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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.
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 grip on reality, but she knows the videos are only the beginning. Years ago the curse destroyed her parents. Now it’s coming for her. 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 the digital age.
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 grip on reality, but she knows the videos are only the beginning. Years ago the curse destroyed her parents. Now it’s coming for her. 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 the digital age.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2025
279 people are currently reading
18454 people want to read
About the author
Sara Sligar
3 books284 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 573 reviews
April 29, 2025
i miss succession too much not to read books compared to it
this was a fun thriller in the way of ... GASP! PLOT TWIST! UNBELIEVABLE! WHY WOULD HE DO THAT? CAN'T THEY BE NICE TO EACH OTHER? I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THIS, IS THIS REAL?
it was not a good book in the way of feeling like characters were full or had logical arcs or were normal to each other, but.
i found it interesting when i was reading it, so that's something.
it's like succession in that it's about insane rich siblings who are horrible, but the similarities really do end there so be forewarned.
i liked the setup of this, but it took a bit too long to get to its plot and then kind of descended into abrupt chaos and madness rather than leading us there. i felt unsatisfied by this book, but i did have trouble putting it down, so. pros and cons.
bottom line: take the good with the bad!
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
this was a fun thriller in the way of ... GASP! PLOT TWIST! UNBELIEVABLE! WHY WOULD HE DO THAT? CAN'T THEY BE NICE TO EACH OTHER? I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THIS, IS THIS REAL?
it was not a good book in the way of feeling like characters were full or had logical arcs or were normal to each other, but.
i found it interesting when i was reading it, so that's something.
it's like succession in that it's about insane rich siblings who are horrible, but the similarities really do end there so be forewarned.
i liked the setup of this, but it took a bit too long to get to its plot and then kind of descended into abrupt chaos and madness rather than leading us there. i felt unsatisfied by this book, but i did have trouble putting it down, so. pros and cons.
bottom line: take the good with the bad!
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
February 5, 2025
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
February 20, 2025
Domestic gothic suspense meets dubious technology in VANTAGE POINT, an engrossing mystery surrounding the downfall of an affluent Maine family. Teddy Wieland's run for senate is threatened when compromising videos of his sister Clara are released, and that's just the start of their troubles. She doesn't remember making the videos, but could a fake be that convincing?
I enjoyed getting caught up in the Wieland's dysfunctional family drama, including a curse that has plagued the family for many decades (a nod to the Kennedys, no doubt). The techno-elements worked well, and were rather unsettling, TBH. This was an intriguing character-driven mystery that held my interest throughout. Unique concept. Would make a great TV series! I loved the atmospheric Maine island setting too.
I enjoyed getting caught up in the Wieland's dysfunctional family drama, including a curse that has plagued the family for many decades (a nod to the Kennedys, no doubt). The techno-elements worked well, and were rather unsettling, TBH. This was an intriguing character-driven mystery that held my interest throughout. Unique concept. Would make a great TV series! I loved the atmospheric Maine island setting too.
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.
Want to read
April 30, 2025If a child kidnapper (like those your parents warned you against when you were little) came up to me and mentioned Succession (instead of candies), I'm pretty sure my almost-20-year-old arse would gladly fall for it. I would willingly haul myself to the dickie of the car too.
January 30, 2025
Listen, I can be fun. I can read a deeply unserious book just for kicks and have a good time with it.
What I struggle with is unserious books that are marketed as something else. I have to know what I’m getting into!
Anyway, Vantage Point is a confusing hodgepodge of ideas, with several promising threads and no ability to follow any of them anywhere that means anything. Oh, you thought the idea of the family curse was interesting? It peters out about halfway through the novel and doesn’t really come back. You thought Clara’s “hallucinations” introduced a neat psychological element into the story? Too bad, that plot point barely lasts a chapter before it’s explained away in a different way. You enjoyed the thoughtful writing about the three main characters and their relationships with one another at the beginning of the book? Don’t get too attached, because by the midway point, they’ll be behaving in ways that come totally out of left field and don’t always have the appropriate groundwork laid for their motivations to make sense.
