Every month or few, our staffers dive into our back issues, flipping through the pages and finding buried literary treasures–and they share these pieces and their thoughts on these pieces here, through our Into the Archives feature. (Thanks to The Greensboro Review for the great idea.)
You can read any of the posts via the links below. Enjoy!
2/22/24: Into the Archives staff member Jocelyn Hancock on “City of Dreams,” by Jaclyn Gonzales After reading a few stories and poems from Prism Review Issue X, “City of Dreams” by Jaclyn Gonzales was the one I found myself enjoying the most. The story was written in a screenplay format, focusing on two teenage brothers […]
1/25/24: Into the Archives staff member Olivia Reiman on “The Red Bump,” by Anu Kandikuppa I recently decided read a short story from the 21st edition of Prism Review. I was flipping through the book, skimming some stories, when “The Red Bump” by Anu Kandikuppa caught my eye. The quick progression of the story really […]
10/27/22: Into the Archives staff member Jasmine Venegas on three poems by Peter Grandbois Peter Grandbois is a writer of poems, stories, essays, and plays. His work has appeared in over one hundred journals and his plays have been brought to life in St. Louis, Columbus, Los Angeles, and New York. He teaches at Denison […]
8/25/22: Into the Archives staff member Tracy Destefano on three poems by Emma Garcia While reading through Prism Review #23 last Thanksgiving break, the three poems by Emma Garcia really caught my attention. I was especially intrigued because Emma Garcia was the spring 2021 undergraduate winner for poetry. In terms of craft, these three poems […]
7/28/22: Into the Archives: staff member Daniel Dundas on Rebecca Ayala’s “Branded” A good story knows how to hook you in with the first few lines. The short story “Branded,” written by Rebecca Ayala, published in Prism Review #13, drew me in with the title alone. To brand is to leave your mark on […]
1/26/22: Into the Archives: staff member Selena Cordar on two poems from issue #11 I recently read the eleventh issue of Prism, specifically the poems “Well and Good” by Chad Chmielowicz and “The History of Color” by Ellaraine Lockie. “Well and Good,” by Chad Chmielowicz, was a rather short, yet impactful poem. This was within […]
11/27/21: Into the Archives: staff member Sara Winsky on Conor Teevan’s “We, You and I,” issue #16 In issue number sixteen of Prism Review, the piece “We, You and I” stands out as notable among many other of the published works. I feel the reputation of this journal is along the lines of publishing realist […]
11/9/21: Into the Archives: staff member Angel Espinosa on Andrew Bertaina’s “Waking Life,” issue #20 “Waking Dreams,” by Andrew Bertaina, is a somber, reflective and melancholic story about tragedy, life, and finding meaning in that life. While it has a slower pace, the writing is incredibly descriptive and engaging throughout, along with having strong […]
9/22/21: Into the Archives: staff member Seth Rodriguez on Dallas Woodburn’s “Under the Jacaranda Trees,” issue #18 Dallas Woodburn’s story “Under the Jacaranda Trees” delves into several concepts in life that feels relatable to the reader, such as belonging to a group and especially relationship break-ups. The author utilizes the character designs exceptionally well […]
8/26/21: Into the Archives: staff member Liliana Hernandez on Mysti Easterwood’s “Affidavit,” issue #17 One of the most powerful things about poetry is the vivid imagery that each carefully chosen word can create. The poet Mysti Easterwood created a radiance with their piece “Affidavit” that almost illuminates the page. But this poem does more than […]
7/20/21: Into the Archives: staff member Cara Musashi on “Unhappy People Live Longer,” issue #12 Although I am quite new to Prism, I’m more than aware that there are an abundance of great works from talented authors who’ve been published before my time. “Unhappy People Live Longer,” by Jessica Hollander, is certainly one of […]
6/19/21: Into the Archives: staff member Seth Rodriguez on poems by Lana Ghannam, issue #18 The author Lana I. Ghannam uses much personal experience to convey the message and story of the poems. Ghannam’s poems stick out with a unique melodic and wishful tone with excellent word choice and imagery to convey its message. […]
12/17/20: Into the Archives: staff member Taylor Croft on “Fragments and Pieces” by Alisa A. Gaston, issue #19 Prism has published many great authors and many great works of fiction and poetry. Just one of those many pieces is a short fictional story called “Fragments and Pieces,” written by Alisa A. Gaston. This story stuck […]
11/28/20: Into the Archives: staff member Sienna Ruiz on “Set It and Forget It” by Jaquira Díaz, issue #13 While reading through a Prism Review copy this Thanksgiving, “Set It and Forget It” by Jaquira Díaz caught my eye. The strangeness of some of the previous stories in the issue, makes Diaz’s story, even though […]