THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“What had she really accomplished? She hadn’t so much climbed a mountain as a low hill, but she might as well enjoy the view while she could. And if she was going to throw herself into the flames, why not do it with some decision? . . . Maybe if she’d been born on a different day, or even at a different hour, without the prayers for a queen’s soul echoing in her ears, she might have done just that. But she could be no one but herself.”
title: The Familiar
author: Leigh Bardugo
published: 2024
publisher: Viking (Penguin Random House)
genre: adult historical fantasy
setting: 16th c. Spain
representation: conversa scullion maid MC of mixed Iberian & Jewish heritage with the ability to perform milagritos, Jewish folklore & mythology, m/f romance
tropes: fantasy—magic tournament, witch trial, innate/culturally-derived magical ability; romance—dark secret, star-crossed lovers, soulmates, “tortured” MMC, mentor to lover
main themes/subjects: lives of women during the Spanish Golden Age, surviving vs. living, King Phillip & the Inquisition, [guardian] angels vs. familiars, magic vs. miracles, witches vs. saints, refranes (proverbs / “spells”), fairy tales, trust & betrayal, political intrigue & alliances, the power & magic of words & language—particularly as they are shaped & used by their cultures of origin
“When Luzia had seen the burnt bread, she hadn’t thought much about passing her hand over it and singing the words her aunt had taught her, ‘Aboltar kazal, aboltar mazal.’ A change of scene, a change of fortune. …not quite Spanish, just as Luzia was not quite Spanish. But Doña Valentina would never have her in this house, even in the dark, hot, windowless kitchen, if she detected a whiff of Jew.”
my thoughts:
writing style: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★—simply gorgeous (as per yuzh from Bardugo) “She felt as if she’d opened up a cupboard and found a wolf.” “…bits and pieces of Hebrew handed down like chipped plates.” “Had she thought fear made life interesting? Well, she hadn’t really known fear, had she? She had tasted spice and found it pleasing. Now she was chewing the pepper, seeds and all.” “…changing your name doesn’t change our circumstance. It can’t shake the Jews from the boughs of our family tree.” “…when I’m done with her, that shadow of a girl will burn so bright with holy light the Pope will have to squint to look at her.” “…talk of the devil was dangerous. It could take root and grow into a hanging tree.” “You see, I am just the clockmaker; the king tells us the time.” &c.
characters: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★—Bardugo is one of the few authors writing YA & adult across genres that never simplifies her characterizations for the sake of genre or audience though she still manages to respect the expectations implied by each. Her protagonists are flawed yet always brave, relatable & sympathetic, & her villains are complex & fully developed. They are also unique to themselves & their stories as well. Bardugo has a deep deep talent when it comes to character-creation. She tells this particularly story through the POV of multiple different characters (like maybe a dozen?) but it never felt forced, disjointed, dull, or distracting, rather it added such a rich layer of depth to the world, the story, & each individual perspective. Masterful.
story/plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★—I actually don’t usually like magic tournament or witch trial tropes but Bardugo’s use of them in her incredibly original & imaginative, fast-paced, tense, thoroughly absorbing (I properly binged this book) story was excellent.
world building: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★—more would have messed up the pace of the story but oooh I would have loved to have 200 more pages just of descriptions of the settings. . . I never want Bardugo’s books to end, tbh.
“Luzia sank down beside Hualit. ‘I will have that wine now.’ Hualit poured. ‘Well,’ Luzia said when she’d finished her second cup. ‘I suppose I’m doomed.’
‘Don’t be an idiot. You’ve been given an opportunity and I will help you seize it. For the both of us.’
‘Is the mouth of a shark an opportunity?’
‘For the shark it is.’”
bonus elements: I loved the romance in this book. I thought it was so beautifully & thoughtfully done. I loved the ideas of these two (magical) people being so isolated in their lives & finding someone who could relate to them & yet also challenge & compliment them & I also loved the twist at the end. I just thought it was so so beautiful.
philosophy: Flawless. As per yuzh. I love how Bardugo asks more questions in her writing than delivers moralistic statements leading the reader to make their own decisions about the choices made by the characters, their values, their actions, & the world they live in. The agency she allows her characters to be vulnerable & make mistakes too is *mwah.*
i would recommend this book to readers who love darkly beautiful adult historical fantasy (romantasy-ish) with elements of folk horror & thriller as well. Bonus points for Spanish Jewish rep! this book is best read on a dark & stormy Mediterranean night. I started on the audiobook, which was really good & I really valued hearing all the Spanish & Ladino spoken, but I ended up wanting to read it faster so I switched to ebook. But I would recommend the audiobook!
final note: I am still so so geeked about the fact that Bardugo has recently signed a 12-book book deal with her publisher so us Leigh-lackeys are going to be feddd! Very excite.
“‘And my milagritos?’
‘Are the way God speaks through you. At least that is what you will say when asked.’
‘Why would God choose me?’
‘Because God loves the wretched,’ he snapped. . . ‘There is a fine line between a saint and a witch, and I wonder if you are prepared to walk it.’”
CW // death & gore, torture, prison, immolation
spice level: 🌶️🌶️
season: Fall
music pairing:
further reading:
NINTH HOUSE (2019—book one in the Alex Stern duology) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ & SIX OF CROWS (2015—book one in the Six of Crows duology) by Leigh Bardugo
Ghāyat al-Ḥakīm, or PICATRIX: A Medieval Treatise on Astral Magic
“In the Ghayāt al-Hakīm magic was seen as the natural result of a holy life, the mark of a true sage. For a long time, crown and Church shared this belief. It was even translated into Castilian, by royal command.” (CH. 15)
SHADOW OF NIGHT (book two of the All Souls trilogy) by Deborah Harkness (2012)
JOAN by Katherine J Chen (2022)
THE STONE WITCH OF FLORENCE by Anna Rasche (2024)
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