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Vantage Point
Succession meets Megan Abbott in this seductive Gothic suspense novel about the dramatic downfall of one of America’s most affluent families.
"Terrifying and uncanny.” —Katy Hays, NewYork Times bestselling author of The Cloisters
The old-money Wieland family has it all—wealth, status, power. They’re also famously cursed.
Clara and her brother, Teddy, grew up on a small island in Maine in the shadow of their parents’ tragic deaths, haunted by rumors and paparazzi. Fourteen years later, they’ve mostly put their turbulent past to rest. Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, Jess, and the three of them have moved back home to take over the sprawling, remote family mansion known as Vantage Point. Then Teddy decides to run for the Senate—an unnerving prospect made much worse when intimate videos of Clara are leaked online. The most frightening part
is that she doesn't remember filming any of them. Are the videos real? Or are they deepfakes? Is someone trying to take down the Wielands once and for all?
Everyone thinks Clara is losing her grasp on reality. But she knows the the videos are only the beginning. Years ago, the curse destroyed her parents. Now, it’s coming for her.
Sara Sligar, the critically acclaimed author of Take Me Apart, returns with another shocking, breathless novel of Gothic suspense. Brimming with palpable tension, Vantage Point reveals a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition that raises questions about the blurred lines between public and private personas and the
nature of “truth” in our digital age.
"Terrifying and uncanny.” —Katy Hays, NewYork Times bestselling author of The Cloisters
The old-money Wieland family has it all—wealth, status, power. They’re also famously cursed.
Clara and her brother, Teddy, grew up on a small island in Maine in the shadow of their parents’ tragic deaths, haunted by rumors and paparazzi. Fourteen years later, they’ve mostly put their turbulent past to rest. Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, Jess, and the three of them have moved back home to take over the sprawling, remote family mansion known as Vantage Point. Then Teddy decides to run for the Senate—an unnerving prospect made much worse when intimate videos of Clara are leaked online. The most frightening part
is that she doesn't remember filming any of them. Are the videos real? Or are they deepfakes? Is someone trying to take down the Wielands once and for all?
Everyone thinks Clara is losing her grasp on reality. But she knows the the videos are only the beginning. Years ago, the curse destroyed her parents. Now, it’s coming for her.
Sara Sligar, the critically acclaimed author of Take Me Apart, returns with another shocking, breathless novel of Gothic suspense. Brimming with palpable tension, Vantage Point reveals a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition that raises questions about the blurred lines between public and private personas and the
nature of “truth” in our digital age.
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 14, 2025
About the author
Sara Sligar
2 books171 followersSara Sligar (rhymes with spy car) is an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Southern California. Her first novel, Take Me Apart, was published by MCD in April 2020. It was a Kirkus Best Book of the Year and a finalist for the Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction. She holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Phil. in Modern European History from the University of Cambridge. Her next novel, Vantage Point, is forthcoming from MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux in January 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 26, 2024
Interesting storyline. Holograms, cursed family, deepfake videos. A page - turning thriller with a lot going on.
Clara has struggled with an eating disorder and mental illness all her life. She is part of the Wieland family, an extremely wealthy and prominent name. Everyone knows the Wieland curse - many, many Wieland's have died in the month of April from tragic, sometimes freak accidents. Her brother, Teddy, is running for a political office. Embarrassing deepfake videos emerge of Clara, Teddy, and Teddy's wife Jess, causing Teddy's political career to be in turmoil. Not only that, but Clara is starting to see things. Clara swears she is seeing her dead parents and even caught them on videotape. No one believes her due to her mental illness, but is she right about everything?
It was an interesting concept for a book. I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I felt like the story was lacking and I needed more disturbing events. It was a bit slow for me. I felt like the characters were unlikeable and I couldn't relate to them. The story just didn't grab me.
Clara has struggled with an eating disorder and mental illness all her life. She is part of the Wieland family, an extremely wealthy and prominent name. Everyone knows the Wieland curse - many, many Wieland's have died in the month of April from tragic, sometimes freak accidents. Her brother, Teddy, is running for a political office. Embarrassing deepfake videos emerge of Clara, Teddy, and Teddy's wife Jess, causing Teddy's political career to be in turmoil. Not only that, but Clara is starting to see things. Clara swears she is seeing her dead parents and even caught them on videotape. No one believes her due to her mental illness, but is she right about everything?
It was an interesting concept for a book. I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I felt like the story was lacking and I needed more disturbing events. It was a bit slow for me. I felt like the characters were unlikeable and I couldn't relate to them. The story just didn't grab me.
June 27, 2024
Well, this is a unique and captivating tech thriller that focuses on deepfake technology and holograms, intertwined with a famous family curse that keeps your attention intact!
The story revolves around Clara Wieland and her best friend, who is also her sister-in-law, Jess. Clara and her brother Teddy grew up on a small island in Maine, part of a wealthy family with a tragic history. Each family member has died accidentally in April, a phenomenon known as the “Wieland Curse.”
The two siblings witnessed their parents’ deaths, growing up with guilt and trauma. Clara, in particular, suffers from an eating disorder and self-sabotaging behaviors. Thankfully, her best friend Jess, who is also Teddy’s wife, helps her gather the pieces of her shattered life. Clara even lands a leadership position in their family company, while her brother runs for the Senate, supported by his beautiful wife Jess, who is still adjusting to her new wealthy lifestyle after a past filled with abuse and poverty.
However, Clara's life is turned upside down when a sex video of her goes viral on the internet. Clara has no idea where the video came from or who is in it, leading to the suspicion of deepfake and hologram technology. Someone is targeting the family's reputation, but who? As they delve into the family's skeletons, what they uncover could ruin their entire lives.
The Wikipedia-style entries detailing the Wieland family curse and the creative ways the author describes the deaths of family members are absolutely mind-blowing. If these entries were published separately, I would give that book five stars!
There are many layers to this book beyond deepfakes and cyberbullying. It addresses slut-shaming, body shaming, political manipulation, and realistically approaches themes of traumatic loss, guilt, grief, self-sabotage, self-deprecation, eating disorders, and sociopathic tendencies.
The flashback scenes showing the blossoming friendship between Jess and Clara over the years are another highlight. These two polar opposite characters build a relationship on shaky ground, yet tragedy keeps them bonded. Their mutual envy for different reasons adds a love-hate-obsession dynamic to their friendship, making it even more intriguing.
The author skillfully juggles various topics without dropping any balls until the end. The characterization is strong, though one character's sudden turn into a villain felt exaggerated to me. It's noted that this character hid their true nature perfectly, but it's hard to believe they left no clues behind throughout their life.
The ending was questionable and disturbing, but if you ask whether I enjoyed the book, my answer is a resounding yes. It’s a well-executed premise!
