A grandson seeking answers travels to Poland to query his grandfather, Jan, for those answers in Adam Galanski-De León's Magpie Funeral .

Readers will walk through the forest with the unnamed American grandson and Jan, who is comfortably at home in the forest depths but is uncomfortable with questions coming his way. It is admirable how the author makes clear Jan's discomfort with the questions are in direct opposition to his desperation to have this earnest young man stay close as long as he can. As young men can often be, he doesn't get that - he's all about the whys and reasons for Jan's leaving the family to return to Poland.

A story of a visit with an attempt at continuous conversation to learn why family members do what they do; do they regret the choices, or know the hurt they may have caused? Given a second chance would any of those answers change at the critical turning points the decisions as originally made?

*A sincere thank you to Adam J. Galanski-De Leon, Querencia Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

DNF @ 20%. This was very esoteric and seems like such a niche topic to center a novel around. I could not figure out what was going on in the first pages (a fever dream???), and the language just kept getting more and more convoluted.

The Magpie Funeral by Adam J. Galanski-De León is a thought-provoking novella about ancestry and family connection. It provides a poignant exploration of grief and human connection set against the backdrop of the Carpathian forest. It's a tender meditation, and it's one I will likely think about for some time, though the writing may be a bit dense for some (including me at times).

The Magpie Funeral had some captivating elements, particularly the symbolic role of the magpies, which were beautifully woven through the narrative. I found the multifaceted perspectives provided a rich exploration of grief. Galanski-De León's folkloric prose also added a lyrical touch that enhanced my overall reading experience.

My personal drawbacks included the novel's struggle with character development, particularly with the grandson, whose immaturity detracted from the emotional weight of the story. While the thematic richness was commendable, a deeper exploration of the characters would have elevated the impact. Overall, it was an intriguing, if scant, read that resonated with its themes.

It may be on me, and not the author, especially as I seem to be in the minority, but I found Galanski-De Leon's writing obtuse. It is sometimes lyrical and pretty but I wasn't absorbing much about the characters, and there seem to be more long descriptions of nature than dialogue or character descriptions. I didn't reread the synopsis before starting the book, and didn't read any reviews first, so it was only upon giving up on the book that I realized that the characters are grandson and grandfather. It's a novella, but despite the short length, I just didn't have an interest in seeing this one through.

A tender hearted, quiet novella that delves into the complexities of family, culture, and the yearning to be understood. The imagery is authentic and arresting. The slow pace is challenging but worth the read.
Many thanks to Querencia Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a beautifully written novella focusing on an American young man's endeavor to better understand his grandfather, who was born in Poland. I admire the writing a great deal, and I found the characters intriguing, but for a novella, this really dragged in places.

Even though it was a short story, it felt like it dragged early on. I almost DNF’d several times, but figured it was a short story so I could just push through. The second half of the story was much more engaging and I definitely think that if you’re one of those readers who can soldier through some overly-detailed descriptions, the latter part of the story makes it a worthwhile read.

A short, but poignant and profoundly moving story about family and the spaces between us that we must navigate, the narratives we tell ourselves and others, the ways in we lose our connections to one another. There are many ways to read The Magpie Funeral, many ways to interpret the events and the silences the characters leave behind.

This is one of the strengths of the novella; its ability to mean different things to different readers.

On its surface, this is a story about a man trying to connect to his heritage, his roots, by seeking out a grandfather who abandoned his family. The man is searching for an answer to some missing piece of his life. This is the story of what he finds and the people he encounters along that path.

This is a very literary novel, one that mimics life and its harsh realities. Readers who seek coziness and comfort should expect to have their hopes dashed. Reader who enjoy realism and the unpredictability of reality will be intrigued by the novella’s turns. Readers who enjoy reflection will encounter a myriad of emotions as the characters — lifelike as they are — are not the perfectly self-aware beings we might wish them to be. Readers will experience some form of loss in reading this book, a performative element of the story itself.

This was a very interesting short-story, The central theme was family and relationships. It focused on realizing the part everyone plays in a story of life. It shows the importance of relationships. I think this would be a wonderful discussion book as I can see various interpretations based on your life.

