The Familiar

I wanted to like this book so badly. This is the 10th Leigh Bardugo book I’ve read. Before reading this she was batting a perfect 1.000 for me. Of the nine books I had read by her previously I would say that I enjoyed every single one. What’s even crazier is that I felt like she had been getting better. Her two most recent books (Ninth House and Hell Bent) were my two favorites. To top it off, it’s a historical fantasy book set in the time of the Spanish Inquisition, which is a really interesting time period and one rife to do fun things with from a fantasy writer’s perspective. To say that I went into The Familiar with high expectations would be an understatement. I didn’t just think that I would like it. I felt like I already knew that I would like it.

And yet I didn’t. I waited for the moment for the book to click for me and it never did. I don’t think The Familiar is totally irredeemable. Bardugo clearly did a ton of research into the setting, there are some really cool set pieces and some of the supporting characters are really cool. There are really only a couple of criticisms that I can make about the book. Unfortunately they are pretty big mistakes.

The first is that I just don’t find the main characters to be interesting at all. Here I’m mostly talking about Luzia and Santangel, who are easily the most prominent characters in the book. I just can’t bring myself to care about them, which is a really big problem because the book really needs you to be emotionally invested in them and their love story. Luzia is just boring and when she’s not boring she’s antagonistic to the point that it makes it hard to root for her. Santangel is a cardboard cutout of ‘edgy male love interest’ to the point that I could believe he was a character in a Twilight knockoff. When you have a romance between these two characters and have that be one of the biggest storylines of your book, the book isn’t going to be good. A novel can survive having boring or unlikable side characters. But even the best worldbuilding, supporting characters and pacing cannot save a book in which the two main characters just aren’t compelling. What’s so strange about this criticism is that I know for a fact that Bardugo can write characters like this extremely well. Alex from Ninth House and Hell Bent shares plenty of similarities with Luzia on paper but she’s actually great and is a huge part of what makes those books so good. Nikolai from the Grishaverse has some stuff in common with Santangel but he was easily compelling enough to carry a duology by himself. If a writer who I didn’t have as much faith in wrote these characters I’d be more forgiving but once again I know that Bardugo can do better than this and that’s what makes this criticism so frustrating.

While most of what I dislike about the book comes down to the fact that I just don’t care about Luzia and Santangel, it also has to be mentioned that this book has some weird pacing issues. I feel like it’s way too long and yet somehow feels rushed at various points as well. There is a lot of stuff going on throughout this book and I feel like a few sections or subplots could easily be taken out and make the book better.

For an NBA player, shooting 90% from the free throw line is exceptional. 90% gets you at least an A- in most classes. For a writer, having 90% of your bibliography be amazing is very worthy of praise. I still like Bardugo and consider her to be one of my favorite authors today. But this book is a notable miss for her.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, so maybe my disappointment with this book is on me, with my expectations set too high. But at the same time this was advertised as a deeply personal historical fantasy based on the author’s family history, while it was actually an alternate universe Alina x The Darkling story.

My full review for this book is on my booktube channel, where I explain why this felt like an alternate universe Alina x The Darkling

The beginning was great, and I loved the first chapter as it really sets the stage for things to come. We are introduced to several of our main characters and their situations. We have Luzia who is a maid in a not so wealthy house, and unhappy with her position. She has magic, but since it comes from her Jewish family and is performed with a mix of languages, she knows she could be killed for using it.

We also have Valentina, who is trapped in a loveless marriage and longs for companionship, while being isolated by societal expectations. Because of this she often employs cruel attention seeking and controlling tactics on the two servants in her house.

The first few chapters of the book we are told that this story doesn’t end well and there are small things that happened that cause a domino effect. I generally find this premise interesting, but the problem is, looking back on this part of the book, I stopped believing that it was actually these small things that made a difference. Luzia was too power hungry and ambitious not to get caught eventually. Sure the bread incident might have been what tipped Valentina off, but Luzia was careless. She freakin’ fixed the torn dress right in front of Valentina. And you can’t convince me that Luzia actually thought Valentina’s wrath was better than her interest. Luzia revels in the attention. She wants people to notice her and notice how powerful she is. She was going to show off eventually, bread incident or not.

At times, I liked that we focused on a power hungry ambitious character. It was interesting to see how far she would take things, how far she could climb in social status before falling. But it got old when this was Luzia's only personality trait. I didn’t feel like the characters were well rounded, which might be why I felt that I was kept at arm's length from the characters. I had trouble getting immersed in the story.

I really enjoy Leigh Bardugo’s writing. She has some great punchy lines!

"Luzia saw her reflection in the goblet, changed but unchangeable, made perfect and ruined all the same"

I love this one, though it feels like a Grishaverse quote.

“She could be safe. ‘I'd rather be powerful” she whispered to no one”

Oooh I was so ready for a corruption arc!

“But did he deserve to die?”