Overall, the writing style is gripping, the characterization is well-developed, and the concept is unique. Despite some questions about drastic changes and far-fetched revelations, I enjoyed this intelligent mystery, earning it four tech thriller stars. I look forward to reading more works by Sara Sligar in the near future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux / MCD for sharing this gripping tech mystery’s digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
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The story revolves around Clara Wieland and her best friend, who is also her sister-in-law, Jess. Clara and her brother Teddy grew up on a small island in Maine, part of a wealthy family with a tragic history. Each family member has died accidentally in April, a phenomenon known as the “Wieland Curse.”
The two siblings witnessed their parents’ deaths, growing up with guilt and trauma. Clara, in particular, suffers from an eating disorder and self-sabotaging behaviors. Thankfully, her best friend Jess, who is also Teddy’s wife, helps her gather the pieces of her shattered life. Clara even lands a leadership position in their family company, while her brother runs for the Senate, supported by his beautiful wife Jess, who is still adjusting to her new wealthy lifestyle after a past filled with abuse and poverty.
However, Clara's life is turned upside down when a sex video of her goes viral on the internet. Clara has no idea where the video came from or who is in it, leading to the suspicion of deepfake and hologram technology. Someone is targeting the family's reputation, but who? As they delve into the family's skeletons, what they uncover could ruin their entire lives.
The Wikipedia-style entries detailing the Wieland family curse and the creative ways the author describes the deaths of family members are absolutely mind-blowing. If these entries were published separately, I would give that book five stars!
There are many layers to this book beyond deepfakes and cyberbullying. It addresses slut-shaming, body shaming, political manipulation, and realistically approaches themes of traumatic loss, guilt, grief, self-sabotage, self-deprecation, eating disorders, and sociopathic tendencies.
The flashback scenes showing the blossoming friendship between Jess and Clara over the years are another highlight. These two polar opposite characters build a relationship on shaky ground, yet tragedy keeps them bonded. Their mutual envy for different reasons adds a love-hate-obsession dynamic to their friendship, making it even more intriguing.
The author skillfully juggles various topics without dropping any balls until the end. The characterization is strong, though one character's sudden turn into a villain felt exaggerated to me. It's noted that this character hid their true nature perfectly, but it's hard to believe they left no clues behind throughout their life.
The ending was questionable and disturbing, but if you ask whether I enjoyed the book, my answer is a resounding yes. It’s a well-executed premise!
Overall, the writing style is gripping, the characterization is well-developed, and the concept is unique. Despite some questions about drastic changes and far-fetched revelations, I enjoyed this intelligent mystery, earning it four tech thriller stars. I look forward to reading more works by Sara Sligar in the near future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux / MCD for sharing this gripping tech mystery’s digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
June 1, 2024
What a crazy-amazing book!
Sara Sligar has the ability to write entire lives into the confines of a thriller and is able to take a large scale setting - such as a wealthy encalve and slowly pull in the walls..causing claustrophobia. In Vantage point we meet the Wielands - a family who has been cursed to die untimely deaths, generally in the month of April. Clara and her brother Teddy are orphans that grew up on a small island in Maine. Clara has never fully recovered from her parents' deaths and struggles with mental health and bulimia. Teddy has taken on the leadership of the incredibly wealthy family and became mayor of the town with his heart now set for Senate. Between them both is Jess - first Clara's best friend and then Teddy's wife. The campaign is tense and the potential for a glorious political upset begins to slip away when a video of Clara surfaces threatening her fragile grip on health.
As more videos are released, all three begin to seek out answers furiously. The walls that have held up some old Wieland secrets also begin to crumble. Grab this book if you like gothic thrillers, family secrets, and wealthy Kennedy like personas.
This story was spectacular and layered with a historical component. A series of flashbacks fill in the story coupled with multiple wikipedia-like entries of the freak accidental deaths of other Wieland family members.
Thank you netgalley!
#farrarsttraussgiroux #vantagepoint #takemeapart #sarasligar #wielandcurse #vantagepoint #gothic
Sara Sligar has the ability to write entire lives into the confines of a thriller and is able to take a large scale setting - such as a wealthy encalve and slowly pull in the walls..causing claustrophobia. In Vantage point we meet the Wielands - a family who has been cursed to die untimely deaths, generally in the month of April. Clara and her brother Teddy are orphans that grew up on a small island in Maine. Clara has never fully recovered from her parents' deaths and struggles with mental health and bulimia. Teddy has taken on the leadership of the incredibly wealthy family and became mayor of the town with his heart now set for Senate. Between them both is Jess - first Clara's best friend and then Teddy's wife. The campaign is tense and the potential for a glorious political upset begins to slip away when a video of Clara surfaces threatening her fragile grip on health.
As more videos are released, all three begin to seek out answers furiously. The walls that have held up some old Wieland secrets also begin to crumble. Grab this book if you like gothic thrillers, family secrets, and wealthy Kennedy like personas.
This story was spectacular and layered with a historical component. A series of flashbacks fill in the story coupled with multiple wikipedia-like entries of the freak accidental deaths of other Wieland family members.
Thank you netgalley!
#farrarsttraussgiroux #vantagepoint #takemeapart #sarasligar #wielandcurse #vantagepoint #gothic
May 21, 2024
*** Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own ***
Vantage Point is both the name given to the impressive home of the ultra-rich and powerful Wieland family, and one of the motives running through the novel. The story itself is told through the point of view of the two main female characters, Clara and Jess. Although Teddy is arguably the third main character, his point of view is never explored. This, to me, creates an interesting contrast. Teddy is at the center of both women’s lives (as a protective older brother and as a husband respectively) and both come to reflect on how their lives would have panned out if it weren’t for him. Wildly different, it seems, and (probably) significantly worse. But there is a Clara and a Jess before or without Teddy, which the story explores in multiple flashback chapters, allowing both characters to reflect on their individuality, identity, and enduring friendship.
Although the novel features a cast of characters, present and past, the story itself focuses on those three characters. This gives the story of a famous and influential family a more intimate – claustrophobic even – dimension, like some sort of open-air Huis Clos (capitalized on purpose). The setting of the island nicely enhances this atmosphere.
The motive of the vantage point is also weaved into the story through two other main threads: the Wieland curse and the topic of deepfakes. In doing so, the story brings together an interesting mix of gothic mystery and contemporary technology. Both present their own kind of horror, but ultimately boil down to a lack of freedom, a sense of fate, and deceptive appearances. This is shown in Teddy’s and Clara’s identities being deeply embedded in their social class and tied to their family’s name. So much so, in fact, that it seems that they can only either lean into the family tradition or viscerally oppose it. Without even getting into the actual curse, this already launched their lives into extreme and harmful directions. As such high-profile figures the video scandal affects the public’s opinion of them and forces them to grapple with the loss of control over their image – amidst their own existential crises.
The Wikipedia pages about the Wieland deaths tied to the curse at the end of some chapters was a nice touch, weaving the curse into the story and thematizing the accessibility of such information in the age of the internet. The circumstances of some of those deaths reminded me of the The Gashlycrumb Tinies, giving the curse both a very ominous and tragic dimension, but also an almost comedic one. I enjoyed those sections and would have liked to delve even deeper into the Wieland curse lore.
