flightyrachel's review against another edition
I’m a fan of Six Stories series and I thought this investigation into possibly heroic or possibly corrupt and paedophilic pop god Zak Crystal was one of the best in the series. Sometimes the format feels a little forced and there just aren’t enough viewpoints to justify the six sections, but here there definitely are. It also relies less on the supernatural and is all the disturbing for that. There’s also the return of a past contributor which is satisfying!
claireandrewz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
emily_bg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
livstreff's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was probably the creepiest instalment in the series so far, and also the mystery that has been left the most open ended, in my opinion. The book does well to really explore the relationship between celebrities and their fans, and how someone’s fame can cover up all manner of heinous crimes. A great Halloween read.
mbrigman2's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely" could not be more accurate when it comes to this book. So good!! I really hope we continue to get new Six Stories books from Wesolowski.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
5.0
Make sure you are sitting down, and you have your seatbelt properly connected. Deity is a frank and brutal look at the evil within. It’s shocking and it is an investigation on how celebrities are put upon a pedestal, they become godlike, a deity. They rely upon fans to be their shield; their security fence and money and infamy makes them untouchable. Their depravity goes under the radar and accusations can easily disappear behind the wall of yes men, the best lawyers that money can buy and loyal fans that will attack anyone that says anything discriminatory against their idols. It’s a twisted and intelligent story that makes Matt Wesolowski one of my favourite authors.
It only takes a split second to realise the skill and the suffocating tension Wesolowski can manipulate in his narrative. He has proven time and time again just why he’s so damn good at grabbing his reader with his original style highly combustible plots. He’s tapped into the popularity of podcasts and what attracts listeners to them. True crime has become a very popular genre and he has the fundamentals oozing with addictiveness. Interviews, fear, and the popularity of a dead popstar feed into the guests panic about speaking up. I was hooked.
Like the previous books in the Six Stories series, Deity can be read as a standalone, but I recommend for that full immersive experience that you pick up the others in the series as soon as you are able. The story is emotionally gripping and extremely relevant with the breakthrough movement of #metoo. Like the other books we follow online journalist, Scott King, owner and producer of the true crime podcast, Six Stories. He investigates a story and interviews six people directly related to the events. In this case it’s the story of dead pop star, Zach Crystal. He aims to tear open the old wounds of allegations of abuse that surrounded his aura. He doesn’t judge until he has the full facts and even then, it’s the reader how gets to make up their own mind.
Zach Crystal was a mega superstar. Think about celebrities who have hit that kind of heights, Curt Cobain, Ed Sheeran, and Britney Spears. He was thrown into the spotlight early on when he was a child star with his sister, Naomi, performing as the Crystal Twins. A rag to riches story, abuse at the hands of their parents, was brought up in an almost fanatical religious household in a rough housing estate. This rise to fame continued through-out their teens until going solo at around the age of nineteen. It then went stratospheric. He was an enigma, never showing his face and it only meant the world wanted more of him. His reclusiveness accumulated in the purchasing of Crystal Forest, a 500-acre woodland near Aviemore. It comprised of a sprawling mansion, a luxurious treehouse and recording studio.
The horrific element of this story is just how this happens with celebrities that hit that Deity status time and time again. Why do we the fans catapult them to that level? Why do we feel we deserve a part of them? Why do they think they are above morality and the law? Why? When all they are just a man at the end of the day.
Deity is hauntingly enigmatic and powerfully obtrusive. It slides into your mind and takes root. This story has a heartbeat and unleashes horrors that linger way longer than just the duration of the story.
It only takes a split second to realise the skill and the suffocating tension Wesolowski can manipulate in his narrative. He has proven time and time again just why he’s so damn good at grabbing his reader with his original style highly combustible plots. He’s tapped into the popularity of podcasts and what attracts listeners to them. True crime has become a very popular genre and he has the fundamentals oozing with addictiveness. Interviews, fear, and the popularity of a dead popstar feed into the guests panic about speaking up. I was hooked.
Like the previous books in the Six Stories series, Deity can be read as a standalone, but I recommend for that full immersive experience that you pick up the others in the series as soon as you are able. The story is emotionally gripping and extremely relevant with the breakthrough movement of #metoo. Like the other books we follow online journalist, Scott King, owner and producer of the true crime podcast, Six Stories. He investigates a story and interviews six people directly related to the events. In this case it’s the story of dead pop star, Zach Crystal. He aims to tear open the old wounds of allegations of abuse that surrounded his aura. He doesn’t judge until he has the full facts and even then, it’s the reader how gets to make up their own mind.
Zach Crystal was a mega superstar. Think about celebrities who have hit that kind of heights, Curt Cobain, Ed Sheeran, and Britney Spears. He was thrown into the spotlight early on when he was a child star with his sister, Naomi, performing as the Crystal Twins. A rag to riches story, abuse at the hands of their parents, was brought up in an almost fanatical religious household in a rough housing estate. This rise to fame continued through-out their teens until going solo at around the age of nineteen. It then went stratospheric. He was an enigma, never showing his face and it only meant the world wanted more of him. His reclusiveness accumulated in the purchasing of Crystal Forest, a 500-acre woodland near Aviemore. It comprised of a sprawling mansion, a luxurious treehouse and recording studio.