“Death doesn’t come to those who deserve it. I can attest to that.”

The book is written using modern language, so if that is something that breaks your immersion in a historical novel, then this one is not for you. It is something I notice, but it doesn’t take me out of a book, so it worked fine for me.

Overall, I'm glad I read it, but I think this is my first Bardugo book that I've read and won't be rereading

3.5 Stars

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD (I'll let you know when):

I enjoyed this quite a bit. Each time I sat down to read, I looked forward to the story and the character development (for the main players, in particular. There are a lot of characters here and many are not interesting or seem sort of flat and predictable...a few though could have used more air time because the potential was there: Quiteria Escárcega, for example). The love story was interesting and I found myself most invested in this aspect of the story and found that it was what kept me coming back (which makes sense as this is the main part of the story...). The political aspect of things as it relates to King Phillip and Antonio Pérez was tepid. Like, oh yeah...we have to talk about the King and Pérez and the Inquisition (which wasn't portrayed as all that intimidating here) because this is what's supposed to raise the stakes...ok, let's get on with it. However, predictable the love story was here, it was still satisfying and enjoyable. Sort of how ice cream is satisfying and enjoyable. You know it's going to be yummy. And when it is yummy, you're happy that it was yummy, but you also expected it to be, soooo....yeah. Know what I mean?

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD:

Valentina is interesting. Probably my favorite character in this whole thing and I felt like her story...especially where it ends up...could be its own tale. What a gray character, but one you find yourself rooting for some (not so) inexplicable reason. And that scene in the woods with the horse and Marius? It could have been longer because it was so well-placed and so important for the development of both Marius and Valentina...a lost opportunity in my opinion, but not bad by any means...I just wanted more.

As for the setting and atmosphere, I wanted this to be more “fleshed out” (if you can say that about things like atmospheres and settings). I knew when this was taking place only because of the events closely preceding and during the story (defeat of the Spanish armada by Queen Elizabeth I, Inquisition), but other than that, very little in the story reminds you of when this takes place or what the environment was like or even how the environment actually does its own work to raise the stakes. I think I need to think on this one more...but I just didn't visualize the environment a lot with this one...and I am GREAT at visualizing a story. It's what I LOVE about reading. But with this, Bardugo didn't ask much of you in that respect...and for me, that's a let down.

Ok, this is a lot for a standalone “romantasy” of 379 pages, but I had thoughts. Overall, I rate this a 3.5. I enjoyed it. I looked forward to picking it up and for what it's worth, if this were to become a series (which based on the ending, I don't think it would), I'd spring for the next one.

The Familiar grabbed me from the first line and was extremely satisfying to read. I wouldn't say it was fast-paced, maybe more medium, but I was never bored and I never wanted to put the book down. In a lot of the books I read, there's a lot of buildup to the climax of the story only for the bulk of the action to happen in the last few pages, and I'm often left feeling like it was sort of rushed. But in The Familiar, there was buildup, and then the action started and I was like, “wait, there's still so much book left!”
I loved Luzia as a main character. I liked that while everyone around her thought she was just a stupid little servant, the reader knows she is so much more. It would have been incredibly dangerous for Luzia to show anyone just how clever she really was in the 1500s. But hiding your true self can be dangerous too, and this quote really smacked me in the face: “I know what it is to lower yourself, to keep your eyes downcast, to seek invisibility. It is a danger to become nothing. You hope no one will look, and so one day when you go to find yourself, only dust remains, ground down to nothing from sheer neglect.” I mean, it absolutely BODIED me. Leigh Bardugo, did you write that for me? I feel called out. Anyway, watching Luzia evolve from a meager scullion to a woman who truly knows what she's capable of felt really good.
Santángel was another great character and I liked the way his relationships evolved throughout the book and the way Bardugo introduced his backstory. Really, character development as a whole was super on point, even for side characters. Everyone felt important and they all evolved in ways that made perfect sense. I've learned that Bardugo is very good at this.
This is such a hard review for me because I like the book so much, I just want to gush about spoilery things. I'll just say I think the book ended just the way it should have and call it a day.
This was my first Leigh Bardugo book. Her others have been on my TBR for a while, but that list is a mile long. I hope to get to Ninth House soon because I know for sure I'm a fan of hers now!

Very Leigh Bardugo: the pace builds towards the end, and the ending aims to leave a sense of fulfillment...even though I do feel like I wanted more.

I like how everyone has their own ambitions that manifested in many different ways. Every single character feels alive to me. Every single one of them, not just the main characters.

The only flaw was the romance. It should have had a bit more buildup. It should have been marinated a bit longer.

mmm OK so this isn't my favorite FLAVOUR of fantasy (from Bardugo I prefer both the magical heist-y [b:Six of Crows 23437156 Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1651710803l/23437156.SY75.jpg 42077459] and the urban fantasy [b:Ninth House 43263680 Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553102141l/43263680.SY75.jpg 53348200]) but still, Leigh Bardugo slays. I was really intrigued by the magic systems here and I dug Luzia and Santangel's whole deal. Also the Ladino language history here is a really cool twist on fantasy-European history.