While I found the story to be dragging on occasions, the chapters alternating point of views and occasionally going back into the past (23, 16, 13 and 8 years prior) did bring some dynamism and depth to the story. Enough revelations and twists were dropped along the way to keep me hooked and wanting to know how it would end. Though there was maybe one too many twists for my taste, the story was overall enjoyable and gripping.
Vantage Point is both the name given to the impressive home of the ultra-rich and powerful Wieland family, and one of the motives running through the novel. The story itself is told through the point of view of the two main female characters, Clara and Jess. Although Teddy is arguably the third main character, his point of view is never explored. This, to me, creates an interesting contrast. Teddy is at the center of both women’s lives (as a protective older brother and as a husband respectively) and both come to reflect on how their lives would have panned out if it weren’t for him. Wildly different, it seems, and (probably) significantly worse. But there is a Clara and a Jess before or without Teddy, which the story explores in multiple flashback chapters, allowing both characters to reflect on their individuality, identity, and enduring friendship.
Although the novel features a cast of characters, present and past, the story itself focuses on those three characters. This gives the story of a famous and influential family a more intimate – claustrophobic even – dimension, like some sort of open-air Huis Clos (capitalized on purpose). The setting of the island nicely enhances this atmosphere.
The motive of the vantage point is also weaved into the story through two other main threads: the Wieland curse and the topic of deepfakes. In doing so, the story brings together an interesting mix of gothic mystery and contemporary technology. Both present their own kind of horror, but ultimately boil down to a lack of freedom, a sense of fate, and deceptive appearances. This is shown in Teddy’s and Clara’s identities being deeply embedded in their social class and tied to their family’s name. So much so, in fact, that it seems that they can only either lean into the family tradition or viscerally oppose it. Without even getting into the actual curse, this already launched their lives into extreme and harmful directions. As such high-profile figures the video scandal affects the public’s opinion of them and forces them to grapple with the loss of control over their image – amidst their own existential crises.
The Wikipedia pages about the Wieland deaths tied to the curse at the end of some chapters was a nice touch, weaving the curse into the story and thematizing the accessibility of such information in the age of the internet. The circumstances of some of those deaths reminded me of the The Gashlycrumb Tinies, giving the curse both a very ominous and tragic dimension, but also an almost comedic one. I enjoyed those sections and would have liked to delve even deeper into the Wieland curse lore.
While I found the story to be dragging on occasions, the chapters alternating point of views and occasionally going back into the past (23, 16, 13 and 8 years prior) did bring some dynamism and depth to the story. Enough revelations and twists were dropped along the way to keep me hooked and wanting to know how it would end. Though there was maybe one too many twists for my taste, the story was overall enjoyable and gripping.
June 27, 2024
Taking place on an island off Maine out story is centered around best friends, Jess and Clara. Jess marries Clara’s brother Teddy, and thus is thrown into the world of the wealthy and cursed Wieland family. Every Wieland has died a bizarre death in the month of April. While Teddy is running for senate, Clara’s sex tape is released online. Presumed to be deepfakes or a forgotten memory of Clara’s past, who is trying to destroy the Wieland family?
Fast paced, tech thriller that leaves you constantly wondering… what’s real? The characters are all very complex as we get narratives from both Clara and Jess. I really enjoyed this novel! I felt the end was a bit jumbled and predictable. The landing just didn’t stick but I enjoyed the first 80% of it!
Thanks NetGalley for my ARC!
Fast paced, tech thriller that leaves you constantly wondering… what’s real? The characters are all very complex as we get narratives from both Clara and Jess. I really enjoyed this novel! I felt the end was a bit jumbled and predictable. The landing just didn’t stick but I enjoyed the first 80% of it!
Thanks NetGalley for my ARC!
June 24, 2024
I enjoyed this very much. It's a very timely look at things coming up in the world as far as AI, deep fakes and social media. It's actually rather scary and complicated when you think of it. Anyone could put stuff out there that is not the truth, but the tools and processes they use make it look almost incontrovertible. You could give yourself an alibi when committing a crime - or you could make it look like someone else is guilty of a crime. It's definitely a story that makes you think!! And it sure makes one uncomfortable about the advances in technology. A perfect example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
May 23, 2024
Engrossing, stunning, and troubling - I loved it!
Clara has wealth, youth, beauty, and all the ingredients seemingly needed for happiness. But she is also tormented by the deaths of her parents and the Wieland family curse. And now is not the time to relax, for it is nearly April, the month during which Wieland family members have historically perished…
The writing is sharp and the chapters alternate between Clara’s point of view and that of Jess’s, her best friend and sister-in-law. I never quite knew what to expect as I turned each page and was immersed in this exploration of technology (vs. reality), class, ambition, and misogyny.
Thank you very much to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy of this exciting novel.
Clara has wealth, youth, beauty, and all the ingredients seemingly needed for happiness. But she is also tormented by the deaths of her parents and the Wieland family curse. And now is not the time to relax, for it is nearly April, the month during which Wieland family members have historically perished…
The writing is sharp and the chapters alternate between Clara’s point of view and that of Jess’s, her best friend and sister-in-law. I never quite knew what to expect as I turned each page and was immersed in this exploration of technology (vs. reality), class, ambition, and misogyny.
Thank you very much to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy of this exciting novel.
June 11, 2024
A book's ending is paramount to a story's overall quality. Once you reach the end of a 350+ page book, the climax, the pivotal moment you've been waiting for after hours and hours of spending your precious time reading it cannot be a letdown. A bad ending will leave a bad taste in a person's brain-mouth that can tarnish the entire reading experience.
Unfortunately, Vantage Point's ending was so bad, so ridiculous, and so expected that it was actually unexpected, because it had been hinted at, extremely obviously, since the very beginning.
This novel follows the downfall of a fictional wealthy family as the (dickhead) older brother, Teddy, is in the running for a political campaign. His wife is Jess, a total pushover and bore, and Teddy's younger sister Clara is Jess's best friend. Clara is suffering from a raging eating disorder and has been a handful for most of her life, which makes her the perfect target for a scandal where no one will believe her when she claims it's not real. So, when a graphic sex tape of hers is released, and she begins to suspect she may be a victim of deep fakes, neither Jess nor her (I cannot stress this enough, dickhead) brother believes her.
Maybe I should have read the description of this novel a little better, but I was not expecting the entire plot of this book to essentially be about AI and deepfakes. It's not a topic I'm at all interested in reading about, but throughout most of the book, I was surprised by how much I was enjoying it. While the plot wasn't what I typically choose to read ("Gothic"? Gothic where? Why is this book being pitched as gothic!?), I thought the writing was good, the characters were developed and clear, and I was sailing through, ready for the mystery to be solved! But once answers began to unravel, I found myself scoffing and guffawing at the ridiculousness. I cannot say anymore without giving out spoilers, but I couldn't have thought of a more anti-climatic finish than Vantage Point delivered.
