A taut thriller reminiscent of the most recent "Invisible Man" movie and of "The Woman in the Window," that touches on the disbelief many women face and the dangers of how misuse of tech can spread untruths that go unchecked well after they've already caused a fire.

Told in two main character voices, it unspools with a mix of clear hints to what's going on in the present and world building about a family's historical curse, which makes it super readable even as it perhaps goes into a little too much detail about a character's eating disorder (TW for those who might need it). And it has a killer closing paragraph to boot!

So thankful to Netgalley for the ARC because I loved Sara Sligar's first book, Take Me Apart. She's a very smart writer working in a genre that I love. She's not afraid to slow down the plot to focus on character development, and her premises are incredibly original. Big fan!

The Wieland name has a lot of power and influence in their small Maine island - they have influence and money....and unfortunately a curse. The month of April is unsafe for the Wieland blood and name as famously so many family tragedies have occurred for them in that month. During a freak accident that she feels is her fault, teenage Clara Wieland witnessed the untimely death of both her parents while on a walk on their property. 14 years later she is back home on the island except now her best friend, Jess, has married her brother, Teddy, and is living in her family home and she is helping him run their family business while he is running for Senate. She is managing to get her life back together after the trauma of losing her parents and recovering from an eating disorder. Things are finally starting to look up for her until one April day someone posts a sex tape of her online- one she doesn't even remember filming! When a second embarrassing family video is released, the relationship between Clara, Jess and Teddy is forever altered. Trust is broken and Jess and Teddy are afraid that Clara is relapsing and losing her grip when she feels the family curse is coming for her.

This book had so much going on! I can't believe how much occurred in the final third! I felt like it was all over the place, but I enjoyed going on the ride. One of my favorite parts were the little Wikipedia articles explaining the different Wieland members who succumbed to the curse. Many different themes were explored in this book- mental health, eating disorders, revenge porn, politics, classism, technology, and AI. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the advanced eBook in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Sara Sligar’s Vantage Point is a masterful blend of Gothic suspense and contemporary thriller, set against the backdrop of a wealthy family’s unraveling. This novel, with its intricate plot and richly developed characters, is a testament to Sligar’s skill in crafting stories that are both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling.

The story revolves around the Wieland family, an old-money dynasty with a history marred by tragedy and scandal. Clara Wieland and her brother, Teddy, return to their family mansion, Vantage Point, on a secluded island in Maine. Teddy, now married to Clara’s best friend, Jess, is running for the Senate, a move that brings the family’s past back into the spotlight. The plot thickens when intimate videos of Clara surface online, videos she has no memory of making.

Sligar excels in creating multi-dimensional characters. Clara is a compelling protagonist, her struggle with mental health and the weight of her family’s legacy making her journey both relatable and poignant. Teddy’s political ambitions and Jess’s loyalty add layers of complexity to the narrative. The supporting characters, including the enigmatic residents of the island and the ever-present media, enrich the story with their own secrets and motivations.

The author’s writing style is both lyrical and suspenseful. Sligar’s prose captures the eerie atmosphere of the island and the grandeur of the family mansion, enhancing the Gothic elements of the story. Her ability to build tension is evident throughout, with each chapter revealing new twists that keep readers engaged.

Vantage Point explores the blurred lines between public and private personas, the impact of digital manipulation, and the haunting legacy of family secrets. Sligar delves into the psychological effects of trauma and the lengths people will go to protect their reputations. The novel also raises important questions about the nature of truth in the digital age, where reality can be easily distorted.

Overall, Vantage Point is a sophisticated and gripping novel that will appeal to fans of Gothic suspense and psychological thrillers. Sara Sligar delivers a story that is chilling and thought-provoking.

Overall I really liked this book a lot. Deep complex and overall satisfying. Many issues were explored, class, social media, revenge porn, political campaigning, bulimia, mental health, trusting your self, family curses and family relationships as well as deep life long friendships. It was a little slow at times but overall, I loved reading these two women's stories 4.5

“My blood is in this place, and it’s in my blood. An oath between us, holding me in thrall.”

In a story where the setting becomes a character of its own, Sara Sligar’s “ Vantage Point” blurs the lines between science fiction and crime. It has all the traits of a classic “whodunit” - dirty old money, a family curse, blatant motive - while giving the familiar genre an interesting twist by integrating the limitless potential of artificial intelligence. The story follows an antithetical brother sister duo: Clara- painted as the unstable younger sister, and Teddy, revered as the intelligent and sensible older brother. Their parents? Dead- unquestionably due to the “Wieland curse” that has hovered over the family and claimed lives across generations. The curse is an ever present threat as Teddy launches a political campaign and Clara navigates an online scandal. The story builds exponentially, but all that momentum comes to an abrupt crash when true motives are revealed.

Like Clara and Vantage Point, Sligar’s novel held me captive. While some of the elements seemed far-fetched, and others too predictable, the writing kept me hooked and lost in the imaginary worlds-both physical and virtual- that she created.

Thank you to NetGalley and FSG for the eARC. Would recommend this to any crime/mystery lover with interest in science fiction!

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.