The Familiar
A Novel
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4.5 • 304 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * #1 INDIE BESTSELLER * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“An immersive, sensual experience.” —The New York Times
"Essential." —The Washington Post
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a spellbinding novel set in the Spanish Golden Age.
In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to improve the family's social position.
What begins as simple amusement for the nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.
Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the lines between magic, science, and fraud are 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 Santángel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Leigh Bardugo’s romantic fantasy novels never miss, and this historical fantasy is no different. Luiza, a young woman in Inquisition-era Spain, does the scutwork in the kitchen of a once-proud, now impoverished noble household, and she makes her life bearable through her “little miracles.” But when her aunt’s wealthy and powerful lover, Víctor, discovers Luiza’s ability to restore burnt bread and shattered wineglasses, he enrolls her in a competition to become King Phillip’s magical champion. We rooted hard for the resilient, likable Luiza as she faced threats from every side: her magical rivals, the priests who might discover her secret heritage, the frighteningly ambitious Víctor, and most dangerous of all, Víctor’s own familiar—a compellingly attractive immortal creature of uncertain motives. Will Luiza get the comfortable, safe life she longs for, or will it all go up in literal flames? We were enthralled by this high-stakes tale.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Two people with magical powers and sketchy pasts plot their escape from the Spanish Inquisition in this poignant romantic fantasy from bestseller Bardugo (Hell Bent). After Luzia Cotado, a housemaid hiding her Jewish heritage, allows her ambitious employer a glimpse of her ability to cast spells using "refranes" (Hebrew-Spanish proverbs), he enters her into a competition for royal miracle workers. Sponsored by Víctor de Paredes, a wealthy social climber, Luzia is trained by his "familiar," Guillén Santángel, an undying retainer who long ago traded away his luck and freedom for immortality. Despite being initially suspicious of each other, Luzia and Santángel find that among the competition's fake psychics, dangerous real magicians, and even more deadly patrons, they can only rely on their own powers and their growing mutual attraction. Bardugo puts an earthy spin on heavenly miracles, with much attention given to the mundane drudgery of daily life that is not erased—even with magic that can unburn bread. Luzia's pursuit of her powers, even at risk of burning at the stake, comes across as both empowering and practical compared to a life of unrewarding toil, making it easy to root for her through the competition. The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
This is the first fantasy romance book in a long time that I’ve actually enjoyed! It’s original, well-written, and a pleasure to read!