Review: The Familiar

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo is a beautiful and ambitious novel, which weaves magic with historical intrigue.

The tale revolves around Luzia Cotado, a scullion residing in the gritty underbelly of Madrid. As she battles to make ends meet, she uncovers a dormant talent for magic, one that her cunning mistress deftly exploits to elevate their family's social standing. This initial premise is captivating, pulling me into Luzia's life of struggle and concealed potential. Yet, as the narrative progresses, I began to crave a richer exploration of the characters and a more captivating story.

Bardugo tackles themes of identity, ambition, and the precarious balance of power, but for me, these were often overshadowed by the pacing of the book. A new layer is added to the story when Antonio Pérez, fallen secretary to the king, arrives, but not even this was enough to pull my full interest. Luzia's journey into a world of alchemists and seers held promise, but I found myself disconnected from the unfolding drama too many times.

The strength of the book is in its rich, descriptive prose that brings the historical setting to life. Still, at times, the lush descriptions started to make it feel like a chore to slog through certain parts. I would regularly find myself wishing for a bit of a brisker pace, especially at the beginning.

While Guillén Santangel is an intriguing character, with more and more about him being uncovered as the tale progresses, Luzia did not resonate with me as much as I expected. The author could have added more depth and mystery to the story by developing her character a little more. There was so much potential in the relationship dynamics between Luzia and Guillén, but it felt underdeveloped and clichéd.

In summary, while The Familiar has its strengths—for example, a promising premise and lovely prose—it just really failed to live up to my expectations. This would be a novel I would recommend to any reader who enjoys historical fantasies with a light touch of magic. However, this book generally requires an element of patience in order to be able to appreciate the subtleties it has to offer. You might just find a rewarding tale nestled between the pages if you are ready to look the other way when it comes to a slower pacing and a not so strong character development, on behalf of beautiful prose with a magical intrigue.

Content Warnings

Graphic - Torture, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism

Moderate - Sexual content, Death of parent, Violence

Minor - Infertility, War, Sexual assault

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