3.75

I enjoyed this! It was a very quick read - the way Sara writes always had me continuing to read the next chapter. I never wanted to put it down!

Dual POVs are my favorite. We cycle between Clara and Jess, two best friends who are ignoring the fact they've grown apart lately. Jess is married to Clara's brother Teddy, and the 3 of them live at Vantage Point - owned by Clara & Teddy's very rich late parents. Some strange and spooky things start happening that make everyone question who to trust, who's going insane, or who's trying to ruin their lives. Not to mention a decades long family curse - I was never sure what might happen!

I wish we'd gotten a little bit more of the thriller-y stuff, but I had a good time with the family dynamics. The twist was interesting, one that I probably should have saw from the beginning but I'm never good at sussing those things out - which makes for a more fun experience when I do get to the reveal! This is definitely less of a thriller and more of a mystery/family drama.

Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This publishes 1/14/25!

TW: eating disorder

Clara can’t remember when she learned about the family curse. There was no pomp and circumstance, nobody came out and said, Clara everyone thinks your family is irrevocably doomed.

Clara and her brother Teddy grew up on a small island in Maine in the shadow of their parents’ tragic deaths. Years later, with Teddy married to Clara’s best friend, Jess, and both believing they have put their turbulent past to rest, things start to fall apart in spectacular fashion.

An intimate video of Clara has leaked online, and the most frightening part, she can’t recall any of it. And that’s just the beginning. As things start to pile on for all of them, the reader will be pulled alongside as they frantically try to navigate a path they could never have seen coming.

The challenges of the internet age are front and center in this story. People feeling free to instruct you, to criticize you, to batter you with vicious commentary they would never have the guts to say out loud, and definitely not in person. The author has sounded an alarm on how thin, and insidious, the line between synthetic and real has become.

The End: our author chooses to play one last cat and mouse game with us. We have finished a book where we believed one person was the narrator. But what proof do we have?

Sarah Sligar’s debut Take Me Apart was a taut psychological thriller that made a few award short lists and best of lists in 2020. Just as that book was hard to pigeonhole genre-wise so too her new book Vantage Point – with elements of gothic, thriller and lifestyles of the ultra-wealthy. Although, in the end, Vantage Point if anything is a more down the line psychological thriller. While the subject matter is very different, Vantage Point shares many of the same underlying themes as he debut.
Clara Wieland has taken over running the family grants program to allow her older brother Teddy to run for the Senate. The two surviving Wielands are the descendants of an obscenely wealthy family who own the grand house and land on an island off the coast of Maine. They are surviving in the sense that many of their ancestors died in strange ways, including their parents, always during the month of April. So much so that there is a rumour of a Wieland family curse (elucidated through Wikipedia entries scattered through the novel). As April starts, a sex tape of Clara is released to the internet, putting a spoke in Teddy’s campaign. Clara had a checkered adulthood and so is too embarrassed to reveal that she remembers nothing of the events depicted in the video. But then another video emerges and Clara begins to suspect that they a part of a deepfake campaign. Meanwhile Jess, her childhood best friend and now Teddy’s wife, is trying to keep her marriage together under the pressure of a political campaign.
There is alot going on in Vantage Point but Sligar manages to keep it all together. Central to that is the characters of Clara and Jess, not only their current circumstances but glimpses of their childhood friendship. But there is a particular leap of faith needed from readers that pushes this novel from psychological thriller into technothriller territory (if they need to define it by subgenre) as the plot reveals itself.
But actually, the plot, while pacey and page-turning, exists for another purpose. And that is Sligar’s continuing exploration of the way in which women are treated in society and the different standards expected of them. She does this in many ways, from the different reactions to the various fake videos, to the way in which Jess sublimates herself into her marriage, to the banality of the ultimate reveals (which seem to be deliberately anticlimactic), to the consequences of those. But she is also interested here in concepts of class and perception. Jess is seen by the community as marrying up, essentially marrying for the money. So that different rules apply to her than to those who are born into that life, this is made clear not only by the townspeople but by Teddy’s campaign staff and ultimately by Teddy himself.
Vantage Point is another great novel from Sligar. Driven by two extremely flawed and fascinating characters involved in a well-constructed mystery. A little bit of suspension of disbelief is needed to make this work. While deepfake technology is possibly more insidious than portrayed in the book, there are some other technologies employed that may be leaning more towards the day-after-tomorrow. But, as already mentioned, this is all in service of much larger themes and help Sligar to land her punches.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Clara and Teddy Wieland have grow up in the public’s eye with a last name like theirs how can you not.For the Wieland name comes with a curse,one that claims its victims lives in unexpected and bizarre ways.While pragmatic older brother Teddy is a firm skeptic Clara is not so sure,especially when she suddenly begins seeing ghosts of her past and strange shadows lurking in the forest surrounding her Maine island home. Clara knows the only person who will believe her is her best friend Jess, but ever since she’s married her brother Teddy things have been different between the trio.With the public’s eye once again heavily fixed on the Wieland family is it truly a curse or something or someone more sinister plotting against the family unit.