Is this a story about how people can hurt their loved ones by trying too hard to help them? Is it a story about how wealth corrupts from within? Is it a commentary on the dangers of AI? I genuinely couldn’t tell you, because despite all of those threads being introduced at varying points in the story, none of them ultimately goes anywhere that feels meaningful.
Also, the explanation of what is actually happening to this family is not only incredibly unserious, it is also revealed FAR too early, removing any of the tension previously built.
If you kick back and don’t think about any of that too hard, I think the story can still be enjoyable, and the writing is solid. But man, I wish I’d had a better idea what I was getting myself into from the start so I wasn’t so disappointed when these promising ideas started getting left behind.
3 stars
What I struggle with is unserious books that are marketed as something else. I have to know what I’m getting into!
Anyway, Vantage Point is a confusing hodgepodge of ideas, with several promising threads and no ability to follow any of them anywhere that means anything. Oh, you thought the idea of the family curse was interesting? It peters out about halfway through the novel and doesn’t really come back. You thought Clara’s “hallucinations” introduced a neat psychological element into the story? Too bad, that plot point barely lasts a chapter before it’s explained away in a different way. You enjoyed the thoughtful writing about the three main characters and their relationships with one another at the beginning of the book? Don’t get too attached, because by the midway point, they’ll be behaving in ways that come totally out of left field and don’t always have the appropriate groundwork laid for their motivations to make sense.
Is this a story about how people can hurt their loved ones by trying too hard to help them? Is it a story about how wealth corrupts from within? Is it a commentary on the dangers of AI? I genuinely couldn’t tell you, because despite all of those threads being introduced at varying points in the story, none of them ultimately goes anywhere that feels meaningful.
Also, the explanation of what is actually happening to this family is not only incredibly unserious, it is also revealed FAR too early, removing any of the tension previously built.
If you kick back and don’t think about any of that too hard, I think the story can still be enjoyable, and the writing is solid. But man, I wish I’d had a better idea what I was getting myself into from the start so I wasn’t so disappointed when these promising ideas started getting left behind.
3 stars
August 23, 2024
So, after gaslighting the shit out of her characters, the author decided to cheekily point out that the reader was also being punked (potentially)? Did...was that supposed to be cute?
August 5, 2025
There is a lot going on in this crime-thriller novel so no spoilers to ruin things for other readers! The book starts off strong with compelling and relevant themes but steadily looses steam. The closer I got to the end the less I enjoyed where the author was taking us. The book is touted as Succession-like but that is misleading, the main character come from a wealthy family and that is where the similarities end. Fans of the author or twisty tales regardless of whether the culmination of the story is satisfying will likely enjoy this more than I did.
November 12, 2024
4.5 stars. I have been in such a terrible reading slump, and this gritty techno family drama finally got me out of it.
Vantage Point tells the story of two siblings, Teddy and Clara, the remaining heirs of the Wieland fortune. Much has been made about the supposed Wieland family curse, where numerous family members encountered a terrible fate during the month of April. Now that Teddy is running for Senate and Clara finally seems to have put past addictions behind her, a series of strange events and the release of malicious deepfake videos bring the curse back to the forefront.
This story is propulsive and has definite Succession vibes. Added to the mix is Jess, Clara's childhood best friend, and wife to Teddy. The narrative effectively jumps between Clara and Jess's POVs, both in the modern day and the past. There is a tech element that requires a little suspension of disbelief, but overall, this was such a solid and twisty drama with a wild ending. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Vantage Point tells the story of two siblings, Teddy and Clara, the remaining heirs of the Wieland fortune. Much has been made about the supposed Wieland family curse, where numerous family members encountered a terrible fate during the month of April. Now that Teddy is running for Senate and Clara finally seems to have put past addictions behind her, a series of strange events and the release of malicious deepfake videos bring the curse back to the forefront.
