Reviews with content warning for Excrement - Several People Are Typing

This is one of those gimmicky books that will almost immediately become dated (it's an epistolary novel composed entirely of slack messages) but I really enjoyed it. The main characters work for a PR company serving luminaries such as a dog food company involved in a poisoning incident and an ambassador who had a "childcare emergency" at the zoo. Some of the stuff about the internet and witnessing all these little parts of people's lives really hit home too. Most of the surreal elements worked really well.

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kellyskubic's review against another edition

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funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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annoyedhumanoid's review

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funny mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

i honestly loved this. it was funny, fun, and had a lovely ending. :dustystick:
cover design review: ★★★★★. it's what made me pick this up in the first place. it just looks so tactile, like the Windows 11 UI, specifically in the trailer lol. i literally just noticed the sunset—very nice touch

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venetiana's review against another edition

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funny tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This book is so cool. Can't really explain without spoiling, but I sped through it in like an hour or something? Really entertaining.

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krys_kilz's review against another edition

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adventurous funny 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

This book is wholly original and laugh out loud funny. And there were some really heartfelt and tender moments/observations mixed in. A really poetic, strange, and existential musing on how to remain human in a world that encourages you to sacrifice yourself for workplace productivity. Several People Are Typing is exactly what satire should be.

Carmen Maria Machado's review sums it up perfectly: "An absurd, hilarious romp through the haunted house of late-stage capitalism."

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laurena's review against another edition

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funny reflective medium-paced

3.5

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mxm0290's review against another edition

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funny 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? No

4.0

I caught glimpses of the text while cataloging this book, and then proceeded to read the entire book in one sitting.

The characters are a lot of fun and totally loveable. And while I would kinda classify this story as sci-fi (uploaded consciousness), it's Still light and funny and relatable. Sci-fi ultra lite, maybe.

I definitely recommend giving this one a shot! Also, I've read several reviews saying the audiobook is extremely well done, in case that's your thing.

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ddreid33's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

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