Thank you Netgalley and Querencia Press for my ARC♥️
As I turned the pages, I was drawn into a poignant quest of self-discovery. A young American's search for understanding his Polish heritage unfolds with vivid prose that transported me to a world rich in history and emotion. While I craved more depth and character intricacies, the story's potential shines through. This book is a delightful gem that left me yearning for more, a testament to the author's skillful storytelling.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

In this novella, a young American man visits his grandfather in Poland. Due to language and cultural differences, they often fail to communicate successfully. The man's journey is an attempt to learn more about his grandfather's life, culture, and background.

The folklore about magpies is woven into the book, but not enough connection is provided in this short form.

"At first, I think he doesn't comprehend. Not having had to use English in years. But I see there is somethng troubled in the way he continues to examine me. It is why he lingers. I'm a buried memory. A faded scar rediscovered. An aberration in the smoothness of naked skin. I see the haunting realization in one's own image if you take the time to hold your stare too intensely within a mirror."

"The Magpie Funeral" is a deeply emotional novel about returning to a home you've never live in, about the loss and gain of culture, the bonds we build and break within our families. With beautiful prose, Galanski-De Leon builds a potrait of a family torn between the States and Poland, and what it means to be a child of diaspora.

Despite how short the story is, the characters are multifaceted and complex, and the imagery of Zakopane is vivid and lively. Dual perspectives are tough, but the author strives a good balance and keeps the voices distinct, clear in their eras and in their relations to their respective native lands.

I really enjoyed this novella. It was a story of a young American man reuniting with his grandfather is Poland. It discusses generational differences and how miscommunication can happen with language barriers. This was beautifully written and I definitely want to read more by Galanski-De Leon.

This is very short. Even though I felt the characters weren't at all well developed the author packed a lot into less than 100 pages. A young man travels to Poland to find his grandfather and learn why he left his father and young son after his wife passed away. It was beautifully written.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quarencia Press for providing me with a digital copy.

A short story of a grandson and grandfather- following their history from Poland, to Pittsburgh and back to Poland. Both looking for unknown answers to questions they’ve been asking themselves for years.
The short story doesn’t focus so much on the answer to the questions- but more so on the characters and setting itself. It’s poetic and thought provoking from start to finish.

Magpies hold special meaning for me so I admit that I requested this story solely based on the title. But I’m so glad I did. The writing is stunning, especially the imagery and the descriptions of the magpies movements and sounds. Absolutely beautiful and really moving portrait of a complicated family connection

This novella is a logophile’s dream with many words that touch all the senses. I really enjoyed this one.

In this thought-provoking story, you meet an American man who seeks out his estranged grandfather in Poland to ask why he had abandoned the family so long ago. Their conversations are short and quipped with many things unsaid, lingering in tension. They struggle to break through their language and culture barrier, trying to understand each other yet finding comfort in the small things like cooking and going for a hike.

You get a blanket of feelings with this one, some cozy and some uncomfortable. The poetic prose makes you feel the cold of the mountains, the savory flavors and scent of their meal, the tender touch of a woman, the ache in your heart from profound loss, and a unique connection with magpies that come for seed each day.

In such a short book, you get a quick glimpse into the life of a Polish man unable to speak English, working in Pittsburg, and yearning for the comforts of home. How the author shares real places within Poland was a nice touch. You get small peeks at places like the Carpathian Forest, Krakow, and Zakopane; you walk through a Jewish ghetto with Klezmer musicians and taste Spirytus at a Polish café.

My only wish was that this was longer. I wanted to stay in this book, wrap its words around me, and stay forever, even with its sad parts.

This is a wonderful, delicious, and authentic tragic tale in a sleepy wintery town.

This story follows a grandson on the journey to explain why his grandfather left their family to return to his homeland without a second thought. But along the way, the grandson may understand the true reason behind the actions.
I received an ARC of this book and when I tell you I completely devoured it... Such a nice story, beautifully written, and hit me in the feels. This was a quick, one-sitting, easy, read. I could also tell the author did his research on the Polish community.

This was a nice 80 page short story about a grandson meeting and building a relationship with his polish grandfather. It's not focused on the story itself but instead of the characters and setting of the story. A nice short story to read in the winter time. The ending was unexpected for me. The characters are flawed but as you peel back their layers you learn more about them and there background. There were snippets of flashback which I found useful. Overall nice winter story about family