The Vanishing Point: A Novel

In the Brodsky Workshop, photography students Julian Ladd and Rye Adler meet. A quiet, obsessive envy grows in Julian as he moves in with Rye, who is successful. They are both drawn to their classmate Magda, who has a unique perspective on her Polish neighborhood. Twenty years later, Rye is a famous celebrity photographer, while Julian is struggling. When Magda reenters his life, Rye is forced to confront his past and his own mortality. Julian attends Rye's funeral, which raises questions about his life and death. Elizabeth Brundage's novel is a haunting exploration of envy, success, and the consequences of one's choices.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 27 October 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

In the exclusive Brodsky Workshop, where Julian Ladd and Rye Adler meet as photography students, a quiet and obsessive envy begins to grow within Julian, convinced that he will never attain the same level of success as his talented classmate, Rye. Both men are captivated by their beautiful and talented classmate, Magda, whose captivating images of her Polish neighborhood set her apart. As they get to know her intimately, a complex web of emotions and desires unfolds, leaving both men yearning for a woman they cannot possess but only one who can truly love.

Twenty years later, Rye finds himself at the pinnacle of his career, renowned for his photographs of celebrities and far removed from the downtrodden and disenfranchised subjects that had initially secured his reputation as the eye of his generation. However, when Magda reenters his life, seeking his help, Rye is forced to confront the artist he once was and the broken landscape of street people and addicts that surrounds him. His search for a missing boy becomes a desperate fight for survival, testing the limits of his resilience and pushing him to confront the demons of his past.

Months later, when Julian discovers Rye's obituary, it appears to suggest that he committed suicide. Despite his reservations, Julian attends the funeral, where he finds no casket and no body. This unexpected reentry into a world he thought he had left behind forces Julian to question not only Rye's death but the very foundations of his own life.

In this haunting and evocative novel, Elizabeth Brundage establishes herself as one of the preeminent authors of literary fiction working today. Her prose is rich with imagery and emotion, drawing the reader into the complex web of characters and their struggles. "The Weight of Water" is a testament to Brundage's talent for creating vivid and unforgettable stories that leave a lasting impact.

Weight: 300g
Dimension: 208 x 138 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780316430388