This story is propulsive and has definite Succession vibes. Added to the mix is Jess, Clara's childhood best friend, and wife to Teddy. The narrative effectively jumps between Clara and Jess's POVs, both in the modern day and the past. There is a tech element that requires a little suspension of disbelief, but overall, this was such a solid and twisty drama with a wild ending. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 30, 2025
I was a big fan of Sara Sligar’s debut Take Me Apart, and even though it took 5 years to get her sophomore novel, Vantage Point was worth the wait! I love the trippy cover and was immediately intrigued by the premise of a cursed affluent family getting taken down. Family drama is one of my favorite tropes and the Wieland’s have plenty of it. I also loved that the story was interspersed with the deaths in the family that were attributed to the curse, and I got completely immersed in the world of deepfakes and other technology.
Vantage Point takes a good hard look at what life is like in the digital age we live in, and while I will say you have to suspend disbelief to a certain extent, it makes you think as well. I would recommend the audiobook for the best reading experience, and Adam Ewer, Helen Laser & Jess Nahikian were all chef’s kiss. The audio was one of the best I have listened to recently, and each narrator flawlessly embodied their character. I loved the bit of duet narration at the beginning too! The twists were absolutely shocking and the last chapter left me with chills. So good.
Read this if you are looking for a spine-tingling ending, unlikeable characters, and a creative plot.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a complimentary listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Vantage Point takes a good hard look at what life is like in the digital age we live in, and while I will say you have to suspend disbelief to a certain extent, it makes you think as well. I would recommend the audiobook for the best reading experience, and Adam Ewer, Helen Laser & Jess Nahikian were all chef’s kiss. The audio was one of the best I have listened to recently, and each narrator flawlessly embodied their character. I loved the bit of duet narration at the beginning too! The twists were absolutely shocking and the last chapter left me with chills. So good.
Read this if you are looking for a spine-tingling ending, unlikeable characters, and a creative plot.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a complimentary listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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.
March 11, 2025
3.5 stars
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
March 24, 2025
Imagine going through the trouble to write a story about hallucinations, how wealth distorts reality, tech nightmares, etc, then just … dropping all the themes … and resolving the plot … by villain-master plan-confessional!! Also 2/3 main characters have no personality (1/3 personality is “mentally unwell”). I can’t even get into the final scene
March 20, 2024
Girl you don’t know what genre you’re in
January 29, 2025
the Kennedy Curse meets deepfakes and AI videos, but the dumbest possible version of that
February 1, 2025
I have so many questions.
December 19, 2024
a gothic suspense about the downfall of a cursed, disgustingly wealthy family? Sign me up.
Vantage Point follows the Wieland siblings Cora and Teddy and Jess, Cora’s best friend and Teddys wife, as Teddy runs for senate. His campaign devolves into chaos as videos of the family are leaked online.
Cora’s spiral into her fear of her family’s curse, her investigation into deep fakes, her hallucinations, on top of her brutal eating disorder adds such a layer of suspense to the story. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s just Cora losing her grip on reality.
Jess character annoyed the crap out of me and the ending felt too quick and anticlimactic but I still really enjoyed the story overall. I love the creepy, unsettling feeling throughout the book and the way Sara Sligar writes.
3.5 ✨
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
Vantage Point follows the Wieland siblings Cora and Teddy and Jess, Cora’s best friend and Teddys wife, as Teddy runs for senate. His campaign devolves into chaos as videos of the family are leaked online.
Cora’s spiral into her fear of her family’s curse, her investigation into deep fakes, her hallucinations, on top of her brutal eating disorder adds such a layer of suspense to the story. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s just Cora losing her grip on reality.
Jess character annoyed the crap out of me and the ending felt too quick and anticlimactic but I still really enjoyed the story overall. I love the creepy, unsettling feeling throughout the book and the way Sara Sligar writes.
3.5 ✨
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
January 19, 2025
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ rounded up!
TRIGGER WARNING: prevalent and severe eating disorder, domestic violence
There are certain metaphors that stick with us throughout our journey on the planet. Right down to its title, VANTAGE POINT is a life metaphor in perspective, trust, and greed.
