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misslisa11 's review for:
The Familiar
by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book 56 of 2024: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her mistress discovers that Luzia is actually hiding a talent for magic, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s position. What begins as amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor, and hosts a toreno where people with magical abilities will compete for the chance to become the king’s confidant and influence Spain’s empire with their magical gifts. Determined to seize this chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.
This was such an entertaining read! The blend of historical fiction and fantasy was fantastic and I really felt emerged in the world that Bardugo created. I was fascinated by how she was able to use the Spanish Inquisition to set the scene for this story, and tell tales of those who were persecuted throughout this terrible time in Spain’s history. I really appreciated the Jewish experience and representation in this book, and learned a lot about how non-Catholics were persecuted during the inquisition, as well as how “witchcraft” accusations were used as not only as a weapon of misogyny but also of cultural and religious erasure. I loved that Luzia’s character never shied away from her identity and how her magic helped her come into her own. She was such a strong and brilliant protagonist and I couldn’t help but cheer for her. I loved her relationship with Santangel and the bargain that they were able to strike to help one another. Great book!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her mistress discovers that Luzia is actually hiding a talent for magic, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s position. What begins as amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor, and hosts a toreno where people with magical abilities will compete for the chance to become the king’s confidant and influence Spain’s empire with their magical gifts. Determined to seize this chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.
This was such an entertaining read! The blend of historical fiction and fantasy was fantastic and I really felt emerged in the world that Bardugo created. I was fascinated by how she was able to use the Spanish Inquisition to set the scene for this story, and tell tales of those who were persecuted throughout this terrible time in Spain’s history. I really appreciated the Jewish experience and representation in this book, and learned a lot about how non-Catholics were persecuted during the inquisition, as well as how “witchcraft” accusations were used as not only as a weapon of misogyny but also of cultural and religious erasure. I loved that Luzia’s character never shied away from her identity and how her magic helped her come into her own. She was such a strong and brilliant protagonist and I couldn’t help but cheer for her. I loved her relationship with Santangel and the bargain that they were able to strike to help one another. Great book!