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

This was a very interesting book about this man named Jan. He was working in Pittsburgh.. He was from poland so he had a lot of wives and you had a son but he was not very happy there. He talked about poland when he was as a young boy and how he wanted to go back. This was a hard life as well. Woman didn't really understand him at all. But this man was a fighter. And you tried to do good by everybody. But he liked to b.....e alone with his thoughts. You'd like to drink and you would go to the pub or drink at home alone. I can see where this was confusing because it's going in America. I'm being alone as an immigrant but have to leave your country because of it beingcomin. I think his son really understood him because he could see how hard was his father to work. The title is interesting to because it talks about A bird and this is really interesting because it really tells the story together. Because you look at the bird's prospect of how things were changing. I think people really have to look at how people have to leave a certain country. But they still remember their country..

In this lush novella, a man’s quest for his grandfather underscores the human need for closure — seeking answers to the 'whys' yet bearing the inability to handle truths. Set in Zakopane, the center of Goral culture, the novella begins with an unnamed narrator dreaming of a dead magpie in a garden of purple crocuses. Before the impending grimness (as foreshadowed), the author's vivid sensory descriptions set the stage for an intriguing atmosphere.

There's a distinct folkloric quality, drawing in readers who've never set foot in Zakopane, luring them into the beauty of its cultural mundanity. Despite the confusing timeline shift, the author's poetic language delighted me with its palpable essence. The author's use of parallelism heightened the coherence of the narrative structure, echoing the characters’ individual choices while mirroring one another.

The story prioritizes sensory descriptions over deep character exploration. The characters are meant to convey prejudices and illustrate how their viewpoints drive the storyline. Themes encompass family dynamics, employment, gender expectations, and the contrast between aspiring for greatness and finding comfort in the familiar.

But the narrative's strength lies in its symbolism, transcending specificities. The fusion of cultural superstition and science illuminates the symbolic significance of magpies, depicting them as both mourners of death and bearers of luck. The allusion to the "thieving magpie" is also worth noting, but I'll refrain from discussing it to avoid spoiling the readers. I'd like to bring it up to emphasize the author's adeptness in using symbolism.

In its entirety, “The Magpie Funeral” presents an astute storyline, employing literary elements that encourage deep thinking. While the slow burn may cause readers to lose interest at first, its poetic approach deftly alters seemingly matter-of-fact details. It holds a poignant blend of tragedy and catharsis, offering profound insights into the power and magic held within this sleepy town.

I'd like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Querencia Press for providing this book for review. All thoughts shared are solely my own.

#TheMagpieFuneral #NetGalley

I think this was a good concept, and I loved the use of the magpies, but it felt a little contrived. I didn't reach the same conclusion about the past as the main character, who felt immature, rash and unlikable. The descriptions of the town and region were interesting and imaginative, and felt real. This is the author's real skill. The flashbacks made some sense, but still didn't lead me to the conclusion reached by the author.

I enjoyed the story, but it just didn't totally connect with me.

I received a complimentary copy of the story from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely..