Book Title: The Spectacle
Author(s): Anna Barrington
Publisher(s): Union Square & Co./Hachette Audio
Publication Date: July 8, 2025
Currently Available on KU? 🙅🏼‍♀️
Audiobook? ✅

🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: The Spectacle by Anna Barrington is one of those books that I have a really hard time rating, and I am literally still sifting through my feelings days after reading it. Aptly titled, this was definitely a spectacle of a story, and it felt like a whirlwind wrapped up in a slow burn.

🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: One thing is for certain; I. Could. Not. Stop. Reading. This. Book! It is a lil bit on the thicker side, but I finished it in only two days, and I was completely wrapped up in Rudolph and Ingrid’s stories, both as a couple and separately. Our man is a hot mess guys and it only gets worse as the book gets on, but it’s also got that vibe of a crash you can’t look away from. Barrington clearly knows her way around the art world (she is in it after all), and I loved the peek we got inside. I had no idea where this was going to go, and one part actually made me gasp out loud. For a book with a heavy literary fiction feel, you really can’t get better than that!

🎧 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: Four words: listen to the audiobook. Juliette Goglia & Nick Thurston made me float around in the world of this book and made me feel like I was actually in it with our MC’s. They were perfectly matched to the characters they were voicing, and it was a true work of art.

💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: The Spectacle has a very modern feel to it though it is set in the 2010s (2016-2017). It felt a little political at times and while I wouldn’t say {preachy} you can definitely tell the author has strong opinions about certain things. That being said, it is incredible to me that this is a debut, and you get a really raw and unfiltered look at the New York art scene at the time which this is set. I would most definitely read the next book Barrington writes.

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🖼️🏦🚩🐇

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (maybe)
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I always love learning about the behind the scenes of art dealing. Because of this I found Rudolph’s perspective a little more interesting and his actions pushed the plot forward the majority of the time. I was curious to see what would come of it and how that would affect Ingrid. Ingrid was kind and caring, her growth was great to see. It was a little longer than I expected, but I really enjoyed the second half and the ending.

In The Spectacle we meet Ingrid - a naive artist and gallery assistant - who gets caught up in the seductive dark side of the art world when a powerful dealer draws her into a web of excess wealth, success, ambition, and lies. ⁣
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I, of course, loved all the art references and what’s really cool is that @annabarringtoncampbell actually has worked in galleries and auction houses in the art world - so it’s fun to think about who she met and what she learned during those times, that could have been translated into parts of this gripping story. ⁣
⁣
It’s a compelling insiders look into an exclusive world that is a masterfully paced read, with the twists and surprises of a scandalous thriller, a toxic love story, a brilliant and immersive mystery, and a fascinating and thought provoking critique of the elite art market and all that goes on behind the scenes.⁣
⁣
There’s something for every reader to love in this spectacularly addictive story.

The Spectacle by Anna Barrington
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | "When ambition meets deception in the glittering art world"
This book gutted me in the most beautiful way. Watching Ingrid navigate New York's ruthless art scene while falling for Rudolf felt like witnessing my own dreams and fears play out on the page. There's something so achingly real about wanting to belong in a world that seems just out of reach, and Barrington captures that desperation perfectly.

The first half builds with this gorgeous, slow-burn tension that made me almost protective of Ingrid. Then the second half hits like a freight train - I found myself holding my breath as Rudolf's carefully constructed world began to crumble. The moral complexity here is exquisite; there are no clean heroes, just flawed humans making devastating choices.

What struck me most was how the book explores the price we pay for acceptance and success. Ingrid's transformation throughout the story mirrors so many of our own compromises with integrity.

Vibes We Are Tracking:
🎨 Struggling artist in over her head
💸 Mysterious wealthy man with dark secrets
🖼️ Art world corruption and moral ambiguity
🚩 Train wreck romance you can't stop watching

One part thriller, one part romance, one part critique of the cynical commodification of the art world, The Spectacle is an enthralling and unique read. A read like no other I’ve recently encountered, It’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut.

Thank you Anna Barrington, Union Square & Co, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to @getredprbooks and @unionsqandco #partner for the free book to review!

Today I am sharing The Spectacle by Anna Barrington, which was published this week (7/8) and is available now. This is a slow-burn read about the art scene. I found it interesting and liked the audio, but really liked the second half when the book picked up its pace and got twisty, and I was vested in Rudolph and how he was going to get himself out of the mess he found himself in. Ingrid was naive at the start but by the end had seen and been through a lot and was stronger for it, I think. Overall, this was an interesting read about the hot mess that is the art world.

The Spectacle
Anna Barrington
07/08/2025
Union Square & Co
The Spectacle is a bold and captivating debut — an immersive, provocative plunge into the elite, corrupt, and strangely seductive world of high-end art. Anna Barrington gives readers a rare insider view of this glittering, cutthroat space with a level of grit and authenticity that’s both intoxicating and unsettling. I found myself completely pulled in at every level — the dialogue, the art, the politics, the atmosphere. At times, it felt like I wasn’t just reading the novel, but living inside it, rubbing elbows with the upper crust.
I love this combination of slow-burning psychological suspense with elegant, intelligent prose. The relationship between Gris and Ingrid — both deeply flawed and morally ambiguous — is mesmerizing, and the tension between them crackles with every scene. Set against the backdrop of the 2016 election, the novel explores disintegration, identity, and moral compromise without ever feeling heavy-handed. It’s sophisticated enough to satisfy literary fiction lovers, but it moves with the pulse of a thriller. A stellar debut that left me hungry for whatever Barrington writes next.

