This absolutely stunning thriller is a crossroad of politics, paranoia, and technology, and it's so worth the read! I breezed through this, enjoying every bits and pieces of the story. The book's flow was well thought out and the characters were great. Really great read.

There were intense moments, of course, and there were frustrating moments for sure. And that was the beauty of the writing from this author. She was able to not only keep you captivated with the plot and the progression of everything surrounding both characters, she made you care about them and the outcome. You would get into the psyche but then you would also continued to be entertained by the nonstop turn of events. This author is now an auto-boy for me.

I would love to see this as a movie or a series, especially how convincing they would make the holograms. The human mind can be so tricky, and this definitely gets explored so well in this book. Truly, this was a great read.

Pub date: Jan 14, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this fantastic thriller. All opinions are my own.

Vantage Point took me the first 20-30 pages to get into. Initially the book reminded me of 2023's "The Only One Left," with the main characters being wealthy occupants of a big isolated mansion shrouded in some amount of mystery. These parallels appealed to me, as did the character of Clara once she realized her own power and began to stand up for herself. I left feeling underwhelmed with Jess's experience of having to go back to her hometown against her will. The reveal of how and what motivated the deep fakes also felt kind of lukewarm with so much suspense leading up to it. Not the big shocking payoff to that plot line that I had hoped.

I quickly found myself skipping the pages of Wieland curse details after the first few, but understand the motivation to include them.

Overall, I like mystery-thrillers enough that I found enough to grab onto in Vantage Point to finish, but wouldn't say this was an essential read that I'd tell friends to run out and buy. I wanted to like it more than I did, unfortunately, and I think that's due to the ending. Thank you for the chance to read the ARC!

Sara Sligar is one of the most exciting authors working today! This book gripped me from page one and didn't let go. Can't wait until Sligar's next release.

In VANTAGE POINT, by Sara Sligar, Clara Wieland, of the rich and influential family Wieland, has moved on from her questionable past and has been working to make her a valuable part of society. Her brother, Teddy, is running for Senate. The campaign has inevitably put a manageable, but intense, strain on the family, including Teddy's wife, Jess. When an intimate video involving Clara is leaked online, the Wieland family's relationships, political aspirations, and public persona begin to collapse. Where did the video come from, and why was it released now? And is it all it appears to be?
This novel presents several complex issues like trust, persona, mental illness, and how destructive AI can be. Sligar switches first person narrative between Clara and Jes, which provides some interesting perspective reveals and surprises along the way. I found the book rather cinematic, seeing pictures of scenes thorughout the novel. While the plot progressed to a rewarding conclusion, I found it a little slow to get going and while the ending was somewhat predictable, I didn't mind it a bit because as a reader it was rewarding to be right, not patronizing as with other books. The book is also timely when we are in a world that is wrestling with the scary reality that AI can do so much and so well that we as a society should be worried. Also timely is how someone navigates through life as a politician and how it can affect everyone around them.
Exciting and timely is the best words I can attach to VANTAGE POINT. I would happily read another book by Sligar in the future.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. One of the descriptions reads like "Succession meets Megan Abbott". Pretty accurate. We have the extremely wealthy Wieland family, of which siblings Clara and Teddy are left after the death of their parents. Teddy runs for senate at the same time as Clara's sex-tape comes out publicly. Clara doesn't remember making the tape though. Is it even a real tape? Is someone out to get the Wieland's? There was a lot to follow with this book. Rich and powerful characters, scandal, possible family curse, AI run amok...... so pay attention. Overall, I really enjoyed this and am interested in the author's next read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Sara Sligar and Farrar, Straus and Giroux | MCD for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Facebook and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection.

Delighted with this engaging, suspenseful tale. Loved how the author brought interesting characters to life in a rich, dark setting that is arguably a character itself. Not only is this a story of ambition and betrayal, but there are many thought-provoking themes that make you sit back and take notice. This one stuck. And those twists!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Look forward to seeing what else Sara Sligar writes!

Sara Sligar is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I enjoyed her first novel, “Take Me Apart,” but this book, “Vantage Point” was on a whole other level (although I question the publisher’s description of “Succession meets Megan Abbott,” as there little beyond an ultra wealthy family that link this book and they tv show). And the best part is, they don’t need to be linked. This book stands on its own as a very well written and gripping story. Ms. Sligar’s prose is insightful and razor-sharp when it comes to writing people, especially those who are broken and wounded. And the dual person narrative she employs here works really well to advance the story effectively. Perhaps one of the most frightening elements about this book is that the idea it hinges upon is right before us, certainly very likely to occur within most of our lifetimes. My only misgiving about “Vantage Point” is that the two male characters don’t feel especially real. This is particularly true of Teddy, one of three main characters. Ms. Sligar acutely nails down how the combined blessings of his wealth, privilege and looks all lead to a deeply ingrained sense of entitlement, but it’s when and how that entitlement ultimately unravels that didn’t quite work for me. Something like that is a process, not a light-switch, but here it felt more like a light-switch. As for the other primary male character, he is paper-thin, and given his responsibility (more-or-less) for everything that happens, that’s a glaring omission. I would have liked to have seen a lot more consideration of him and his motives than the scant treatment it received. But all that aside, I found this a really enjoyable and well-written read and eagerly await Ms. Sligar’s next offering.

