Book Review: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Title: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Publication Date: 9 April 2024
Publisher: Viking (division of Penguin Random House)
Australian RRP: $34.99
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Synopsis:
In a shabby house in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil. But when her scheming mistress discovers her scullion is hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to win over the royal court.
Determined to seize this chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of power-hungry nobility, desperate kings, holy men and seers, where the lines between magic, science and fraud blur. With the pyres of the Inquisition burning, she must use every bit of her wit and resilience to win fame and hide the truth of her ancestry – even if that means enlisting the help of an embittered immortal familiar, whose own secrets could cost her everything.
Review:
The Familiar was my book club pick for June and I had no idea what to expect going in... But I was pleasantly surprised!
Immediately we are transported back to the inquisition era of Spain, following a scullion who has the ability to conjure small miracles. She quickly drew the attention of her employer and was promised a life-changing opportunity with her newfound abilities. One thing I did expect going into the book was the gothic ambiance and wow did Leigh Bardugo serve. I loved the dark gritty themes of Six of Crows so I knew Bardugo would excel in atmosphere. The food they ate and the clothing they wore were all so deliciously dark, I had no problem being immersed in the novel. It was very fast paced from the beginning and I found it hard to put down, up until the second half of the book.
The plot started to drag a little and I had some issues with the romance. I loved the MC and her love interest individually, and the conversations between the two were punctuating and blunt (which was very interesting to follow), but I wish there was more chemistry between the two! The two together were like a piece of art that I can admire from afar but not exactly in the details. There were a lot of side characters and even partial POVs for some of them, none of which interested me very much. I feel that this is the author's way of conjuring the gothic theme (through the lenses of various people from different backgrounds). A wealthy man. A scullion. A married couple, a widow. But I personally found this difficult to follow, and wanted instead more of the magic that I so craved.
The writing was truly magnetic. Leigh Bardugo writes with a confidence that is both glaring and sharp. You cannot take your eyes off of the pages, and you eat up all her words and are left wanting more. Overall it was a very enjoyable, dark and atmospheric read. A refreshing and hard-hitting take from the esteemed author who wrote one of my favorite duologies ever!
Thank you to Penguin Books Australia for sending over a stunning ARC in exchange for an honest review!