This was, sadly, a flop for me! 2 stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC.
Unfortunately, Vantage Point's ending was so bad, so ridiculous, and so expected that it was actually unexpected, because it had been hinted at, extremely obviously, since the very beginning.
This novel follows the downfall of a fictional wealthy family as the (dickhead) older brother, Teddy, is in the running for a political campaign. His wife is Jess, a total pushover and bore, and Teddy's younger sister Clara is Jess's best friend. Clara is suffering from a raging eating disorder and has been a handful for most of her life, which makes her the perfect target for a scandal where no one will believe her when she claims it's not real. So, when a graphic sex tape of hers is released, and she begins to suspect she may be a victim of deep fakes, neither Jess nor her (I cannot stress this enough, dickhead) brother believes her.
Maybe I should have read the description of this novel a little better, but I was not expecting the entire plot of this book to essentially be about AI and deepfakes. It's not a topic I'm at all interested in reading about, but throughout most of the book, I was surprised by how much I was enjoying it. While the plot wasn't what I typically choose to read ("Gothic"? Gothic where? Why is this book being pitched as gothic!?), I thought the writing was good, the characters were developed and clear, and I was sailing through, ready for the mystery to be solved! But once answers began to unravel, I found myself scoffing and guffawing at the ridiculousness. I cannot say anymore without giving out spoilers, but I couldn't have thought of a more anti-climatic finish than Vantage Point delivered.
This was, sadly, a flop for me! 2 stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC.
May 24, 2024
ARC for review. To be published January 14, 2024.
Clara and Teddy Wieland come from old New England money. They grew up on an island off the coast of Maine, and they were haunted by the death of their parents when they were teenagers.
Now Teddy has married Jess, Clara’s best friend from childhood. Both he and Clara have returned to the island and they are living at Vantage Point, the family estate. Teddy is running for Senate, but scandalous tapes on Clara, then others are released, videos no one remembers making. Clara has demons of her own. Are the tapes real, and who could be trying to bring down the Wielands?
This was an OK story, but for the fact that I really liked the young versions of Teddy, Clara and Jess, but thought that, as adults, they all pretty much sucked, so I found it difficult to care what became of them. Poor little rich people. Vomit.
Clara and Teddy Wieland come from old New England money. They grew up on an island off the coast of Maine, and they were haunted by the death of their parents when they were teenagers.
Now Teddy has married Jess, Clara’s best friend from childhood. Both he and Clara have returned to the island and they are living at Vantage Point, the family estate. Teddy is running for Senate, but scandalous tapes on Clara, then others are released, videos no one remembers making. Clara has demons of her own. Are the tapes real, and who could be trying to bring down the Wielands?
This was an OK story, but for the fact that I really liked the young versions of Teddy, Clara and Jess, but thought that, as adults, they all pretty much sucked, so I found it difficult to care what became of them. Poor little rich people. Vomit.
June 7, 2024
This book is really swinging for the fences in a bunch of different ways, and most of the time only hitting doubles.
Vantage Point focuses on the remains of a rich Maine family with a tragic history. They are thought to be cursed because they can’t stop creatively dying in April. Now combine this curse with a Senate campaign, a love triangle, and completely unbelievable technology. AI, deepfakes and social media are all very real concerns in today’s world but I felt like this book went far beyond what I think will be possible even 20 years from now. I couldn’t overlook it.
We get to know two of the main characters very well as we switch perspective, but this leaves the third coming across as very flat and unpredictable.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Vantage Point focuses on the remains of a rich Maine family with a tragic history. They are thought to be cursed because they can’t stop creatively dying in April. Now combine this curse with a Senate campaign, a love triangle, and completely unbelievable technology. AI, deepfakes and social media are all very real concerns in today’s world but I felt like this book went far beyond what I think will be possible even 20 years from now. I couldn’t overlook it.
We get to know two of the main characters very well as we switch perspective, but this leaves the third coming across as very flat and unpredictable.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2024
Have been super delayed writing this review because of covid so my thoughts aren’t as fresh as they could be but this was sooo good. I loved the use of Wikipedia entries here — a great way to do exposition. This is a slightly futuristic, tech-based horror that still feels very much in the realm of possibility. Deep fakes are only going to get more realistic, and the potential consequences of that technology is honestly terrifying.
Anyway, so much to love about this. A creepy and unsettling story about the dark side of technology and the danger of men desperate for power and recognition.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Anyway, so much to love about this. A creepy and unsettling story about the dark side of technology and the danger of men desperate for power and recognition.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
June 10, 2024
There was just way too much going on. So much that I was bored and struggling to get through. I like my thrillers to be fast paced and keeping me hooked. This just wasn't it for me.
Thank you to NetGally and Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux for this ARC copy to read and review.
Vantage Point is to be published on January 14, 2025.
Thank you to NetGally and Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux for this ARC copy to read and review.
Vantage Point is to be published on January 14, 2025.
July 9, 2024
The description said “Succession meets Megan Abbott in this seductive Gothic suspense novel about the dramatic downfall of one of America’s most affluent families.” They had me at succession, but gothic suspense sealed the deal. I’d never read this author before, but I really enjoyed this read! So twisty and addicting. Honestly very entertaining. Can’t wait to read more by this author.
June 18, 2024
Did I like this book? Yes,
Was the plot interesting? Yes
The curse/wikipedia entries were excellent, as were the throwbacks into Jess and Clara’s pasts.
The technology described in the book seemed a bit reaching- I have never heard of perfectly opaque hologram projections…
Also, it’s definitely a case of unreliable narration which, if you somehow missed it on your own, the author spells it out for you in the final chapter. I found that unnecessary. Lots going on here - cool free ARC from NetGalley
Was the plot interesting? Yes
The curse/wikipedia entries were excellent, as were the throwbacks into Jess and Clara’s pasts.
The technology described in the book seemed a bit reaching- I have never heard of perfectly opaque hologram projections…
Also, it’s definitely a case of unreliable narration which, if you somehow missed it on your own, the author spells it out for you in the final chapter. I found that unnecessary. Lots going on here - cool free ARC from NetGalley
June 28, 2024
Vantage Point is the kind of psychological thriller that made me feel truly anxious while reading it because the concept is so bizarre and disturbing, yet something that could plausibly actually happen at some point given advances in AI technology. I also felt incredibly anxious reading each characters' chapters as the events slowly unfolded and they confronted what they thought was reality. In addition I appreciated the chapters that provided backstory to who these characters are and what led to their current undoing.
The Wielands are an extremely wealthy family in Maine with a "curse" upon them, clearly inspired by the so-called "Kennedy Curse." Clara and Teddy are the sole survivors of their immediate family after their parents died in a tragic curse related accident 16 years prior (at least Clara believes in the curse, other characters dismiss it as coincidence) and Teddy is Clara's legal guardian despite them both being adults now. Without going into too much detail as it relates to the plot, Clara is in a conservatorship due to mental health issues. Teddy is also married to Clara's best friend Jess which puts strain on their friendship for reasons that are more than just platonic.