The Wieland family has had a history of horrible unfortunate events happening in the month of April. Teddy Wieland isn’t the superstitious type. Clara Wieland is. Almost every Wieland has died in April. Teddy is running for Senate and it seems to be in the bag since everybody on the island in Maine loves the Wieland family. But when scandalous videos begin showing up online, implicating Clara, Teddy, and even Jess (his wife and Clara’s best friend) in acts they do not remember, Teddy wonders if his campaign will bring success.
This book is wildly creative and interesting in concept, especially the last half. The doubt and drive I had for the truth grew like weeds as I rapidly turned the pages. At first, I wondered if the concept itself (which I won’t disclose because it’s a spoiler) could really hold my attention til the end. But it did. And it all made sense. The ending was WILD! I really enjoyed the persistence in Clara’s character and the energy she gave to the plot. Jess’s character had a very different arc than I expected, yet it is VERY well written. Teddy’s character brought such a gravity to the storyline. Though a little slow in parts, I really liked this one.
A very special thank you to Sara Sligar, NetGalley, and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for this captivating eARC in exchange for my honest review!
TRIGGER WARNING: prevalent and severe eating disorder, domestic violence
There are certain metaphors that stick with us throughout our journey on the planet. Right down to its title, VANTAGE POINT is a life metaphor in perspective, trust, and greed.
The Wieland family has had a history of horrible unfortunate events happening in the month of April. Teddy Wieland isn’t the superstitious type. Clara Wieland is. Almost every Wieland has died in April. Teddy is running for Senate and it seems to be in the bag since everybody on the island in Maine loves the Wieland family. But when scandalous videos begin showing up online, implicating Clara, Teddy, and even Jess (his wife and Clara’s best friend) in acts they do not remember, Teddy wonders if his campaign will bring success.
This book is wildly creative and interesting in concept, especially the last half. The doubt and drive I had for the truth grew like weeds as I rapidly turned the pages. At first, I wondered if the concept itself (which I won’t disclose because it’s a spoiler) could really hold my attention til the end. But it did. And it all made sense. The ending was WILD! I really enjoyed the persistence in Clara’s character and the energy she gave to the plot. Jess’s character had a very different arc than I expected, yet it is VERY well written. Teddy’s character brought such a gravity to the storyline. Though a little slow in parts, I really liked this one.
A very special thank you to Sara Sligar, NetGalley, and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for this captivating eARC in exchange for my honest review!
May 2, 2025
Full disclosure, Sara is a writer acquaintance of mine who I hung out with when she lived in West Philly a number of years ago. But when we hung out she hadn't published her first book yet, and so I didn't actually know how brilliant of a writer she is. I've read both her novels now, and...wow. It's so hard to write a mystery, and I think even harder to write one that is legitimately creepy and surprising, but this one is. Partly because it touches on the extremely current issue of deepfakes and VR and how we tell the real from the not real. Partly because it taps into the age old and always relevant issue of class difference, and how money shapes systems of power and the people who sustain them. I tore through this in a couple of days. No notes.
December 5, 2024
The unhinged elite of Saltburn with the political plot points of Succession meet Bladerunner tech in Vantage Point. Sligar’s writing buried its hooks into me and wouldn’t let me go until the very last page. I’m predicting this is going to be my favorite thriller of 2025. The shining stars of this story are the characters. Every single person felt so real I could almost reach out and touch them. Holograms, curses, political intrigue… there is a lot that drew me into this story but what kept me turning page after page was Sligar’s prose and dedication to character construction. Absolutely a five star read.
Trigger warnings: Eating Disorders, online harassment, revenge porn
Trigger warnings: Eating Disorders, online harassment, revenge porn
January 20, 2025
This is a deeply messed up book, but messed up in a way that sucks you in and makes you think dang my life is not that bad at all.
Told from the viewpoint of Clara and Jess who have been best friends since they were 9 despite the fact that Clara came from money and Jess didn’t.