4.5stars-THE SPECTACLE by Anna Barrington is an adult, suspense thriller focusing on thirty-three year old, curator Rudolph ‘Gris’ Sullivan, and twenty-six year old, artist and gallery assistant Ingrid Groenfeld.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Rudolph and Ingrid), set in 2016-2017, THE SPECTACLE focuses on the affluent yet seedy underbelly of the art world. Rudolph Sullivan is an art curator, acquiring and selling paintings to the upper class and well-to-do. Jetting around the world, attending art auctions and parties, all in the hopes of using his name and reputation, Rudolph begins to acquire the ultimate prize but somewhere along the way, Rudoph’s need for opulence and money takes a terrible turn that will affect the lives of everyone he knows and the woman he loves. Ingrid Groenfeld was a struggling gallery assistant whose professional life was on the upward climb until her life implodes, and the spiral finds our ill-fated heroine beholden to the man whom she married, a man she would discover is not the man she had once known.

The world building focuses on the lifestyle of the people connected the art world, from sales to acquisitions, auctions to flamboyancy, appreciation , manipulation and greed but the past is about to catch up as the #MeToo movement slams into the interconnected life of artists and artistry. From the entitled and snobs, nouveau riche and Bohemian lifestyle, the art world is about to descend into chaos as one of their own turns the world upon itself, leaving a gutted minefield of lies in its’ wake.

THE SPECTACLE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, money and greed, acceptance and dissension, devotion and duplicity. The premise is detailed, complex and edgy referencing names, places and ideals as only the author can describe. The author’s experience and work in galleries, auction houses and museums brings the art world up close and personal. The characters are charismatic, larger than life, and questionable on many levels.



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I really stepped out of my box with The Spectacle. I’ll keep my review short and sweet.

An absolute train wreck of a novel centered on the art world.

I could not stop reading it.

I’ve read the ending many times and I still don’t know what to make of it.

The Spectacle by Anna Barrington is out today! drama, suspense, toxic relationships. A lucrative art scene in New York that is competitive improves that people will do anything for money. When Rudolph gets wrapped up into this world he meets Ingrid who quickly falls for him. How far will Rudolph go to ensure that he is financially secure and gets everything he's dreamed of? And will Ingrid follow him through it all?
I highly recommend this story! It was so suspenseful and definitely a page turner. I did not want to put it down. This is Anna's debut novel and it did not disappoint.

Nobody knows quite who Rudolph Sullivan is, or how he ascended so quickly to the glittering top of New York’s art scene. When aspiring artist and struggling gallery assistant Ingrid meets the charismatic dealer at a party, she falls fast—Rudolph offers her a seductive taste of luxury and an escape from her humdrum existence.

The pacing seems a bit off in this book. And it is a bit disjointed in spots. But, stick with it. Rudolph is a very good villain. He is a bit deranged and he is determined. So, he does not care who he hurts to get what he wants.

Then there is Ingrid. She is a bit naïve. And this leads to some intense situations…in more ways than one!

Need a thriller about the underworld of the art scene…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

Rudolf Sullivan is high-end art dealer with a wealthy client base. He lives a life of luxury and cannot satisfy his need to have more. When faced with growing debt, Rudolf crosses a dangerous line. While at a party, he meets a struggling gallery assistant named Ingrid and the unlikely pair begin a relationship. As Ingrid works to improve her skills of recruiting talented artists, she is exposed to the inner workings of the art world including the shadier side of the business. Just when her career begins to take off, her gallery takes a financial hit.

The pacing of the book started on the slower side while setting the stage with the various players, types of art, and the financial stakes. Once it picked up, there were a lot of moving parts including action, romance, theft, etc.! I enjoyed Ingrid’s character growth, especially as her relationship with Rudolph developed. I also loved the many places they visited throughout the book.

Wow—what a ride. Dark, stylish, and quietly unsettling, this one pulls back the curtain on the art world and the cost of ambition. Twisty, thought-provoking, and hard to look away from.

This book was truly different than anything I’ve read before. It was written in a way that was so unique it almost made me feel like I was in a fever dream at times- but in a good way.

It is about the exclusive art world in New York and the darker undercurrents of that scene.
It shines light on a lot of social issues like classism and performative activism. It’s set in circa 2016 after the election.

It’s a social thriller with romance and the mmc gave me major Gatsby vibes.

The FMC is a struggling artist/ gallery assistant who gets swept up into the world of the popular and charismatic art dealer MMC.

The MMC is so set on becoming successful and being someone important that he makes a lot of risky moves and sketchy business deals that leads to problems.

It was intense at times, fun at times, trippy at times.

I found this book to be really compelling and liked how it highlighted some important social issues in the midst of the writing.

4⭐️

Thank you to Get Red PR for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! ☺️