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 truth: 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 a shocking family drama full of suspense. Brimming with palpable tension, Vantage Point carefully unravels a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition that raises questions about the nature of “truth” in our digital age.
Vantage Point is a suspenseful contemporary fiction novel that explores the dangers of AI and digital manipulation. The novel follows siblings Clara and Teddy Wieland, heirs to a rich family rumored to be cursed. Fourteen years after their parents’ tragic deaths, the siblings are living in their secluded family estate, Vantage Point, on a small island in Maine. Teddy, now married to Clara’s best friend, Jess, embarks on a Senate campaign. The campaign is marred by the emergence of intimate videos featuring Clara—videos she has no recollection of making. The authenticity of the videos is questioned with potential use of deepfake technology. As Clara grapples with this, she becomes increasingly convinced that the family’s so-called curse is coming for her. The narrative is fresh and relevant, delving into themes of privacy and vulnerability in our digital age.
Sligar’s writing is engaging and straightforward, and her characters are complex, flawed, and all harboring secrets. The story toggles between Clara’s and Jess’s POVs, in present day and the past. Flashback scenes, written as Wikipedia-like entries, fill in readers on the ‘accidental’ deaths of other Wieland family members, adding further intrigue and mystery. Although the story is never told through Teddy’s perspective, he’s included in a good portion of the story, and the sibling dynamics get more complex later on, when family secrets are revealed. Clara is a stark contrast to her seemingly prim and proper brother—she’s often vulgar and frank, indifferent to who she’s around or what the stakes are. As the story unfolds, readers learn more about her troubled past, mental health struggles, and eating disorder, making her seem like an unreliable narrator. Her character arc in the story is quite pronounced, and once she stops feeling sorry for herself and becomes proactive, she becomes more likable. As the deepfake videos keep coming, and Teddy’s reputation is at risk, she becomes more determined to get to the ludicrous truth, despite no one believing her. The tension that builds between Clare, Jess, and Teddy is palpable and adds much intrigue to the second half of the story.
The story has a slow-burn start, builds in the second half with some jaw-dropping twists, and ends with a final scene that will have readers questioning everything they’ve read. After finishing the book, it’s a great idea to reread the prologue, as you’ll better understand its connection to the ending, making the story even more thought-provoking. There is also some triggering content that readers should be aware of, including mental health issues, substance use, and eating disorders. Although this book is marketed as a mystery/thriller, the story is very character-driven, and many scenes involve unhealthy family dynamics—it’s better categorized as a suspenseful family drama with technology elements, similar to some works by John Marrs.
The story’s central themes of the dangers of AI and digital manipulation are brilliantly and realistically showcased. In particular, the use of altered and deepfake videos, which are becoming increasingly popular in our modern world, especially on social media, sometimes blurs the lines between reality and fabrication, wreaking havoc on the psychological health of individuals and also having a domino effect on the people around them. The book also analyzes the notion of family conservatorships and how they can be both healthy and abusive. Clare finds some solace and comfort living at Vantage Point, surrounded by family, after her mental health crisis and hospitalization, but her credibility is no longer taken seriously, and her brother becomes an unhealthy, controlling force, preventing her from moving forward. This side of Teddy is also apparent in the power dynamics of his marriage to Jess, further fueled by their different wealth/social backgrounds, eventually leading to a lot of built-up resentment and anger from Jess.
In summary, Vantage Point is a highly original, thought-provoking book with plot twists that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Readers who enjoy character-driven stories, family, drama, slow-burn suspense, and books that linger in your mind long after you finish the book should highly consider this book!