Teddy feels a calling to run for Senator representing Maine and their lives begin to unravel starting with a sex tape of Clara appearing online and Clara seeing disturbing and hyperrealistic visions. Then they all begin to question their reality as a variety of videos drop online exposing the Wielands as rich, out of touch assholes, and they see each other in real life doing a variety of out of character and cruel things which they don't actually remember doing.
This book has some cliches around class issues and the trope of a "poor woman" being rescued and given a "good life" by a rich man, however it isn't laid on too heavy, and despite their wealth, Clara and also Jess, are shown to be self aware about it enough to not be completely insufferable, especially Clara who was born rich as a Wieland. Some of Clara's choices were frustrating to read, but I understood that she was coming from a place of being treated like a child her entire life due to mental illness. I appreciated also how the book depicts that a man's "care" can also be a form of coercive control and that conservatorships are abusive no matter what anyone's intentions (this should be clear anyway for anyone who followed the Britney Spears case). This also applies to the institution of marriage and the power dynamics in a marriage with a man who is from a much wealthier social/economic class than the woman he marries.
Vantage Point is also fascinating in how it explores how AI and other forms of virtual reality can be used to psychologically torment people. This is magnified when a person being tormented is already regarded as unreliable and unstable. In real life AI is being used as a way to psychologically terrorize people with the rise of fake pornographic images being made of both celebrities and every day women who are targeted. Plenty of people believe AI images of anything are real despite various ways we currently have to know if something isn't an actual photograph. Even the keenest eye can be fooled no matter what and it's terrifying to think of what consequences there could be. Reading this book was horrifying in that it really laid bare how lives can be destroyed by deceptions like this.
I absolutely love thrillers that are slow burning, scary, and at times made me cringe (in a good way! I'd recommend this for fans of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang). This was a mystery that I absolutely did not want to put down. I also loved reading a mystery that wasn't a murder mystery. I definitely want to read Sara Sligar's first book, Take Me Apart, after reading this.
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.
The Wielands are an extremely wealthy family in Maine with a "curse" upon them, clearly inspired by the so-called "Kennedy Curse." Clara and Teddy are the sole survivors of their immediate family after their parents died in a tragic curse related accident 16 years prior (at least Clara believes in the curse, other characters dismiss it as coincidence) and Teddy is Clara's legal guardian despite them both being adults now. Without going into too much detail as it relates to the plot, Clara is in a conservatorship due to mental health issues. Teddy is also married to Clara's best friend Jess which puts strain on their friendship for reasons that are more than just platonic.
Teddy feels a calling to run for Senator representing Maine and their lives begin to unravel starting with a sex tape of Clara appearing online and Clara seeing disturbing and hyperrealistic visions. Then they all begin to question their reality as a variety of videos drop online exposing the Wielands as rich, out of touch assholes, and they see each other in real life doing a variety of out of character and cruel things which they don't actually remember doing.
This book has some cliches around class issues and the trope of a "poor woman" being rescued and given a "good life" by a rich man, however it isn't laid on too heavy, and despite their wealth, Clara and also Jess, are shown to be self aware about it enough to not be completely insufferable, especially Clara who was born rich as a Wieland. Some of Clara's choices were frustrating to read, but I understood that she was coming from a place of being treated like a child her entire life due to mental illness. I appreciated also how the book depicts that a man's "care" can also be a form of coercive control and that conservatorships are abusive no matter what anyone's intentions (this should be clear anyway for anyone who followed the Britney Spears case). This also applies to the institution of marriage and the power dynamics in a marriage with a man who is from a much wealthier social/economic class than the woman he marries.
Vantage Point is also fascinating in how it explores how AI and other forms of virtual reality can be used to psychologically torment people. This is magnified when a person being tormented is already regarded as unreliable and unstable. In real life AI is being used as a way to psychologically terrorize people with the rise of fake pornographic images being made of both celebrities and every day women who are targeted. Plenty of people believe AI images of anything are real despite various ways we currently have to know if something isn't an actual photograph. Even the keenest eye can be fooled no matter what and it's terrifying to think of what consequences there could be. Reading this book was horrifying in that it really laid bare how lives can be destroyed by deceptions like this.
I absolutely love thrillers that are slow burning, scary, and at times made me cringe (in a good way! I'd recommend this for fans of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang). This was a mystery that I absolutely did not want to put down. I also loved reading a mystery that wasn't a murder mystery. I definitely want to read Sara Sligar's first book, Take Me Apart, after reading this.
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.
July 7, 2024
Vantage Point by Sara Sligar has been aptly titled. Vantage Point is the name of the uber-wealthy Weiland family home, but also a description of how each character sees their situation. Clara and Teddy Weiland are siblings who have inherited Vantage Point because their parents died possibly due to a family curse. They have money and live in luxury, but many of their ancestors died in freak accidents, as their parents did.
Teddy is Clara’s protector, in the absence of parents and being the older sibling. When Clara becomes a problem, doing drugs and partying a little too frequently and a little too hard as well as binging and purging, Teddy needs to be close to Clara to try to keep her safe from herself. In the process, he falls in love with and eventually marries, her best friend Jess, who grew up in a much more modest way being the daughter of a single mother.
Teddy is making a run for the US Senate, but things start unraveling when a sex video of Clara and an unidentified man is released on social media, she also suffers from anorexia and is sickly thin in the video. What is worse, she does not remember making the video or in fact who the man is.
At first Teddy was taking the electorate easily, going on tour making speeches and getting all kinds of media attention and endorsements. Teddy’s Senate run becomes challenging when more videos are released. Clara fears the curse is coming after her now, she cannot recall the things from the videos. Other strange things start to happen and Clara resorts to old habits while trying to deal with them.
From the vantage point of each of the three main characters, reactions to their collective situation varies, the book is surprising and unfortunately all too possible in modern times. It is a mystery and a puzzle worth working out, but you probably won’t be able to put all the pieces together until the very end of the story.
Teddy is Clara’s protector, in the absence of parents and being the older sibling. When Clara becomes a problem, doing drugs and partying a little too frequently and a little too hard as well as binging and purging, Teddy needs to be close to Clara to try to keep her safe from herself. In the process, he falls in love with and eventually marries, her best friend Jess, who grew up in a much more modest way being the daughter of a single mother.
Teddy is making a run for the US Senate, but things start unraveling when a sex video of Clara and an unidentified man is released on social media, she also suffers from anorexia and is sickly thin in the video. What is worse, she does not remember making the video or in fact who the man is.
At first Teddy was taking the electorate easily, going on tour making speeches and getting all kinds of media attention and endorsements. Teddy’s Senate run becomes challenging when more videos are released. Clara fears the curse is coming after her now, she cannot recall the things from the videos. Other strange things start to happen and Clara resorts to old habits while trying to deal with them.
From the vantage point of each of the three main characters, reactions to their collective situation varies, the book is surprising and unfortunately all too possible in modern times. It is a mystery and a puzzle worth working out, but you probably won’t be able to put all the pieces together until the very end of the story.
