The Familiar

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of religious discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1.In what ways does Bardugo’s portrayal of magic in The Familiar compare to her treatment of magical systems in her other works, like Ninth House or the Grisha novels?

2. Which character’s journey resonated with you most deeply throughout the story, and why?

3. What message about the cost of ambition did you take away from the novel?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Have you ever transformed something you once felt you needed to hide into a source of strength, like Luzia does with her heritage? What helped you with this reframing?

2. What traditions or practices connect you to your own heritage in the way the refranes connect Luzia to hers?

3. If you could live for centuries but with constraints, like Santángel, would you choose that path? Did you find Bardugo’s portrayal of immortality more or less appealing than other authors’—for example, V. E. Schwab’s in The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue?

4. When have you faced a choice between ambition and your personal values? How did you approach the situation, and are you satisfied with your decision in retrospect?

5. Have you ever navigated between different identities or communities that felt in tension with one another? How did you resolve the conflict?

6. Isolation affects how both Luzia and Valentina perceive their own power and worth throughout the novel. Has loneliness ever changed your perception of yourself in similar ways?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What parallels do you see between the religious persecution depicted in the novel and modern examples of cultural or religious oppression?

2. The novel features Ladino, a language that survived despite persecution. What examples of cultural preservation in the face of oppression exist today?

3. In what ways does the novel’s portrayal of wealth built upon exploitation reflect current social and economic dynamics? Does the novel imply any solutions to the problem?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What significance does the pomegranate hold as a symbol throughout the novel?

2. Consider the alternating perspectives between Luzia, Valentina, and Santángel. What insights do readers gain from this structure that a single narrator might not provide?

3. What might Bardugo be suggesting about spirituality and desire through the recurring motif of oranges and orange blossoms?

4. The novel features transformation through Luzia’s magic and Santángel’s daily rebirth. What statement might this make about the relationship between transformation and freedom?

5. In what ways does Bardugo play with the dual meaning of “familiar” throughout the story?

6. Bardugo incorporates real historical figures like King Philip II and Antonio Pérez into her narrative. What effect does this blending of history and fantasy create?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you possessed magical abilities similar to Luzia’s refranes, what would you use them for?

2. Which character from The Familiar would you most want to interview, and what three questions would you ask them?

3. Imagine Luzia and Santángel 50 years after the novel’s conclusion. Where would they be, and how might their relationship have evolved?

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