I went into this book thinking I was getting a twisty gothic suspense thriller filled with long held family curses.What I ended up with was a dual POV, flashback filled technology and dysfunctional family focused deepfake drama.And while this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing it just wasn’t what I was expecting.I will say there is in fact an absurd amount of quite questionable and strange deaths that transpire in Clara and Teddy’s family history, however the majority of this book is spent seeing these two characters along with our other narrator Jess and their dynamics and history among one another.Add in the amount of baggage/trauma both narrators Jess and Clara had and I began feeling like I was reading a tragedy with sprinklings of modern tech gone wrong rather than a true thriller.I will say the premise was initially interesting and the setting of the small Maine town had me intrigued but ultimately I found this one just falling flat. Overall the stakes just did not seem believable or high enough and then the ending just really went off the rails for me.The book wasn’t objectively bad or not interesting it just was not at all what I was expecting.

Vantage Point comes out Jan.14th,2025. Thank you Netgalley and MCD for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The most intense read of the year! I was a little skeptical about the premise but was pleasantly surprised by the execution! Absolutely loved the writing style and I can't wait to read her next book!

This is a tale of two books. One has a fascinating premise and stretches of twisty activity that keeps you turning the pages. The other has a completely incredulous resolution that makes you want to toss the book across the room. That is VANTAGE POINT.

The idea of using deep fakes and artificial intelligence to ruin someone’s life is terrifying. The parts of the book dealing with the fallout from leaked salacious videos held my interest. The family drama was gripping - watching the spiraling and ultimate downfall of a particular character was extremely gratifying. Unfortunately, the amateur sleuthing was completely out of left field and felt inconsistent with the rest of the story.

I liked a lot more than I didn’t, but my overall reading experience was disappointing because of the unrealized potential. I would be interested in reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Vantage Point was a wild ride. I enjoyed the setting the author described and the characters were quirky. More than anything, I appreciated that the plot wasn’t a run-of-the-mill, which kept me on my toes.

I think there's something wrong with me. I am having a tough time enjoying any sort of thriller these days. I don't know if my month of Halloween reads caused it or if I'm just tired of the genre in general. While this one had an intriguing premise and promised to be reminiscent of HBO's "Succession," I was left disappointed when all was said and done.

Set against the backdrop of the cursed Wieland family, the novel delves into the lives of Clara, her brother Teddy, and her best friend and Teddy's wife, Jess as they navigate the haunting legacy of their parents' deaths and the pressures of modern public life.

Teddy is running for a Senate seat (or maybe it was Congress - I forget), so he and Jess are on the campaign trail. Things look promising for Teddy's chances, so he steps down as head of the family's corporation and appoints his younger sister, Clara, as head. When a video surfaces of a drugged-out Clara having sex with an unknown man, it brings Clara's former addiction struggles to light and reignites the Wieland family curse. The video is only the beginning of the family's problems. As Clara falls deeper into paranoia, she begins having visions of her dead parents, and Teddy's poll numbers begin to tank. When more questionable videos appear, the family drama intensifies. April has always been a dangerous month for the family, and it looks like this year will be no different. The question is - which one of them will die?