Now Jess is married to Clara’s brother Teddy who is running for Senate. And the month of April which is the month of the family curse is in full swing…… who will survive to see May?
Warning: this book has a ton of crude and descriptive language. The story needed most of it to show how deeply disturbed these moments are.
I received an ALC of this title, opinions are my own.
Told from the viewpoint of Clara and Jess who have been best friends since they were 9 despite the fact that Clara came from money and Jess didn’t.
Now Jess is married to Clara’s brother Teddy who is running for Senate. And the month of April which is the month of the family curse is in full swing…… who will survive to see May?
Warning: this book has a ton of crude and descriptive language. The story needed most of it to show how deeply disturbed these moments are.
I received an ALC of this title, opinions are my own.
June 1, 2025
Thank you to MCD #partner for the gifted finished copy to review and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC to review.
I love a family drama, especially one behaving badly and this did not disappoint. Throw in the element of AI via deepfakes, at just the right time when one of the main characters is running for the Senate, and this was a fun and entertaining read. I thought the narrators did a wonderful job, one of them being Helen Laser, who is a favorite of mine.
I love a family drama, especially one behaving badly and this did not disappoint. Throw in the element of AI via deepfakes, at just the right time when one of the main characters is running for the Senate, and this was a fun and entertaining read. I thought the narrators did a wonderful job, one of them being Helen Laser, who is a favorite of mine.
Read
January 24, 2025I remain too Roman Roy-pilled to not read a book that has Succession in the pitch line. I agree with many of the reviews that said this had a weak ending but I really enjoyed the tech horror aspect of this one!
January 31, 2025
This has been a mediocre reading year so it was nice to be pleasantly surprised by this excellent thriller
Read
January 3, 2025While I am not a fan of this cover, I really enjoyed this one. Rich dysfunctional family with a curse, one member of the family running for office (hello, Connor Roy), and some mysterious goings-on.
Read my review with spoilers here on Jen Ryland Reviews
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Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read my review with spoilers here on Jen Ryland Reviews
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
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.
February 17, 2025
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.
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.
February 22, 2025
Wow, this book! Pay attention when you read it!
At first I thought, is this ever going to have a point? And then it did, and a complicated one at that!
What a family. It all revolves around Clara Wieland, her brother Teddy, and his wife Jess. The story switches timelines at will, moving back in their lives and then to the present, when Teddy is running for senator. His campaign is in increasing turmoil, and it all starts with Clara and her sad troubled past. I wasn’t sure whether to believe Clara was telling the truth or to think she needed to be back in the hospital! But the kinks finally began to unfurl and some things were clearer and eventually it all came to light—-there was an explanation for all these terrible occurrences!
The ending was a shocker to me and not at all what I was expecting. It’s the story of a wealthy family whose money does nothing to bring them happiness—-it only makes them more physically comfortable in their misery. But the ending leaves us with some contentment for the future.
3.5 stars rounded up.
At first I thought, is this ever going to have a point? And then it did, and a complicated one at that!
What a family. It all revolves around Clara Wieland, her brother Teddy, and his wife Jess. The story switches timelines at will, moving back in their lives and then to the present, when Teddy is running for senator. His campaign is in increasing turmoil, and it all starts with Clara and her sad troubled past. I wasn’t sure whether to believe Clara was telling the truth or to think she needed to be back in the hospital! But the kinks finally began to unfurl and some things were clearer and eventually it all came to light—-there was an explanation for all these terrible occurrences!
The ending was a shocker to me and not at all what I was expecting. It’s the story of a wealthy family whose money does nothing to bring them happiness—-it only makes them more physically comfortable in their misery. But the ending leaves us with some contentment for the future.
3.5 stars rounded up.
May 7, 2025
About as good as Olive Garden. My biggest issue with this book is the entire plot was driven by a technology that was neither plausible nor interesting enough for me to suspend belief. The characters and setting were also fairly generic and the tension was often missing.
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