The horrific element of this story is just how this happens with celebrities that hit that Deity status time and time again. Why do we the fans catapult them to that level? Why do we feel we deserve a part of them? Why do they think they are above morality and the law? Why? When all they are just a man at the end of the day.
Deity is hauntingly enigmatic and powerfully obtrusive. It slides into your mind and takes root. This story has a heartbeat and unleashes horrors that linger way longer than just the duration of the story.
mpr2000's review against another edition
5.0
Read this book now! Yes, this is my review if you want a direct and short review, behind there’s a larger one, but the only thing you have to stick with is that you should read it, believe me, it’s worth it.
I’ve been following the Podcast series from Matt Wesolowski since the first book and I think that each book is better than the previous one; dark, original and twisted. Each book has a special theme to make you rethink the world we are living in and how many things are wrong in it.
This time is the heroes/stars that we all love to look from the afar and that we keep forgiving their wrongs while we adore them. I’ll admit that I’ve never been interested in the stars’ personal life, I know that I am a minority, but I don’t think I need to know about them. Mainly, when I discover something about them I stop following because I don’t like what I am reading or listening about. This is the story of a pop megastar called Zach Crystal, he passed away on a fire in his property, but some things from his past were never questioned. Now, it’s time to revise the case thanks to our favorite journalist, Scott King, who he will show us the story within 6 podcast stories, he never “solves” the case, he lets the listener decide what really happened.
I really don’t want to talk much about the story, it’s much better if you let Scott King tell the story in his own way and pace, it’s so addictive! Deity is an atmospheric and dark read, if you haven’t tried any of the previous, start from this one if you want, but believe me, you’ll search the previous, they are this good! Ready to discover the real “Deity”?
I’ve been following the Podcast series from Matt Wesolowski since the first book and I think that each book is better than the previous one; dark, original and twisted. Each book has a special theme to make you rethink the world we are living in and how many things are wrong in it.
This time is the heroes/stars that we all love to look from the afar and that we keep forgiving their wrongs while we adore them. I’ll admit that I’ve never been interested in the stars’ personal life, I know that I am a minority, but I don’t think I need to know about them. Mainly, when I discover something about them I stop following because I don’t like what I am reading or listening about. This is the story of a pop megastar called Zach Crystal, he passed away on a fire in his property, but some things from his past were never questioned. Now, it’s time to revise the case thanks to our favorite journalist, Scott King, who he will show us the story within 6 podcast stories, he never “solves” the case, he lets the listener decide what really happened.
I really don’t want to talk much about the story, it’s much better if you let Scott King tell the story in his own way and pace, it’s so addictive! Deity is an atmospheric and dark read, if you haven’t tried any of the previous, start from this one if you want, but believe me, you’ll search the previous, they are this good! Ready to discover the real “Deity”?
zozoisgolden's review against another edition
5.0
The strangest things get my blood pumping.
I read two critically acclaimed books this year and didn't get into them but I spot this randomly (the audiobook) and it took me away. Not blew, took.
I love it when a book does what it set out to and succeeds. While this isn't perfect in many way, it's successful in driving home its point. The podcast format works (mostly) and while I suspect the experience works better as am audiobook rather than a physical one, the effect still sustains.
A dead popstar is the subject of journalist Scott King's current podcast investigation series, similar to Serial. He interviews six people who give their own insight into the singer and highlight whether or not the allegations about him were true.
In the year 2023, a book about parasocial relationships turned real, the concentration of power and cult of personality is more relevant than ever. The ending was satisfying because it wasn't open-ended. So happy about that to be honest because there's a time and place for such.
Six stories is a great breakdown into the dissection of a character and mystery with a valid perspective from each and a thundering conclusion.
I read two critically acclaimed books this year and didn't get into them but I spot this randomly (the audiobook) and it took me away. Not blew, took.
I love it when a book does what it set out to and succeeds. While this isn't perfect in many way, it's successful in driving home its point. The podcast format works (mostly) and while I suspect the experience works better as am audiobook rather than a physical one, the effect still sustains.
A dead popstar is the subject of journalist Scott King's current podcast investigation series, similar to Serial. He interviews six people who give their own insight into the singer and highlight whether or not the allegations about him were true.
In the year 2023, a book about parasocial relationships turned real, the concentration of power and cult of personality is more relevant than ever. The ending was satisfying because it wasn't open-ended. So happy about that to be honest because there's a time and place for such.
Six stories is a great breakdown into the dissection of a character and mystery with a valid perspective from each and a thundering conclusion.
sooky's review against another edition
3.0
Loved all the books in this series so far, and this is not an exception. I feel this was less creepy or thrilling than all the others before though. Up until the sixth part it was interesting and I enjoyed it but I didn't find myself wondering if there was indeed anything sinister going on other than what we already knew from the beginning.
phillyhart's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book’s premised - a podcast of six stories about one issue from six different viewpoints - was well-used. I was intrigued by the story / mystery and very interested at first, but by the end I was less invested in the outcome. However, what kept me reading was the way the intersection of extreme fame, potential immoral criminality and power dynamics was handled. I thought this book had a lot to say but ultimately found it a little lacking. A very different ending would probably have been more impactful - but then I’m not the author and may have different priorities.