“The world is a looking glass and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.”

- William Makepeace Thackeray

Dear Readers,

First and foremost, welcome to “Issue I: The Looking Glass.” Quite honestly, I was unsure of where to set my expectations for this issue, and its submissions; I can now understand that I was previously unexposed to the sheer amount of talent in the community of young creators. Everyone who submitted, featured or not, has contributed to shaping this issue into a completely immoldable aesthetic, far surpassing the boundaries of even my expansive imagination. I, alongside the lovely staff of The Looking Glass Review, was able to experience different realms of emotions through shifting lenses, and in turn, our looking glasses have broadened tenfold. Now, you, the reader, may experience this phenomenon as well.  Including both artwork and creative writing, in the pages of this magazine issue you can discover pieces that display the destruction, the usage, the sharing, and the widening of the looking glasses that frame humanity as well as individuals. You may also discover pieces that point a looking glass towards the happenings that exist around us, every day or seemingly never. 

As we celebrate the release of Issue I, I would also like to celebrate and recognize those who made the publication of this issue possible. A big shoutout to all the staff members who contributed to this issue's development, whether it was designing artwork, the website page, the issue itself, or the long hours spent editing/reading pieces; this is the most dedicated and hardworking team I have ever been apart of, and I am extremely grateful. I would like to especially give a special thank you, to everybody and anybody who submitted to this issue; your support is greatly appreciated, and we are honored to have had the privilege of reading/viewing your work! Once again, we thank you, because of you, we have come so far! 

Now, I hope you enjoy “Issue I: The Looking Glass,” as much as I enjoyed taking part in its creation. It is truly a breathtaking display of young talent!

Much love,

The Looking Glass Review Founder

Isha Mullapudi