Review – The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Length: 387 pages
Publisher:‎ Flatiron Books
Release Date: April 9, 2024
ASIN: B0C2MZXDBV
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone book
Source: Borrowed ebook from Library
Rating: 4/5 stars

“In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to improve the family’s social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the lines between magic, science, and fraud are never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santángel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed this from the library on ebook.

Thoughts: This book was much different from what I thought it would be, but I still enjoyed the beautiful writing and ironic tone to the story. This moves fairly slowly and has a bit of an unconventional sort of romance in it. I would definitely classify this as historical fantasy. Previous to reading this I read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy (which I liked), the Six of Crows duology (which I loved), and her Alex Stern series (which I also loved).

Luzia is a maid in a shabby house in the capital of Madrid. However, when her mistress, Valentina, finds out that Luzia can do small magics she starts having Luzia perform for guests to raise her household’s status. Unfortunately for Luzia, this is a time of witch hunts in Spain, and these performances gain the notice of Perez, the king’s secretary. Luzia is drawn into a competition between seers and alchemists to prove that her magical gifts are holy and of great value to the king. If she makes a single misstep, she will be branded a witch. Luckily she gains the assistance of her aunt’s husband’s strange immortal familiar. The familiar, Santangel, has lived many lifetimes and knows the ins and outs of all sorts of magic.

This whole book is strangely beautiful and lyrical. I think some of the beauty is in the wonder Luzia finds in day to day life and in her longing for more. Her and Santangel develop a strange camaraderie and really grow to respect each other. Santangel can’t help but love Luzia’s desire to live this life to the fullest, and Luzia is drawn in by Santangel’s consideration and experience. I loved watching Luzia become more herself as the book went on. I also really enjoyed this look into historical Spain.

This book is slow at times. I found the beginning took a bit to get moving. Normally this would bother me, but I found it strangely endearing in this case. This story was so beautifully written with amazing characters and wonderful imagery that I was completely sucked in to the book every time I picked it up.

Is this my favorite Bardugo book? No, but I did really end up enjoying it and am glad I read it. It is a beautiful historical story with some intriguing magic and a bit of viciousness as well.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this book even if it isn’t my favorite book by Bardugo (I really loved her Alex Stern series and Six of Crows duology better than this book). However, this is a beautifully written historical fantasy read. I enjoyed the intriguing complex characters, the unique magic, and the look into this time of historical Spain. This is a strangely intriguing book that alternates between beautiful, vicious, and eerily magical. I can’t wait to see what Bardugo does next.