On the one hand, the premise was really intriguing. I love stories about rich people behaving badly; this one has it in spades. One thing that worked well for the book was the dual narrative structure, alternating between Clara's and Jess's perspectives. Clara, with her chaotic and unreliable narration, is the novel's most compelling character. Her erratic behavior and fractured sense of reality make her fascinating to follow, even if she's not entirely likable.

Jess, on the other hand, serves as a counterbalance—calmer, more grounded, and ultimately more relatable. The dynamic between the two women, particularly given their shared history and complicated ties to Teddy, is one of the novel's strengths. Their relationship is layered, shifting between loyalty, resentment, and unspoken tension, providing much of the emotional weight.

Another thing that worked really well (and was probably my favorite part of the novel) was the Wikipedia-style articles that closed each chapter. These entries chronicled the deaths of various members of the Wieland family, reinforcing the idea of the family's supposed curse.

One of the biggest drawbacks of this book was its lack of surprises. From the outset, the story lays its cards on the table and pretty much spells out that we are focusing on AI and deepfake videos. Yes, these things are prevalent today, but I'm kind of tired of these plot points. It could also have something to do with the fact that I don't really care for technothrillers, which this book definitely is. By the time the final revelations come, they feel more like confirmations of what readers have long suspected rather than shocking twists.

Teddy, Clara's brother and Jess's husband, is another weak point in the story. As a character, he feels like a collection of clichés. His presence in the narrative is less engaging compared to Clara and Jess, making him feel more like a plot device than a fully realized person.

I was also disappointed that the book is marketed as being similar to "Succession" (a show I love), but I failed to find any real comparisons between this book and the TV show besides the story focusing on a wealthy family of broken characters.

Overall, this book was pretty underwhelming. The story, while competently written, lacks the edge and unpredictability that might have made it memorable. It's worth a read for fans of unreliable narrators and intricate relationships or those who are into technothrillers, but it may leave others feeling unsatisfied. I know I certainly was.

3.5⭐️

This book sounded so good as someone who loved succession and this was sold with similar vibes and it was an enjoyable read but I didn’t find it as gripping as I would have liked.

The story follows Clara who is a member of the Weiland family; an extremely wealthy family in Maine and Jess, Clara’s friend and Clara’s brothers wife who married into this family. The family is rumoured to have a curse in April and Clara seems to be the latest target. She has struggled with mental illness and starts seeing things which others refuse to believe.

I found the mystery aspect of this book slightly lacking and would have preferred more of this rather than general family dynamics but overall it was entertaining to read.

This book was just OK for me. I found the characters unrelatable and didn’t end up liking them very much. The pace was a little slow, and I felt like the story needed a little extra. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is an interesting story, one about wealth and entitlement and how one can lose it all so quickly. Clara is from a prominent family in north eastern US, the Wieland family has lived on an island they own going on many decades, the family lives in a very large house on the island, currently the son, Teddy lives in the house, his sister Clara, lives in a guest house on the property. Teddy has decided to make a run for the Senate and is in the midst of a campaign when a video is released that appears to show Clara having a very intimate moment with a man, Clara is well known as the sister to Teddy and the video throws his campaign into chaos. Clara has struggled over her life with an eating disorder, she has been in and out of rehab many times, she also likes her wine (or any alcohol) and when she finds out about the video, she has no memory of it. Not long after the video is released another one is of Teddy's wife Jess and Clara speaking unkind words about Teddy and his sense of entitlement, neither can remember it. The story fills in the background on Teddy and Clara's parents who passed away in an accident on the same day, and there are Wiki type entries about the Wieland family curse, all of whom had something happen to them in the month of April, Teddy's campaign is taking place in that month. Overall an ok book, I really enjoyed the end, the middle part was a bit slow, but I finished it. Thanks to #Netgalley and #MCD for the ARC.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. I found the writing to be unnecessarily complicated and I did not enjoy the plot. Thank you for the opportunity and your consideration.

a gothic suspense about the downfall of a cursed, disgustingly wealthy family? Sign me up.

Vantage Point follows the Wieland siblings Cora and Teddy and Jess, Cora’s best friend and Teddys wife, as Teddy runs for senate. His campaign devolves into chaos as videos of the family are leaked online.

Cora’s spiral into her fear of her family’s curse, her investigation into deep fakes, her hallucinations, on top of her brutal eating disorder adds such a layer of suspense to the story. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s just Cora losing her grip on reality.

