Vantage Point was an excellent read. The writing was propulsive and the character development was rich. I would read more from this author.

Vantage Point is an atmospheric, tense, and utterly propulsive thriller that hooked me from the first page. Set against the eerie isolation of a remote Maine island, the story follows Clara Wieland as her family’s old-money legacy collides with modern-day scandal. When intimate videos of Clara are leaked—and she has no memory of filming them—the line between reality and paranoia begins to blur.

Sligar masterfully layers family secrets, political ambition, and the creeping dread of a centuries-old curse into a twisty, gripping narrative. Every chapter deepens the sense of unease, making it impossible to stop reading. If you’re looking for a suspenseful, thought-provoking thriller that feels both timeless and timely, Vantage Point delivers.

This book was really really busy! There was a lot going on and it was so outlandish! The characters weren't particularily likeanle or interesting either. I think had the authors had done a bit less, it would have interested me more.

I did like the ending though

3 stars

VANTAGE POINT took me on a slow slide into madness.

This story is a profound statement about social media culture, the unrealistic and often harmful expectations placed upon women, money, power, and the dangers of AI.

Pacing is a slow unfolding, but that’s okay because the journey is the point of the story.

The audiobook is narrated by Adam Ewer, Helen Laser, and Jess Nahikian. Production is fantastic. I believed their characters, and I was fully engaged throughout.

I've been waiting for another book by Sara Sligar since I read (and loved) Take Me Apart a few years ago, so Vantage Point was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. In her new novel, Sligar introduces readers to the Wieland siblings, Clara and Teddy, the only surviving members of a prominent, wealthy family widely known for being cursed. During the month of April going back more than a hundred years, countless Wielands have died tragically, often in freak accidents. Now, Teddy has decided to begin a senatorial run in April. What could possibly go wrong? The problems begin quickly, when intimate videos of Clara and, later, Teddy's wife Jess, are leaked online. And then Clara begins seeing her parents everywhere...which is impossible, because they themselves were victims of the Wieland curse years before.

Vantage Point had a lot of promise, but ultimately, it didn't completely work for me. Sligar introduces lots of timely topics and ideas into the narrative -- eating disorders, deepfakes, commentary about AI, complex female friendships, toxic romantic relationships, family secrets, political intrigue -- with varying degrees of success. I found, unfortunately, that the most interesting plot points (the family curse aspect, the complicated relationships between the three main characters) weren't given nearly as much attention as I'd hoped. This is a book that is almost entirely focused on advanced technology and the concept of deepfakes; it definitely wasn't the Gothic suspense I thought it was going to be.

Sligar is a gifted writer, and her character work is strong, even if the characters in Vantage Point are mostly unlikable. It just felt like this story was missing something. I wanted more tension, and I wanted the narrative to surprise me more instead of unfolding in a way that was so completely expected. Vantage Point is full of so many fascinating, ambitious ideas; Sligar just focused on the ones that held less interest for me as a reader.

A rich privilege, old money thriller. Clara and her brother Teddy grew up fast after their family has died off mysteriously with accidental deaths coming in the month of April. Their trauma has led to many side effects, eating disorders, mental health concerns and distorted views of reality.

Teddy grows up to marry Clara’s best friend Jess and as he is running for Senate. Clara is caught up in a scandal with X rated videos surfacing that she doesn’t remember ever recording or anything about the night at all. Another video released of Clara and his wife, Jess, joking about Teddy with Clara joking that Jess married him for the money. A new tech/ deep fake technology may be being used to target the family and reveal their darkest secrets.

Loved the stories about all of the mysterious deaths, definitely gave me Kennedy family vibes.

Present and past POV that show Jess and Clara’s friendship more. Narration was excellent! Different narrators for each POV! I enjoyed this read and kept me engaged- even though the ending took an odd turn. Such a quick change for one of the characters with not a lot of rationale other than under pressure ?

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Here are my thoughts about VANTAGE POINT!
-Great narration and audio production in this audiobook. Special shoutouts to Helen Laster, crushing it as always.
-Loved the multiple POVs and timelines combined with the threat of the "curse" and of deepfaked videos, which made basically every character an unreliable narrator.
-Enjoyed the plot and the ultimate resolution.
-Toward the end I felt like I was getting impatient for the story to end, like the middle section of the book could have been tightened so I wouldn't feel like I should have reached the end by now.
-Overall a fun time, would recommend to fans of the genre!

It took me a while to get into this and I almost DNF'd. But I stuck with it and I'm glad I did! It picked up about 20% in and then I was hooked. The snippets of the curses were amusing but I really don't think they added much to the story. I really enjoyed the narrators. Overall, a slow start but once it got going, it was a twisty suspense.

gut instinct: kinda annoyed?