June 14, 2024
The vantage point :
Thank you to Netgalley, Farrar, Strauss & Giroux and the author for providing me the eARC of The vantage point.
Modern technology - a BOON or BAN??
A Vantage point is a position or place that allows one a wide or favourable overall view of a scene or situation which is ironically quite contrary to the circumstances the characters are currently facing.
Clara and Jess are bestfriend's since middle school despite their vastly different upbringings. This is their story over the years, detailing the doubts and setbacks they have faced both individually and together, and the looming family curse that threatens to disrupt their seemingly perfect lives.
Starting with the premise, it had everything I wanted: multiple POVs, mystery creating tension, a story set on a small island, a generational curse, and a fresh take on modern technology. The writing was good and immersive, but that's where the positives end. Despite these promising elements, the execution fell short. I had heard a lot about the author's previous book and was genuinely excited after getting the eARC, but my expectations were not met at all.
The mystery was well-crafted and kept me suspecting everyone, but the final reveal and the motive disrupted everything. The ending felt abrupt and off-putting to the point where it simply didn't make any sense.
The one two aspects I appreciated were the portrayal of human complexity woven throughout the story, prompting reflection. It highlighted how people are rarely content with what they have, often envying others who, in turn, envy them, believing everyone else leads a better life. And the portrayal of eating disorder.
CW: Death of a loved one, description of several accidents, social media harrassment, eating disorder and grief.
Thank you to Netgalley, Farrar, Strauss & Giroux and the author for providing me the eARC of The vantage point.
Modern technology - a BOON or BAN??
A Vantage point is a position or place that allows one a wide or favourable overall view of a scene or situation which is ironically quite contrary to the circumstances the characters are currently facing.
Clara and Jess are bestfriend's since middle school despite their vastly different upbringings. This is their story over the years, detailing the doubts and setbacks they have faced both individually and together, and the looming family curse that threatens to disrupt their seemingly perfect lives.
Starting with the premise, it had everything I wanted: multiple POVs, mystery creating tension, a story set on a small island, a generational curse, and a fresh take on modern technology. The writing was good and immersive, but that's where the positives end. Despite these promising elements, the execution fell short. I had heard a lot about the author's previous book and was genuinely excited after getting the eARC, but my expectations were not met at all.
The mystery was well-crafted and kept me suspecting everyone, but the final reveal and the motive disrupted everything. The ending felt abrupt and off-putting to the point where it simply didn't make any sense.
The one two aspects I appreciated were the portrayal of human complexity woven throughout the story, prompting reflection. It highlighted how people are rarely content with what they have, often envying others who, in turn, envy them, believing everyone else leads a better life. And the portrayal of eating disorder.
CW: Death of a loved one, description of several accidents, social media harrassment, eating disorder and grief.
June 29, 2024
“So no, I don’t have any idea what the real me looks like: in my wildest dreams, I don’t look like anything at all.”
Vantage Point is a tech thriller that explores the theme of deepfake technology (which is so terrifying tbh)
The plot follows Clara Wieland, a woman who’s part of one of the United States’ wealthiest and most powerful families. Oh, and her family is kinda cursed! Every single Wieland for generations has died a strange and tragic death, including her parents. In the middle of her brother Teddy’s political campaign to become senator, a revenge porn video of Clara comes out and becomes extremely viral. The thing is… she’s not completely sure that the girl in the video is actually her.
Throughout the story we follow Clara’s POV and we also follow her best friend and Teddy’s wife, Jess, as the deepfake videos keep coming out and creating tension between the three of them. I wouldn’t categorize this as a mystery thriller because the main characters (and we as the reader) sort of suspect what’s happening and who’s behind it pretty much the whole time. I would categorize this as a very suspenseful, very eerie family drama with tech elements that would be fun for John Marrs fans.
One thing I really loved about Vantage Point was the eating disorder representation, and how Clara felt so disconnected from her body due to her illness that she truly doesn’t know what she looks like (so real for that), and how that plays into the deepfake debacle. I thought that was so smart!
Definitely keep this one on your radar, it comes out January 2025!
thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC copy.
Vantage Point is a tech thriller that explores the theme of deepfake technology (which is so terrifying tbh)
The plot follows Clara Wieland, a woman who’s part of one of the United States’ wealthiest and most powerful families. Oh, and her family is kinda cursed! Every single Wieland for generations has died a strange and tragic death, including her parents. In the middle of her brother Teddy’s political campaign to become senator, a revenge porn video of Clara comes out and becomes extremely viral. The thing is… she’s not completely sure that the girl in the video is actually her.
Throughout the story we follow Clara’s POV and we also follow her best friend and Teddy’s wife, Jess, as the deepfake videos keep coming out and creating tension between the three of them. I wouldn’t categorize this as a mystery thriller because the main characters (and we as the reader) sort of suspect what’s happening and who’s behind it pretty much the whole time. I would categorize this as a very suspenseful, very eerie family drama with tech elements that would be fun for John Marrs fans.
One thing I really loved about Vantage Point was the eating disorder representation, and how Clara felt so disconnected from her body due to her illness that she truly doesn’t know what she looks like (so real for that), and how that plays into the deepfake debacle. I thought that was so smart!
Definitely keep this one on your radar, it comes out January 2025!
thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC copy.
Read
June 11, 2024Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for sharing “Vantage Point” by Sara Sligar. Vantage Point is the story about best friends Clara Wieland and Jess. Clara and her brother Teddy are from the wealthy and powerful Wieland family. The Wieland kids grew up at Vantage Point a well known estate on an island. There is a belief among the locals that the Wieland family is cursed as family members over the years have died in the month of April. Jess is brought up by a single mom and works for all she has. She and Clara become friends in elementary school. In high school, Clara goes off to Halpern School in New Hampshire and Jess stays at the public high school on the island. As a teen while home on break from private school, Clara witnesses her parents’ death and is haunted by the loss. There is a distance in the friendship that continues from high school through college. After a fight with her mom, Jess visits Clara in NYC. After this visit an incident occurs and they are back in each others lives. Jess marries Teddy who later is running for a Senate seat when things get turned upside down. The three lives will never be the same.
I enjoyed the book and the twist and turns. I would recommend to others who like unexpected twist.
I did feel the later half of story wasn’t as compelling as the first half. Teddy’s changes seemed abrupt without any previous examples or signs. The final chapter ended in my mind abruptly without many details that led to end.
I enjoyed the book and the twist and turns. I would recommend to others who like unexpected twist.
I did feel the later half of story wasn’t as compelling as the first half. Teddy’s changes seemed abrupt without any previous examples or signs. The final chapter ended in my mind abruptly without many details that led to end.
June 7, 2024
Thanks NetGalley for the arc!!!
It’s books like this one that make me want to read thrillers more often. Vantage Point was excellent.