Jess character annoyed the crap out of me and the ending felt too quick and anticlimactic but I still really enjoyed the story overall. I love the creepy, unsettling feeling throughout the book and the way Sara Sligar writes.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I really struggled to finish it. Not a typical thriller which is fine, however the execution fell flat for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

This was an interesting take on a thriller. While a little bit predictable that was ok because the premise was so unique. I liked getting the two POVs we got. The pacing was quick and engaging.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I am sad to report that, this did not work for me. It tried to do so many things at once and I never really felt settled enough to enough the story. I will applaud it for not being like all the other thrillers on the market. I think this author will continue to grow and I will try their work again. By no means a bad book!

Wow . What a book and an eye opener in realised regards to AI in a fascinatingly horrific way. We know yet we don't learn how the power of AI can destroy lives without much ado.

So this book I finished sometime back but everytime I thought of reviewing it, I just couldn't come up with words that would describe the book. This book will leave dry and with lots of thoughts to process. I didn't like the characters because I think that was the point. Clara and Teddy are siblings, their parents dead in an accident. Clara and Teddy have each other and Clara's best friend Jess, is married to Teddy. Teddy is running for senate and Clara and Jess are helping him but there comes a video online which might ruin Teddy' political journey for well and good.

This whole book had a tensed up atmosphere which literally made reading it a see saw experience. It really kept me on edge. The deepfakes, AI, the videos and how the situations bring out the worst in any man on the earth, no matter how kind they seem in the beginning. I was kind of sad the way it was ending but Thank God for the last save. This book isn't easy so I will say read it after reading TW . For readers who suffer from any eating disorder it will be better to stay away.

It got slow which kept nagging me to dnf but I'm gald I pushed myself to complete the book coz holy shit it really gets better towards end.

Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux | MCD for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I love Succession and Megan Abbot's lush prose, so this was a must-read. This book...is not either of those things, to its detriment. I don't think it's the book's fault, so much as the comps, but it really failed to live up to my high expectations, as it was probably bound to do. I found the writing more run-of-the-mill, and I couldn't stand the characters (and not in a fun way, a la Succession's Roy family).

Sara Sligar's first novel, "Take Me Away," was a literary delight, and with her second novel, "Vantage Point," she delights again, this time trading the coast of Northern California for the coast of Maine, art for deepfakes and holograms. Sligar's mysteries are smart, engaging, edge of your seat, with dynamic characters and plot. Much thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the opportunity to read this wonderful eARC. 3.5/5 stars.

Sara Sligar’s VANTAGE POINT is a look at old money, family secrets, political ambitions and the lies we tell ourselves and others.

Oh, the Wieland family, wealthy, powerful and cursed? That’s what they said when Clara and Teddy lost their parents. Now, over a dozen years later, they are living together again in the family home and running a community investment fund. Teddy married Clara‘s best friend, Jess along the way. He has now decided to run for the Senate and needs his wife by his side and his sister to control her demons. When a sex tape of Clara emerges on social media, she admits that it could have been filmed at some point in her past but that she does not recall, due to her psychological issues. As she looks into it, she has to wonder if it’s real or a deep fake. Jess is stuck in the middle between wanting to support her friend and needing to support her husband in his Senatorial run.

When Clara begins seeing visions of her parents and others on the property, Teddy is worried that she is returning to her previous emotional state and begins looking into having her committed to a psychiatric facility. Teddy‘s best friend from Harvard, Conrad has been there for him all along. Even though the investment bond turned down Conrad‘s idea of a digital start up regarding national parks, he supports Teddy in all of his endeavours.

Is the Wieland curse claiming Clara as another victim? What of the tape of Jess making statements on her wedding day about a money grab? Why is she afraid to return to Kattinocket, where she grew up? And will Teddy actually make it to the Senate?

This book kept me very entertained. The twists and turns came quickly and had me wondering what was really happening. I could feel the tension mounting and stayed up turning pages well past bedtime. The writing was clear and concise and led to an enjoyable read. This is my first Sarah Sligar novel, but I will certainly be keeping her name on my list of authors to watch.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ferrar, Straus and Giroux for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.