"Vantage Point" is a fast paced story which I guess we call a thriller - I will say there aren't many twists and turns or big reveals but there are psychological components that make the reader reflect on how our world might work and what is real.

All in all, it is the story of the Wieland family who are slowly unraveling - the question is why. Again, it was an addicting story and I read it in just a few days. I did want to know how it ended but now I feel rather meh about it and doubt I will think much about it in the future. Cool cover art though!

Pub Date Jan 14 2025 | Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy #MacAudio2025

I was excited to receive an early copy of the audio version of this book and really enjoyed it. The narrators for the book were excellent -- Helen Laser is a fave of mine and they all did a great job.

This book is a trippy rollercoaster and I really enjoyed it. It was impossible to know what was real and dealt with such interesting issues about deep fakes and not believing everything you see.

None of the characters in this book were particularly likable, but I was rooting for them and felt invested in their stories. I really liked the end as well.

I will definitely read more from Sara Sligar in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Overall, I enjoyed this one, but there were a few elements that I didn't love. I've seen comparisons to Succession, but I have never watched it even though it's been on my radar. I love the remote Maine setting, and I enjoyed that this was set against the backdrop of a senatorial campaign. I thought the character and relationship development was great for the first half or more of the book, but I didn't really love what Sligar chose to do with that in the back part of the book (I won't give spoilers but I would love to discuss with someone before I forget everything). I also think that there were elements at the end as the mystery unfolded that were a bit far-fetched, but they were intriguing. I would recommend it, but go in knowing that it is not going to be the best mystery you've ever read.

On the one hand, there were some interesting issues raised here. On the other hand, the characters were very stereotypical.



Review copy provied by publisher.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 1/14
•
I went completely blind into this book and I loved every second of it. I had no idea what I was going to be getting - but this - this was just awesome.
•
I was absolutely enthralled by these characters. The Wieland family had it all, the money and the power; it just sucked they were cursed. Teddy was so interesting, charismatic but I also was sketched out by him. Clara was the family problem; she needed help in more ways that one and I really felt for her on so many levels. Jess, Teddy’s wife and Claras best friend was doing her best for both of her family members throughout the story but seemed to always get the short end of the stick. I really loved the uniqueness of each of the different ways the Wieland family members died. This story is told in multiple POV through the eyes of Teddy, Clara and Jess and I think having each POV really gave a deeper edge to this story.
•
Once the videos started popping up, thats when things started to get a bit wild. I never really knew who to trust or what to believe. My head felt like it was spinning out of control with how the characters chose to act at times. When everything starts coming together in the end I was truly and utterly flabbergasted. Like this was the coolest and most terrifying outcome. I absolutely loved it.
•
I listened to this one via audiobook while reading my ebook and Adam Ewer, Helen Laser and Jess Nahikian were fantastic. They each complimented one another and they created the perfect flow for this story. I highly reocmmend the audiobook if you are looking to read this one.
•
Overall, this was the definition of a suspenseful mindfuck and this is one of those books that will stay with you long after you finished. Absolutely fantastic. Make sure you check this one out! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Sara Sligar, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, MCD and MacMillan Audio for the ALC / eARC in exchange fro my honest review.

Much like the appropriate cover art, this story is sharp, edgy, and reflective.

There is a scandal raging on this island off the coast of Maine surrounding the Weiland siblings, one of which is amid a highly publicized political campaign aimed at securing a senate seat. His unstable sister’s sex video being leaked on social media could just sabotage his odds. But is this video even real, or just a deep fake imposing her image skillfully onto someone else’s body?

The chapters alternate between Clara, the victim of the cyberattack, and her brother, Teddy’s wife, Jess, and sprinkled in are vignettes of freak accidents that kill off members of the wealthy Weiland family who are rumored to be cursed with untimely deaths. I feared it was only a matter of time before one of our lead characters met their fatal fate.

4.5/5 stars, rounded up

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

I will say this to start -- Helen Laser can do no wrong. Any book she has narrated has been thoroughly enjoyable, and I'm not sure if she only narrates great books or elevates those that she reads, but something about her voice and cadence keeps me HOOKED from start to finish. Jess's narrator, Jess Nahikian, did a great job, as well, and the juxtaposition between their voices enhanced the differences between their characters.

Not to mention, this story was so great on its own. I really was hooked from the start, even though I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. All of the characters were problematic in their own way, and I took turns being frustrated with Cleo, Jess and Teddy at various points. This book definitely had some thriller vibes, but read much more like a suspense and rich people domestic drama, which is one of my fav genres. I've had a few moments of picking up my phone to listen to the audiobook, only to be sad that I've already finished it. This book was twisty, clever and dark -- just what I didn't know I needed right now. Such a pleasant surprise from a book I "randomly" picked up.

