The Familiar

Leigh Bardugo
53 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2024

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Book Brief

Leigh Bardugo

The Familiar

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024
Book Details
Pages

400

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre
Fantasy

•

Historical Fiction

•

Magical Realism
Theme
Perseverance

•

Fear

•

Love
Topic
World History
First Publication Year

2024

Publisher

Flatiron Books

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo follows orphaned Luzia Cotado, a kitchen maid hiding her Jewish heritage and magical songs in Spain's Golden Age. Her powers attract the attention of a powerful employer, a ruthless patron, and a disgraced official. Luzia gains a lover and ally in the immortal Santángel but faces the Inquisition and ambitious plots, questioning if her magic can help her survive.

Mysterious

Fantastical

Suspenseful

Reviews & Readership

3.8

158,281 ratings

63%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar is celebrated for its compelling characters and intricate world-building, drawing readers into its richly imagined setting. Many praise its clever plot twists and emotional depth. However, some find the pacing uneven, with sluggish moments detracting from the story's flow. Overall, it's a strong addition to Bardugo's repertoire.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Familiar?

Fans of Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar will likely enjoy richly woven fantasies filled with complex characters and dark, immersive settings. Readers who appreciate the moral ambiguities and intricate world-building in Bardugo's Six of Crows series and Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses will find similar appeal here.

3.8

158,281 ratings

63%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Character List

The 20-year-old protagonist who is resourceful and strong-willed, living in a mystical 15th-century world where she navigates the challenges of her secret Jewish heritage and her unexplained magical abilities.

A key character with a mysterious past, marked by his 500-year-old life due to a magic curse, who finds renewed interest in life and human connections upon meeting Luzia.

Luzia’s aunt who plays a mentor-like role by teaching her secret Jewish rituals while maintaining her own survival through strategic and often self-serving relationships.

Luzia’s employer, who is driven by her ambitions and is initially superficial but demonstrates a developing sense of care and fairness throughout the story.

An aristocratic antagonist known for his manipulative nature who profits from a curse he uses to gain luck and power over others, including Santángel.

A rival character posing as a humble olive farmer whose actions reveal a dark ambition as he competes against Luzia using illusionary magic.

A fellow competitor in the torneo, who distinguishes herself by attributing her divine-like prophetic abilities to angelic sources and upholding a high moral standpoint.

Book Details
Pages

400

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre
Fantasy

•

Historical Fiction

•

Magical Realism
Theme
Perseverance

•

Fear

•

Love
Topic
World History
First Publication Year

2024

Publisher

Flatiron Books

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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