Book Review: ‘The Familiar’ by Leigh Bardugo Isn’t for Everyone, but Historical Fiction Lovers, This One’s For You
You might have seen some mixed reviews for Leigh Bardugo’s latest historical fiction fantasy, The Familiar. And you know what? I get it. This book is not going to be for everyone. It moves at a much more languid pace than what the average reader might prefer However, I loved it. Set during the Spanish Inquisition, things are pretty bleak. But the writing is luscious, and I felt as if I was watching a movie play out—it was that vivid. There is a lot to love about this story. It’s political intrigue, there’s a contest playing out where the contestants keep dying, and a slow burn love story unfolding with amazing banter. The vibes are vibing as we like to say. And with a bit of magic, this historical fiction fantasy comes to life. If this doesn’t get a movie adaptation, I’d be so surprised. Plus, it’s a standalone, and Lord knows we need more of those. Now candidly, if you’re looking for a fast-paced page turner, this is not it. But if you want to get pleasantly immersed in a beautiful novel dripping with lyrical writing, this is a great read for you.
P.S. I love this cover—and the pomegranate endpapers are STUNNING.
Things to Know:
Standalone
Historical Fantasy
Reads more like historical fiction (less fantasy)
Political intrigue
Competiton
Slow Burn Romance as a subplot
TW: Antisemitism during the Spanish Inquisition
Another cover that drew me in! Leigh Bardugo has been somewhat hit or miss for me. She’s written some of my favorite YA fantasy (Crooked Kingdom and King of Scars!), but I also DNF’d Hell Bent. So I was cautiously optimistic about this one, and was pleasantly surprised. If you’re not a fan of historical fiction or political machinations, you might not like this. Luzia is a survivor. Having to hide her Jewish heritage, and her magic abilities she moves about as a handmaid for a social climbing family. When it’s discovered she possesses magic, her employers immediately want to exploit her for their benefit, eventually entering her into a competition to get a the notice of the King.
And of course, she meets a morally grey MMC along the way. Can you trust him? I’ll never tell. I would absolutely recommend this book to readers who love historical fiction first. For me, the ending of this book was chef’s kiss. So good, and so emotional. It’s a book that will definitely stick with me. There were a few issues with the pacing in the middle that dropped it down ever so slightly, but it’s definitely a book I would come back to. 4 stars.
Fave Quotes:
“Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic. Writing is creating something out of nothing, is opening doors to others lands. Writing gives you power to shape your own world when the real one hurts too much.”
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“But let it be my ambition and not my fear that seals my fate.”
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“You think you know hardship, but men have a gift for finding new ways to make women suffer.”
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