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madelinemartin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
Leigh Bardugo does it once again. This historical fantasy novel is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I liked that we got right into the main plot of the story. I enjoyed watching Luzia’s development throughout the plot and how Santangel helped her along on her journey. Luckily the book ended just as I hoped it would, and it was such a beautiful story <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Classism, Confinement, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent and War
saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
"Language creates possibility."
The Familiar is a deeply appropriate name given how familiar the book is. This is literally Shadow and Bone with a Spanish instead of Russian world and if Darklina was canon.
A young, poor girl is without family. She's in a shitty service situation until she discovers she has a miraculous power. This power throws her into a game of politics involving royals and a moody, magical, mysterious, dark man who acts as a love interest and teacher. There's a religious figure manipulating royals and acts as an antagonist. Lots of Catholicism, especially saints. The main character becomes a saintly figure due to manipulation, despite her being an outsider to said faith. Not everyone views her as saintly though, leading to religious conflict.
Add that with Leigh Bardugo's writing style, the medieval setting, and some plot twists that make it even more like SaB, and you get the literary equivalent of deja vu. Now if you're keeping count, this is the fourth time Bardugo has recycled elements of SaB. The Nikolai Duology retread a lot of the same plot points just without Alina and Mal, the Alex Stern books recycle some elements, and she was an executive on the SaB show. Now SaB is one of the mediocre YA series I got attached to as a teenager so I do like it, but it's getting tired.
It doesn't help that unlike those other books (and TV series), The Familiar lacks any particularly interesting characters. Luzia is mostly a reactionary character due to her lack of agency, which leaves fewer opportunities for her personality to shine (not that you can't make a reactionary character interesting, Katniss Everdeen for example. But it does seem to be harder to write), though I liked the little bits we got of her, she's funny and at times unhinged, wish we got more of that and more motive driving her. Santangel is a watered down Darkling (but this time his hair is white). The side characters don't standout either.
The Familiar does beat SaB in regards to having something interesting to discuss. Luzia is Jewish living during a time in Spain with rampant antisemitism, leading to the expulsion and deaths of many. I appreciated the cultural details she included and the discussion of how the Church has used antisemitism. That said, the book's attempts at tackling colonialism and misogyny are shallow.
The magic system is really interesting, more unique than SaB's. It's based around miracle-like magic, making it a soft magic system. The Church is basically holding a monopoly on miracles, so anyone who works magic besides someone in league with them is executed. Not only is it a unique soft magic system but its got a solid historical basis. I do think this theme was done better by Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy though (which is also the superior Russian-inspired fantasy to SaB)
The writing is also great though familiar. I wrote down a lot of quotes from this and it was beautiful and went down easy, making an enjoyable read for a long car trip. It also saved the romance, though I don't think the characters have a ton of chemistry, the writing was pretty romantic.
Newer readers to Leigh Bardugo and Darklina shippers might enjoy this, but for me, I'm a bit tired. Bardugo is a great writer, but she needs to get more creative with her plots and characters. Though The Familiar was enjoyable and has some really good elements, it lacks strong characters and is far too familiar.
Also, this line:
"It was too late for us before we ever met."
Is basically the same idea as when pop goddess Carly Rae Jepsen said:
"Before you came into my life I missed you so bad."
The Familiar is a deeply appropriate name given how familiar the book is. This is literally Shadow and Bone with a Spanish instead of Russian world and if Darklina was canon.
A young, poor girl is without family. She's in a shitty service situation until she discovers she has a miraculous power. This power throws her into a game of politics involving royals and a moody, magical, mysterious, dark man who acts as a love interest and teacher. There's a religious figure manipulating royals and acts as an antagonist. Lots of Catholicism, especially saints. The main character becomes a saintly figure due to manipulation, despite her being an outsider to said faith. Not everyone views her as saintly though, leading to religious conflict.
Add that with Leigh Bardugo's writing style, the medieval setting, and some plot twists that make it even more like SaB, and you get the literary equivalent of deja vu. Now if you're keeping count, this is the fourth time Bardugo has recycled elements of SaB. The Nikolai Duology retread a lot of the same plot points just without Alina and Mal, the Alex Stern books recycle some elements, and she was an executive on the SaB show. Now SaB is one of the mediocre YA series I got attached to as a teenager so I do like it, but it's getting tired.
It doesn't help that unlike those other books (and TV series), The Familiar lacks any particularly interesting characters. Luzia is mostly a reactionary character due to her lack of agency, which leaves fewer opportunities for her personality to shine (not that you can't make a reactionary character interesting, Katniss Everdeen for example. But it does seem to be harder to write), though I liked the little bits we got of her, she's funny and at times unhinged, wish we got more of that and more motive driving her. Santangel is a watered down Darkling (but this time his hair is white). The side characters don't standout either.
The Familiar does beat SaB in regards to having something interesting to discuss. Luzia is Jewish living during a time in Spain with rampant antisemitism, leading to the expulsion and deaths of many. I appreciated the cultural details she included and the discussion of how the Church has used antisemitism. That said, the book's attempts at tackling colonialism and misogyny are shallow.
The magic system is really interesting, more unique than SaB's. It's based around miracle-like magic, making it a soft magic system. The Church is basically holding a monopoly on miracles, so anyone who works magic besides someone in league with them is executed. Not only is it a unique soft magic system but its got a solid historical basis. I do think this theme was done better by Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy though (which is also the superior Russian-inspired fantasy to SaB)
The writing is also great though familiar. I wrote down a lot of quotes from this and it was beautiful and went down easy, making an enjoyable read for a long car trip. It also saved the romance, though I don't think the characters have a ton of chemistry, the writing was pretty romantic.