Having a family curse is tough, and no one is more aware of that fact than the Weiland Family. Each April, they walk on eggshells trying to keep the curse at bay. Siblings Teddy and Clara Weiland lost their parents in a freak accident 16 years before the events of the story. Along with Clara’s childhood best friend and wife of Teddy, Jess, the Weilands start blaming the curse for a series of personal attacks ranging from leaked videos to hallucinations. Will it ruin Teddy’s senate campaign? Will it send Clara back over the edge? Where does it leave Jess, the outsider?
The mystery of this thriller took a while to unravel, but when it did, boy did I fly through the rest of the story. The pacing was a little slow for me at the beginning, but it eventually picked up about 60% in. Then I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading.
The characters were unlikable, but I think that was the point. Spoiled little rich kids always get what they want right? WRONG. But I couldn’t help but root for Clara. She was so fierce, even when everyone seemed against her. She took care of business.
I’d absolutely recommend Vantage Point. It might be more fitting for people used to reading thrillers, so thriller newbies might want to ease themselves in.
It’s books like this one that make me want to read thrillers more often. Vantage Point was excellent.
Having a family curse is tough, and no one is more aware of that fact than the Weiland Family. Each April, they walk on eggshells trying to keep the curse at bay. Siblings Teddy and Clara Weiland lost their parents in a freak accident 16 years before the events of the story. Along with Clara’s childhood best friend and wife of Teddy, Jess, the Weilands start blaming the curse for a series of personal attacks ranging from leaked videos to hallucinations. Will it ruin Teddy’s senate campaign? Will it send Clara back over the edge? Where does it leave Jess, the outsider?
The mystery of this thriller took a while to unravel, but when it did, boy did I fly through the rest of the story. The pacing was a little slow for me at the beginning, but it eventually picked up about 60% in. Then I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading.
The characters were unlikable, but I think that was the point. Spoiled little rich kids always get what they want right? WRONG. But I couldn’t help but root for Clara. She was so fierce, even when everyone seemed against her. She took care of business.
I’d absolutely recommend Vantage Point. It might be more fitting for people used to reading thrillers, so thriller newbies might want to ease themselves in.
June 30, 2024
Great read! I think I’d call it a literary thriller because there is suspense, mystery, drama. It’s just packaged in better quality writing and character work than you expect. Light on the mystery, though - there aren’t multiple levels of twists like you typically get in a genre thriller.
This is from the POV of two women, Jess and Clara, longtime friends. Jess is now married to Clara’s brother Teddy. Teddy and Clara’s family are part of the blue uber rich, and the book follows Teddy’s first senatorial campaign. But damaging videos of them start getting posted online, and Clara starts seeing impossible things. What follows is an unraveling of relationships and a lot of reflection on past choices.
I absolutely loved the plot of this book. It was such a good time. I also thought the dialogue was fantastic. It felt authentic and led to some real awful scenes that had me like 😱😱 just over what someone said. It’s also frightening to think what deepfakes and AI mean for our ability to trust our own memories.
It did some things villain-wise I don’t love, but also some things I thought were interesting. The things I didn’t love did affect my rating, but obviously would be spoiler-y to specify here.
I found this to be a very compelling read, and I’ll definitely read more from Sligar!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This is from the POV of two women, Jess and Clara, longtime friends. Jess is now married to Clara’s brother Teddy. Teddy and Clara’s family are part of the blue uber rich, and the book follows Teddy’s first senatorial campaign. But damaging videos of them start getting posted online, and Clara starts seeing impossible things. What follows is an unraveling of relationships and a lot of reflection on past choices.
I absolutely loved the plot of this book. It was such a good time. I also thought the dialogue was fantastic. It felt authentic and led to some real awful scenes that had me like 😱😱 just over what someone said. It’s also frightening to think what deepfakes and AI mean for our ability to trust our own memories.
It did some things villain-wise I don’t love, but also some things I thought were interesting. The things I didn’t love did affect my rating, but obviously would be spoiler-y to specify here.
I found this to be a very compelling read, and I’ll definitely read more from Sligar!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 10, 2024
I liked the idea of this book and the gothic vibes with the family curse, but it moved very slowly in the middle and the deepfakes and holograms took away from the gothic vibes. I feel like it would have held my interest more if the events that happened to these characters were natural.
Likes-
•Wikipedia articles detailing the deaths of ancestors, all in the cursed month of April
•Character development for Clara and Jess
•Flashbacks of their childhood friendship leading up to Jess marrying Clara’s brother
•Mysterious elements surrounding the videos and rattling their brains over whether they were real
Dislikes-
•Teddy. What a grade-a asshole.
•Deepfakes and holograms- I just didn’t feel like they fit. As the story played out and the reason behind them became known, I got it. But they took away from the gothic vibes of the story. I felt like I was reading two different stories.
•The ending statements. Why would the sister and the wife switch places and make people believe they’re the other? It was just weird.
Maybe it’s because I requested this ARC because I wanted a solid, gothic mystery and it just didn’t hit like I hoped it would.
Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to provide an honest review.
Likes-
•Wikipedia articles detailing the deaths of ancestors, all in the cursed month of April
•Character development for Clara and Jess
•Flashbacks of their childhood friendship leading up to Jess marrying Clara’s brother
•Mysterious elements surrounding the videos and rattling their brains over whether they were real
Dislikes-
•Teddy. What a grade-a asshole.
•Deepfakes and holograms- I just didn’t feel like they fit. As the story played out and the reason behind them became known, I got it. But they took away from the gothic vibes of the story. I felt like I was reading two different stories.
•The ending statements. Why would the sister and the wife switch places and make people believe they’re the other? It was just weird.
Maybe it’s because I requested this ARC because I wanted a solid, gothic mystery and it just didn’t hit like I hoped it would.
Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to provide an honest review.
June 14, 2024
3.5 stars - Clara and Teddy Wieland were orphaned as teenagers and inherited their infamous family estate, "Vantage Point". The story mostly follows them as adults, but ping-pongs back to their childhoods and late-teen years to further explain the caveats of the sibling relationship. Over the course of the first few chapters, you learn (via "Wikipedia" entries) about the Wieland Curse and those who have fallen to it, which adds to the plotline and builds the story nicely and provides some dark humor.
While there are overarching themes about privacy, slut-shaming, classism, political optics, and deepfakes, the author stays very surface-level and doesn't delve too much into detail. The references make it feel current but glossed over, as if they're only being introduced to check off a buzzword.
As much as I enjoyed the writing, I had a very hard time completing this book. This is one of those instances where the first chapter of the book tells you the entire storyline, and then you spend the whole time looking for other ways it could end differently.
Thank you to NetGalley, and Farrar, Strauss & Giroux for the advance copy for my honest consideration!
While there are overarching themes about privacy, slut-shaming, classism, political optics, and deepfakes, the author stays very surface-level and doesn't delve too much into detail. The references make it feel current but glossed over, as if they're only being introduced to check off a buzzword.
As much as I enjoyed the writing, I had a very hard time completing this book. This is one of those instances where the first chapter of the book tells you the entire storyline, and then you spend the whole time looking for other ways it could end differently.
