At Leigh Bardugo The familiar is an entertaining slice of speculative fiction wrapped in historical fiction and delivered with heavy doses of magic and wit.
Part love story, part coming-of-age story full of secrets and tensions, and part story about wanting more and doing anything to get it, The familiar is a solid entry into Bardugo’s already impressive body of work.
Luzia Cotado is a pothead with calloused hands who sleeps on a filthy floor and constantly dreams of a better life where she would have more money, total freedom and love. Luiza works for a couple who are struggling to maintain their social status, so she doesn’t earn much and owns almost nothing. To help her get through her days and take care of menial tasks, Luzia uses a little magic, which she keeps a secret from everyone.
Luzia learned to perform small miracles from her aunt, a strange woman and lover of a very powerful man. When Luzia’s mistress discovers that her servant can make “milagritos”, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to improve her social status and forces Luzia to perform her magic for their guests. But what begins as entertainment soon turns into something much more serious when Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to the King of Spain, enters the scene and sees Luzia’s magic as an opportunity for himself.
The king is desperate to improve his military prowess, and Pérez believes that Luzia’s powers could be what puts him, once again, back in the king’s good graces. There will be a competition, and if Luzia wins, everyone around her could win something. But winning won’t be easy, and Luzia fears that her newfound fame will put her and her Jewish blood in the crosshairs of the Inquisition. Surrounded by people with secret agendas, learning to use her magic, caught in a new romance with a mysterious undead and an unknown pawn in a plethora of selfish machinations, Luzia will soon need more than a little magic to survive.
The familiar draws readers into a world of bondage, magic, power struggles, and intrigue. There isn’t a single character in this story who doesn’t have a secret agenda or something to gain – or lose! – which is directly linked to Luzia. The desires of some clash with those of others, and these battles slowly make the narrative more complex while simultaneously increasing the tension and sense of doom. Despite the many elements at play and the confusing number of characters she juggles here, Bardugo delivers each twist and turn with clarity, plenty of humor, and a charming wit, the latter of which fills the novel with superb, snappy dialogue that shows that Luzia lack. everything except a keen intelligence and a sharp tongue. Additionally, while many of the plot elements here, like the magical battle, someone trapped by a curse, and impossible love, are far from new, Bardugo mixes them well and manages to make them feel fresh.
Best known for her Shadow and bones trilogy, the Six of Ravens duology and King of scars duology – all of which are part of its Grishaverse universe – Bardugo offers an entertaining standalone here with a strong female protagonist who is very easy to root for. Through Luzia, we get a critique of religion, a look at the lives of those who have no choice but to serve in order to survive, and a romance as full of passion and sensuality as it is of lies and betrayal. Finally, the magic system created by Bardugo, which is Jewish magic based on phrases sung or spoken in mixed languages, is interesting and allows the author to talk about otherness without straying from the heart of his story.
Although Bardugo accomplishes a lot in this novel, the crown jewel of The familiar is Luzia, a memorable character whose most personal aspirations possess an exceptional universality. We watch her suffer, emerge from her cocoon, fall in love, and then receive her ultimatum: “Your life, your aunt’s life, your lover’s future are all at stake. So do your best or I will be forced to do the worse.” “. Through each of these stages, we want her to triumph and learn to perfect her powers, and that connection keeps the pages turning.
At times, the drawn-out descriptions of clothing and the growing number of characters and subplots — some with a satisfying arc and others that peter out — seem a bit excessive and threaten the pace of the story. But Bardugo is always in charge and his masterful use of tension – and that, along with his talent for great dialogue, more than overcomes the novel’s small shortcomings.
The familiar is full of milagritos and pain, betrayal and resentment, fear and desire. However, the most powerful element of the novel is hope; Luzia is passionate and her feelings are so powerful that they are contagious. These connections make this a hard book to put down.
Gabino Iglesias is an author, book reviewer, and professor living in Austin, Texas. Find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @Gabino_Iglesias.
Entertainment
