Welcome to issue 112. We begin with Kuleshov Effect, a story by Korean-American an chang joon, where we slowly come to learn the facts behind a young teacher’s memory lapse. The story references a film technique in which context means everything; specifically, it is the phenomenon by which viewers derive more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation. In the teacher’s case, the interaction is truly horrific.

Next up, for those who like it dark and twisted—and splendidly imaginative—is Mandibular Fixation by Lee Rozelle. The horror begins with the narrator’s description of his daughter’s freaky mouthful of jumbled teeth, which will require years of corrective surgery, and from there veers into ever so sinister realms.

From US writer Richard Schweid, long-time resident of Barcelona, we have a terrific story, Condi Rice’s Fingers. Condoleezza Rice, as George W. Bush’s national security advisor, was one of the proponents of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Our protagonist has never forgiven her and, despite her age, and his, seeks revenge.

And from the UK, a special treat of steampunk in a short piece, Hidden Ink, from Steve Aylett’s latest book, The Book Lovers, where the author’s absurdist satire is focused on a musty book cellar and its peculiar texts in the dystopian Thousand Tower City, setting us up for a plot that reflects the whole upside down world we live in.

These stories are all bangers. Jump in and enjoy.

In our picks from back issues—Since we have a story this issue from a native of South Korea, we decided to feature a pick from a North Korean writer, going anonymously by the name Bandi, whose story Pandomonium pretty well conveys the chaotic state of affairs in their country. And from the US, a super story by Jess Walter, The New Frontier. We’re eagerly awaiting Jess’s new novel, So Far Gone, due out this June.

The quiz this issue is Serial Killers in Literature. Answer correctly and you’re in the running to win a 30-euro (or equivalent) gift certificate from Amazon. For answers to last issue’s quiz, Harry Potter: Marauder’s Edition, click here. Our winner for that quiz is Aalooran Rahman Bora.

Our book reviews this issue are God-Disease, a collection of short fiction by an chang joon, and The Book Lovers by Steve Aylett, both highly recommended.

Our next issue is due out around August 2025. To be notified when new issues are available, just ‘LIKE’ The Barcelona Review on Facebook (for the Spanish, LIKE Barcelona Review without the THE); or email us to subscribe (gratis, of course), though often our bulk email is blocked from servers so we cannot guarantee a notification.

Jill Adams, editor
Michael Garry Smout, tech and design
assistant editors: Bergita Bugarija and Diggory Dunn

Readers: Bergita Bugarija, Diggory Dunn, Jamie Kahn, Hallie Pritts, Milena Nigam, Sam Simon and Elizabeth Wittenberg 

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