Lead Review

• Book: The Book of Barcelona: A City in Short Fiction (Reading the City)
• Location: Barcelona
• Author: Manel Ollé (Editor), Zoe Turner (Editor)

Review Author: Tina Hartas

This is the latest in the Reading the City series, published by Comma Press, a collection of 6 stories that is designed to take the reader to the heart of the city. It is a metropolis full of colour and flavour, sandwiched between the mountains and the sea and there is quite a sense of the influence of the sea – shipping containers at the port, driving through the city and very aware of the sea perhaps just the other side of buildings, obscuring the view.

An interesting mix of storylines ranging from the theft of a bag as visitors to a hotel are unpacking their van and checking in, to the story about a child severely outgrowing his apartment. These are stories full of whimsy that capture a sense of the city. Overall these curated stories don’t quite evoke this city as much as other destinations in A City in Short Fiction.

A good choice if you are looking for a book set in Barcelona that will transport you – to revisit your own experiences or get you in the mood for an upcoming visit. And as always in this series, a rather lovely book cover design.

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