Newer readers to Leigh Bardugo and Darklina shippers might enjoy this, but for me, I'm a bit tired. Bardugo is a great writer, but she needs to get more creative with her plots and characters. Though The Familiar was enjoyable and has some really good elements, it lacks strong characters and is far too familiar.
Also, this line:
"It was too late for us before we ever met."
Is basically the same idea as when pop goddess Carly Rae Jepsen said:
"Before you came into my life I missed you so bad."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Torture, Misogyny, Violence, Death, Antisemitism, and Fire/Fire injury
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death and Violence
cesca_natalia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Violence, Torture, and Slavery
laurenzazzles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Antisemitism, Confinement, Blood, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Grief, Body horror, and Emotional abuse
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Gaslighting, Violence, Confinement, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Antisemitism, Body horror, Hate crime, Torture, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Abandonment, and Bullying
spicycronereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I am a fan of all of Bardugo’s books but this is probably her most mature work to date. I don’t mean in terms of content necessarily (and certainly not in terms of steaminess). It takes a historical setting and adds magic, which makes it pretty dark. The themes of patriarchy and the violence of men are realized here in a way that you really feel the weight of them and a throughline to present times. Like there is a palpable weariness toward the violence of men and a familiar way that women have to band together for protection. It lends a sobriety or somberness to the text. In addition, the lyricism of Bardugo’s writing is elevated from prior books.
It did take me a bit to get into it. It is in third person POV and the characters are not necessarily likeable. FMC Luzia is sympathetic and she has a certain strength that evolves but I can’t say that I really liked her. The MMC Santángel is blonde, so there’s that 😂 I’m kidding. Mostly. But I would not say he’s a book boyfriend. I heard Bardugo speak recently and she said Valentina is her favorite character I agree that she has the best character arc. Also, what was the deal with the playwrite? Were her writings influencing things or was she just using everything as inspiration? It kind of felt like that went nowhere. The magic system is based in language, which seems like it isn’t that common these days. It is done in a way that feels fresh.
In terms of diversity, Luzia and a few other characters are Jewish and living in hiding, having descended from those who converted to Catholicism under the violence of the Inquisition. There are also a few queer folks among the secondary characters.
There is a romance element to the plot. Santángel recognizes Luzia’s strength and helps her develop, and then gets out of her way (which is one of my favorite micro-tropes(?) in romance.) . There is a bit of pining and romantic tension. And it becomes a closed door romance. I give it one swoony heart 💖 I actually think it would have been better and more romantic to leave the ending more ambiguous. We have ambiguity around the playwrite and the orange grove is never fully explained. I think it would have improved the book to gesture toward Santángel regenerating each day but not spelling it out. That would have aligned with the weightiness of the setting and would have put this at 5 stars for me.
There is a plot point where the Jewish characters are planning to travel to a land that is sanctuary for them. I was a bit worried it was going to be some kind of Zionist sub-plot but Bardugo has expressed support for Palestine and there is nothing to suggest that this place is intended as an analog to Israel. It is more that the characters are seeking somewhere free from persecution and there is no sense that this requires colonizing another place or displacing other people.
Overall, the setting and writing are lush. The plot is interesting and the magic feels fresh, with the weight of historical events adding a somber texture to the book. It was a bit of a slow start but then it really picked up. I really liked it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
It did take me a bit to get into it. It is in third person POV and the characters are not necessarily likeable. FMC Luzia is sympathetic and she has a certain strength that evolves but I can’t say that I really liked her. The MMC Santángel is blonde, so there’s that 😂 I’m kidding. Mostly. But I would not say he’s a book boyfriend.
In terms of diversity, Luzia and a few other characters are Jewish and living in hiding, having descended from those who converted to Catholicism under the violence of the Inquisition. There are also a few queer folks among the secondary characters.
There is a romance element to the plot. Santángel recognizes Luzia’s strength and helps her develop,
Overall, the setting and writing are lush. The plot is interesting and the magic feels fresh, with the weight of historical events adding a somber texture to the book. It was a bit of a slow start but then it really picked up. I really liked it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, and Classism
Moderate: Infertility and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
There is a threat of sexual assault but it does not occur.chasinggrace's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
*Update: I reread this right after finishing it and I am bumping to a 4.5⭐️ review. The prose and foreshadowing in this book are beautiful.
Leigh Bardugo you have DONE IT AGAIN!! A dark romantic fantasy set in 1400’s Spain that features a determined girl and a cursed immortal man. The pure YEARNING from this man absolutely made the book for me. The way he phrased his love for her was beautiful - this writing was fantastic.
This is gothic fantasy, so slightly slower and darker than epic or ramantasy novels. But I loved it just the same. Not all of the characters were likable, and many were hatable. I found myself thinking, “this is gonna end badly” so many times because I couldn’t see a way out for our FMC.
I’m SO HAPPY that this book had a positive ending for Santangel and Luzia. I needed a fantasy book with a happy ending and they are such a beautiful couple ❤️
Leigh Bardugo you have DONE IT AGAIN!! A dark romantic fantasy set in 1400’s Spain that features a determined girl and a cursed immortal man. The pure YEARNING from this man absolutely made the book for me. The way he phrased his love for her was beautiful - this writing was fantastic.
This is gothic fantasy, so slightly slower and darker than epic or ramantasy novels. But I loved it just the same. Not all of the characters were likable, and many were hatable. I found myself thinking, “this is gonna end badly” so many times because I couldn’t see a way out for our FMC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Slavery, Classism, Genocide, Infertility, Misogyny, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Cursing, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
themis_biblos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I only wanted a little warmth. I didn't know what kind of fire I would start.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Death, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
soniajoy98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Classism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Sexism
Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Gore, Islamophobia, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Grief, Biphobia, Ableism, Confinement, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Infertility, and War