Because her mistress shows her off to her dinner guests, Luzia Cortado's "milagritos," little pieces of magic that make her life of drudgery as a kitchen maid a bit easier, get her noticed by a nobleman who is trying to win the favor of King Philip of Spain. She gains a patron and is entered in a contest for holy magicians, the winner of which will be presented as a gift to the King. In preparation, her patron's servant (or familiar) Santangel, who is a striking man with white hair, light eyes, and a presence that strikes fear in people's hearts, gives her lessons in how to develop her magic.

Everyone in this book has a very human longing for something--a better social position, a more secure life, a life with beauty and pleasure in it, a chance to be powerful, love, what have you. The longing propels them, but it doesn't lead them where they expect or hope to go. This fact of life is explicit in the story. It's Valentina's longing that gets everything started, and at the end almost everyone's life has been completely altered.

The Familiar turned out to be more of a romance than I expected, but it's well written, with an unusual plot. I enjoyed the historical setting of late 16th century Spain, with the shadows of King Philip, Elizabeth I of England, and the Inquisition.

In the realm of fantasy literature, where the incredible becomes conceivable and realms beyond our reality flourish, “The Familiar” by its renowned author initially promised a grand foray into mystic lands and arcane mysteries. However, upon a thorough examination, the book reveals itself not as a treasured relic of narrative artistry but as a flawed artifact, made all the more conspicuous by its disappointing execution and questionable content.

At its heart, “The Familiar” is woven with the threads of potential greatness, a tapestry depicting a world of intricate magic systems and a diverse cast of characters. The initial plunge into this world is indeed mesmerizing, luring the reader with its rich descriptions and complex lore. The allure of ancient spells, mythical creatures, and the classic battle between dark and light initially sets a promising stage.

However, as the pages turn, the enchantment of the book's beginning crumbles under the weight of its own ambition. The ending, in particular, stands out as egregiously executed. It unravels any previous investment in the story with a conclusion that feels both rushed and hollow. This precipitous drop in storytelling quality not only betrays the reader's investment but also sullies the book's earlier achievements.

Compounding this issue is the book's foray into romantic subplots and character interactions, which are marred by cringe-worthy dialogue and scenarios that can only be described as smut without substance. These scenes, seemingly inserted to add a layer of adult complexity, instead come across as forced and gratuitous. They distract from the core narrative and undermine the characters' development, reducing them to caricatures defined by their basest desires rather than their potential as epic heroes.

What is perhaps most disheartening is that the widespread popularity of “The Familiar” seems less a testament to its literary merit and more a reflection of the celebrity of its author. It is an unfortunate truth in the literary world that often a name can carry more weight than the quality of the content. This phenomenon is painfully evident here, where the author's fame has seemingly blinded many to the book's glaring deficiencies.

In conclusion, while “The Familiar” initially presents itself as a promising fantasy epic, it ultimately fails to deliver on its potential. The narrative is sabotaged by a poorly executed conclusion and unsavory attempts at mature themes. These elements tarnish the reading experience, making it a prime example of how a book can ride the coattails of the author's previous successes rather than standing on its own merits. As such, it serves as a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of commercial success overshadowing the foundational need for quality storytelling in literature.

Book Review: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a reader who took a break from my usual ARC reading to delve into Leigh Bardugo's highly anticipated historical fantasy novel, The Familiar, I can confidently say that it did not disappoint. The cover alone is captivating, drawing me into a world of magic and intrigue that I couldn't resist exploring.

Set in the Spanish Golden Age, the story follows Luzia Cotado, a servant in Madrid with a hidden talent for magic. When her abilities are discovered by her mistress, Luzia is thrust into a dangerous game of social elevation and political manipulation. From the disgraced secretary to Spain's king to a world of seers and alchemists, Luzia's journey is filled with peril and uncertainty.

What struck me most about The Familiar was Bardugo's impeccable storytelling. The plot is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the world-building is intricate and vivid. The historical backdrop adds depth and richness to the narrative, immersing readers in a time and place filled with magic and mystery.

I found myself drawn to Luzia's resilience and Guillén Santangel's enigmatic nature, rooting for them as they navigated a world where magic, science, and political intrigue collide. The dynamic between the characters drives the story forward, keeping me on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn.

In conclusion, The Familiar is a standout novel in the historical fantasy genre. Bardugo's masterful prose weaves a tale that is both captivating and thought-provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent within the pages of this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling read that seamlessly blends magic, mystery, and political drama.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Leigh Bardugo is so good at historical, I hope she writes more! She is starting to write the same sort of characters though, often her side characters are much more interesting. This is the case for The Familiar - there's so many historical references, interesting views on history and characters that I wish we could have explored a lot more than the romance.