"Vantage Point" by Sara Silgar is a compelling and thought-provoking novel. Silgar's crisp prose and well-crafted characters keep you hooked, while the story's unexpected twists make it an unforgettable read. This book is a brilliant exploration of perspective, truth, and the intricacies of human relationships.

There was a lot to like with this story - family drama, coastal Maine locale, cutting edge technology - and for the most part, I was entertained. Did I buy the premise? Meh. Were the characters interesting and well thought out? Yes, generally, but I didn't have anyone that I was really rooting for.

This kept my interest and I enjoyed reading it. I wasn't totally satisfied with the ending, but, that happens often. I'd read more from the author.

I wasn't a huge fan of the cover.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

This was such a fascinating book! The story started and it really didn’t let up until the very end. At no point did I feel bored or disinterested. This book had deepfakes, holograms, a political race, and a family curse.

Teddy and Clara Wieland are siblings that have grown up on a small island with their parents in the families mansion, Vantage Point. It is rumored that there is a Wieland family curse that claims the lives of many of the Wieland family in the month of April. After Teddy and Clara’s parents die tragically, Clara begins to believe in the curse.

Years later, Teddy marries Clara’s best friend, Jess, and they all move back to Vantage Point as Teddy starts running for Senate. Soon after the Senate race has started, there is a very personal video that is released of Clara online that she does not remember making, nor does she remember the man she made the video with. This has her wondering if she is losing her mind or if this is even real to begin with. Once she brings it up to Teddy and Jess they automatically write her off as crazy and a danger to the campaign.

Another video of Clara comes out and she knows it’s up to her to figure out who is releasing these videos of her before it ruins her brother’s run for the senate and her and her families reputation.

Really interesting plot, old money, senate campaign, curse. I found the sibling dynamic very relatable and was rooting for them when things started to fall apart. The "twist" was hard for me to wrap my brain, but as technology advances, it's certainly plausible. My other struggle with this book was that it felt a little all over. A political campaign, eating disorder, family curse, best friends fighting. A lot of zigging and zagging.

I received this from the publisher when it wasn’t even on my radar and I am so glad that happened! What a great read! Clara and Teddy are wealthy siblings living on their family owned island, Vantage Point. Along with Clara’s best friend who is also Teddy’s wife, Jess, they are navigating a political campaign for Teddy. Amidst the campaign, a revenge porn video of Clara hits the internet and takes off like wild fire, embarrassing her and causing a huge uproar. The biggest problem? Clara has zero recollection of the guy in the video or even making the video. Is it a fake? A doppelgänger? Deepfake? Jess believes her and as another video pops up that includes Jess that they both KNOW isn’t real, they have to find out why someone is sabotaging them and stop it.

The side story of the family curse is very interesting also! Clara and Teddys family members have all passed away suddenly and some morbidly- is this the Weiland family curse or something deeper? Highly recommend this book!

The novel does an excellent job of exploring the dark side of technology, significantly showing how deep fakes are indistinguishable. It's a timely reminder of how easily our reality can be manipulated in the digital age. The character relationships are fraught with envy, secrets, and unresolved trauma, adding another layer of tension to the story.

Unfortunately, It's tiresome to keep my interest growing, and the characters are hard to relate to, but the intricate plot and psychological depth kept me going. The ending is unsettling and leaves you questioning what's real and what's not.

Overall, "Vantage Point" is a thought-provoking and eerie read that will keep you hooked, especially if you're into stories that explore the dark underbelly of family secrets and the dangers of modern technology.

This book has a unique premise, but I struggled connecting with the characters and plot. It was an entertaining read but not one that I truly loved, I’m sorry to say.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book except im not sure what I think about the final few lines. I thought this book was different and I liked the hologram plot line. I would recommend this book to other and I would be interested in reading another book by this author.

So, after gaslighting the shit out of her characters, the author decided to cheekily point out that the reader was also being punked (potentially)? Did...was that supposed to be cute?

Vantage Point is so incredibly funny and clever that I am reading it again.
It's a dark satire of the wealthy Wieland Family. They are so unlucky that they make the Guinness family seem fortunate.
When Jess was a teenager, her family died in the most awful and macabre way. Almost all Wieland deaths take place in the cursed month of April. Or do they?
Teddy is her spoiled brat elder brother. He's running to be a senator, and we are shown how he only cares about how things impact upon him.
I don't want to spoil the plot or the hilarious fake Wikipedia entries that litter this brilliant book. It's just so incredibly well written.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, It was a great interrogation of how deep-fake technology impact political and familial relationships. I just wish there was a little more suspense and mystery behind it.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!