Thanks to #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio for the book #VantagePoint by #SaraSligar. This book is filled with conspiracy, rumors and secrets and is a great book! Teddy and Clara lost their parents 14 years ago and some say it’s a family curse. Teddy married Clara’s best friend, Jess, and is now running for Senate. Videos of all three are leaked online and they are claiming aren’t real but deepfakes. Clara feels like she is losing her mind and is determined to get to the bottom of it. Can this family survive all the drama and the curse?

The blurb "Succession meets Megan Abbott" hooked me, but the actual story fell flat. I did like the snippets about how other Wielands have died from the family "curse" throughout the story. Otherwise, it just dragged on for me and I kept getting distracted/lost. By the end I was hoping for a big twist and a good payoff to make up for the slower burn of the book, but it didn't do it for me. More literary than your typical thriller and slower-paced, the story included an ultra-rich family getting hacked, an unreliable narrator at times, and multiple POVs.

I had a wonderful time listening to Vantage Point... just another fabulous January 2025 release! They're really setting the bar high with these books being published to start off the year, and I'm excited to see the rest of the momentum.

This novel is a psychological thriller targeting a very rich, Kennedy-like family on the small island of Vantage Point, off the coast of Maine. The Wieland family is cursed. For over a century, terrible deaths and tragedies have fallen on the family during the month of April. Clara Wieland believes in the curse after seeing her parents tragic deaths, but the rest of her family, not so much. As her brother Ted amps up his campaign for U.S. Senate, Clare tries to convince him and her best friend and sister-in-law Jess to take a pause. On April 1, the chaos begins.

I loved the concept of this book. It talks a lot about deep fakes and the dangers associated with AI. I think it's a very real problem that people will continue facing as this technology advances. Towards the end, it could've definitely been utilized better.

The characters were strange in that they're not entirely likable, but I was still rooting for them? I think Sara Sligar does an excellent job capturing the snootiness of the elite, and how out of touch they can be. I also find it interesting that Jess is so self-aware of how out of touch she's become.

I really loved Ted's character arc. I won't give away any spoilers, but it felt natural, and Sligar did a great job slowly molding his character into a different, almost unrecognizable version of himself. Or maybe it's his true self. Or maybe I don't know what to believe anymore.

On that note, the end felt a bit weak to me, but I still really enjoyed the journey to get there. I'd definitely recommend the audiobook to everyone because I'm not sure I'd enjoy it as much simply reading. The audiobook just adds a certain element of unease.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen and enjoy this book!

𝑽𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑬 𝑷𝑶𝑰𝑵𝑻 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝑺𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒓! I was offered this ARC by @fsgbooks via @netgalley and it started so strong, so when @macmillan.audio had the audio to pair, I couldn't wait to add it.

This is another fantastic suspense that had me questioning what was real, while addressing the believability of people who have struggled. I was riveted. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

When a video begins to leak that Clara can't remember, is it just another of her lost nights? Teddy, her brother, running for senate, and his wife Jess, Clara's best friend from childhood aren't sure what to think. When Jess is the focus of another leaked video, it is clear someone is out for maximum damage to this elite family. Clara has had her issues, but the family curse must be real as she is experiencing some very strange things, and she is sure she isn't high. The closer she gets to the truth, it becomes clear there are sinister acts afloat, and she may be the only one who believes.

I had no idea where this was going and when it became clear, I was both fascinated and horrified. This taps the very real fear of doubting what we see, both online and in real life. I want to say more about this specifically, but I am afraid of spoilers, so I will refrain.

I thought the way eating disorders were discussed was well done as a way to highlight how we dismiss people who struggle and also just to inform.

I will say that this multiple perspective suspense had me on my toes. I started reading the digital ARC adding the audio after several chapters in. Narrated by Adam Ewer; Helen Laser; Jess Nahikian, I thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience and recommended either format!

I don't even know how to write a coherent review for this. This was so good. Like how does something have elements of sci fi paranoia, hallucinations, eating disorders, classism, political scandals, paranormal phenomena and family dysfunction, and make it all work seamlessly? This never really went where I expected it to, but honestly half the time I didn't know what to expect anyway. There were several times that the story left me unsettled in the best possible way. And the characters of Clara and Jess were so interesting and complex and sometimes even hard to like (but I always loved them).

The narrators were all great. I think I originally requested this book because I saw that Helen Laser was one of the narrators. She was perfection. Jess Nahikian did a great job too. Adam Ewer's role was significantly smaller, but no issues with his narration.

I just bumped up Sligar's other novel on my tbr. Looking forward to checking it out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!