Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

14 reviews

dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Weird and timely, this sci-fi take on the modern day workplace will keep you sucked in till the very last page. Told entirely in Slack messages, Several People are Typing is about a PR office going about their work, only for our main character to be stuck inside Slack itself. 

Even though this story is told only through text messages, I think that Kasulke does a great job with maintaining the character dynamics that you would find in non-epistolary fiction. Additionally, I liked Kasulke’s use of Slack as a character in this story as our main character navigates being inside Slack and wanting to return to the real world. 

If you like books of the weird variety and don’t mind epistolary fiction, you’ve come to the right place with this book.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

curious_oyster's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

pey333's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

clovetra's review

Go to review page

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

this is gonna be a short review considering this book is “short”. 
page wise it’s normal but considering its text messages with like. 20 words on a page. i breezed thru this.
this was defo what i needed after my last read. super fun & wacky shenanigans
still confused about the whole lydia situation? idk what was going on there
dialogue was v funny
confused about what happened with tripp & beverly too? why were all the emojis all fucked up by the end
loved the unexpected gay factor
would’ve liked a little more substance but also tbh this book’s format and plot worked perfectly together
:dustystick:
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

readingpicnic's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This was so fun and fast paced. I burst out laughing so many times reading this, and it genuinely felt like reading slack conversations, as someone who has witnessed many slack convos and arguments from housemates in a cooperative living house.
I will say that I finished the book still confused about what was going on with Lydia and whether she existed, as well as how a spreadsheet uploaded Gerald into Slack in the first place? I don’t know if I missed something or if it just wasn’t explained. Not too pressing though.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

abookwormspov's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is so weird. I love weird.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bek_p87's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This was absolutely bonkers, but I loved it. Gerald somehow gets trapped in his company's Slack channel - his consciousness free to roam inside the app - and, with the help of some colleagues, has to try to find his way out. The premise is obviously absurd, but it made me think about the self, consciousness, and mind vs body. Beyond that, it's very funny and clever. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

Go to review page

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.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

trickphoenix's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

3.5 stars - a fun, quick read comprised of absurd and surreal tales from a small office, told entirely through their slack messages. This came recommended back in the trans rights readathon in March, and the author Calvin Kasulke identifies himself as a "writer, podcast producer, and transsexual menace" on his website (god-tier bio tbh).

The book is fun and silly and in that peculiar way of satire sometimes portrays office life in a way that is both so ridiculous and yet so relatable at the same time. It's got QUEER ROMANCE, it's got STRAIGHT ROMANCE, it's got EXISTENTIAL CRISES, it's got ROGUE BOTS

I do wish a few more mysteries got wrapped up by the end - I was left with a few questions and unanswered mysteries that made the ending unsatisfying. But the process of reading it was satisfying enough to partly make up for it.

Main content warnings: a few dogs were harmed in the making of this narrative. There is a mention of a sex scene that involves somewhat dubious consent. Also some coworkers hook up, which is a non-standard warning, but ehh that might be too cringey an idea for some folks. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

ceilidhwilliams's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings