don't have to know Slack to understand the format. I've never used Slack myself, but if you understand Discord(#channels and DMs/private chats) then you'll be able to understand this. The book's strongest point was how well it executed this technique, with each character managing to be distinct despite only existing in the context of chat logs. I was particularly appreciative of the way the author gendered all of the characters near the start, by having a character request access to the #gents-only channel. It's hard to subtly slip pronouns into a pure dialogue situation, and I thought that was a clever solution!
I don't want to nitpick the plot too much because this wasn't really that kind of book. It's designed to play a little fast and loose with the logic. But there was one thing, a moral rather than a logical issue, that bothered me.
Spoiler
Toward the end of the book, a character knowingly has sex with a person whose body is currently inhabited by another consciousness, without seeking consent from the original owner of the body.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
emw025's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I cannot ignore the fact that the intimacy in this book is actually rape and is just entirely blown off
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
alisiakae's review
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Spoiler
contains a non consensual sex scene that is not acknowledged as sexual assault
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