Thank you to NetGalley, and Farrar, Strauss & Giroux for the advance copy for my honest consideration!
May 12, 2024
Do you ever read a book and love it so much you actually struggle to articulate your praise? Like the book is so good it leaves you a little tongue tied? That's me with Vantage Point. I don't know how it's possible for a novel to approach so many complex topics--the fallibility of vision, the increasing unreliability of our visual world, the rise of the deepfake, the porous quality of memory--and *still* be a perfectly paced and expertly plotted read. I mean, omg, it's gorgeous. And all set on the most gothic, evocative, and exclusive stretch of coastline in Maine? I swooned. Am still swooning. Will probably take months to recover from this swoon.
I know people often say books are "urgent" and sometimes it feels like that doesn't really mean anything, but this book *is* urgent and is told with a propulsive insistence that makes it impossible to put down. Totally transfixing. Readers are in for a treat.
I know people often say books are "urgent" and sometimes it feels like that doesn't really mean anything, but this book *is* urgent and is told with a propulsive insistence that makes it impossible to put down. Totally transfixing. Readers are in for a treat.
May 27, 2024
Vantage Point by Sara Slinger was gripping and so hard to put down! The story sucked me in from the start and, especially in the first half had me questioning everything.
The back half was a bit more underwhelming. There were some ideas that I would have loved to have been further developed and others that could have been paced a bit quicker. I also wished there'd been more backstory to support the final act; in some ways it seemed to come out of nowhere and the point that Aurther was making would have been more powerful with long-term examples throughout the story.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone interested in political scandals, exploring reality in a digital world, and patient suspense-fans.
Thank you Netgallery, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Sara Sligar for this ARC. All opinions shared are honest and my own.
The back half was a bit more underwhelming. There were some ideas that I would have loved to have been further developed and others that could have been paced a bit quicker. I also wished there'd been more backstory to support the final act; in some ways it seemed to come out of nowhere and the point that Aurther was making would have been more powerful with long-term examples throughout the story.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone interested in political scandals, exploring reality in a digital world, and patient suspense-fans.
Thank you Netgallery, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Sara Sligar for this ARC. All opinions shared are honest and my own.
July 1, 2024
I received a copy of this early release in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the opportunity.
Vantage Point, releasing in January 2025, is a modern thriller centered on one wealthy family in Maine, and the curse that seems to follow them through the generations. This a very modern plotline, centered on AI and deepfakes, but shot through with gothic elements. Much of the action, for example, takes place at their aptly named estate, Vantage Point. It was this setup that really appealed to me, and the story delivered on much of that promise.
I enjoyed that we got two POVs: Clara (daughter in the family and strong believer in the curse) and Jess (Clara’s lifelong best friend and wife to Clara’s brother Teddy, who effectively runs the family business). And the backstory of the curse is explained in a very smart way -- through newspaper clippings interspersed throughout the novel.
We watch these characters wrestle with major challenges and setbacks, dealt to them often using these technologies. What interested me most was seeing their trust in what they saw and heard on a screen over believing what they were told from family and longtime friends. Trust, in so many ways, was the overall theme.
The ending didn't do it for me, so I knocked off a 1/2 star for that. But, I have been thinking about the story and the themes since I finished reading, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in exploring these topics within a well-paced thriller. 3.5 stars.
CONTENT WARNING: Deep discussion of eating disorders
Vantage Point, releasing in January 2025, is a modern thriller centered on one wealthy family in Maine, and the curse that seems to follow them through the generations. This a very modern plotline, centered on AI and deepfakes, but shot through with gothic elements. Much of the action, for example, takes place at their aptly named estate, Vantage Point. It was this setup that really appealed to me, and the story delivered on much of that promise.
I enjoyed that we got two POVs: Clara (daughter in the family and strong believer in the curse) and Jess (Clara’s lifelong best friend and wife to Clara’s brother Teddy, who effectively runs the family business). And the backstory of the curse is explained in a very smart way -- through newspaper clippings interspersed throughout the novel.
We watch these characters wrestle with major challenges and setbacks, dealt to them often using these technologies. What interested me most was seeing their trust in what they saw and heard on a screen over believing what they were told from family and longtime friends. Trust, in so many ways, was the overall theme.
The ending didn't do it for me, so I knocked off a 1/2 star for that. But, I have been thinking about the story and the themes since I finished reading, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in exploring these topics within a well-paced thriller. 3.5 stars.
CONTENT WARNING: Deep discussion of eating disorders
May 28, 2024
This is a fascinating look at a family who is so dysfunctional that it's sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction! Clara and Teddy are siblings and Teddy is running for the senate when a sex-tape of Clara surfaces and she has no memory of any of it. But there is a family "curse" as their parents died sixteen years ago, so she isn't really surprised and spends most of the novel trying to figure out if she's mentally ill or if someone is holding a grudge against her. It's a completely crazy story that feels like you may be on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland until the truth comes out!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
June 20, 2024
This is a very intriguing story. It is narrated by the 2 main female characters, Clara and Jess.
There are other characters, of course. You learn about them from the narrators.
The plot revolves around deepfakes, videos and holograms. It shows how the most innocent comment or occurrence can be turned into a disaster
I'm still not sure if I loved the ending or hated it. I will say it was reasonably satisfying and appropriate for the plot.
I would recommend this book.
TW: Eating Disorder
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Vantage Point
#NetGalley#FarrarStrausAndGiroux#SaraSligar#VantagePoint
There are other characters, of course. You learn about them from the narrators.
The plot revolves around deepfakes, videos and holograms. It shows how the most innocent comment or occurrence can be turned into a disaster
I'm still not sure if I loved the ending or hated it. I will say it was reasonably satisfying and appropriate for the plot.
I would recommend this book.
TW: Eating Disorder
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Vantage Point
#NetGalley#FarrarStrausAndGiroux#SaraSligar#VantagePoint
July 5, 2024
The Wieland family is one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in the US. However, they are also known for the bad luck that follows them through the generations. Teddy and Clara Wieland lost their parents tragically at a young age. Now, years later, hoping they can put the past behind them, Teddy, his wife Jess and sister Clara decide to move back to their home at Vantage Point. But when Teddy decides to run for the Senate, it seems that someone is out to destroy the family. Damning videos of Clara surface and no one can tell if they are real or “deep fakes”. But that is just the start of what seems to be the Wieland curse returning.
July 10, 2024
Vantage Point by Sara Sligar introduces us to Clara Wieland a wealthy anorexic who is taken care of by her brother Teddy. Also a story teller is Jess, Clara’s best friend who marries Teddy. The Wieland family is cursed especially during the month of April. The story progresses through alternating chapters between Clara and Jess. A very clever techno thriller. It was good to see Clara mature and begin to take care of herself. It was good to see Jess begin to look at her husband as he deals with failures and struggles. Thank you to NetGalley and MCD for letting me review this book in exchange for an honest review.
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