We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with author Anna Barrington recently about her debut novel, The Spectacle, which was published on July 8. In the novel, Anna brings us into the dizzying and intoxicating underbelly of the high-end art world. Inspired by her own experiences working in art galleries in NYC and London, The Spectacle is a scathing social commentary on the commodification of art, set against the backdrop of the 2016 presidential election and the aftermath of the MeToo movement.

We had such a fun time reading this book and we’d like to once again extend our thanks to Anna for chatting with us about everything from her writing process to why it was important to set the novel during such a politically divisive time.

This interview does contain spoilers, so please listen with care.