A review by bookishmillennial
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

“There is a fine line between a saint and a witch, and I wonder if you are prepared to walk it.”

Thank you Libro FM for the ALC. I think it'll be suuuuper clear I'm providing an honest review below lmao. 

Is it kind of awful for me to call Leigh Bardugo a one-universe wonder? (DISCLAIMER FOR LB STANS: I'm just a peasant on bookstagram! I'm no one to you, so don't let *my* review ruin your love for a book or an author. Reviews are subjective, so who cares what I think?!)

Idk, I loved the books in the Grishaverse, and was sad that the Netflix series was cancelled, but I cannot get behind any of her novels since then. Her writing is beautiful! She is a master of her craft because I really did find this book gorgeously written. However, I was so bored, exhausted and unimpressed with the virginal-barely-legal FMC x brooding-immortal dynamic (omg, we are lacking in these dynamics in romantasies!!!! Damn!! Can anyone give me any recs? /sarcasm), and this just felt like an absolute chore to get through.

I of course appreciate the representation of the Jewish experience during the Spanish Inquisition, because I admittedly didn't know much about it. I think it's brave to share something based on your family's story too, so I commend LB for doing so. I appreciated the commentary on Luzia having to use her magic to get her employers into a higher social standing and for profit, yet could not explore the extent of it in order for others to not fear and target her even more. It's a delicate line to tow, and that parallel to Jewish folks' experience, along with any historically marginalized person, did not go unnoticed. 

Back to the actual book though:
  • The magic system was underwhelming, vague and disappointing (I would bill this as a romantasy, with the romance front and center, and the fantasy elements taking the backseat) - too much telling and then so much of the magic lessons happen off page?!?! The fuck?!?! Show us!!!! 
  • Every single male character beyond our love interest was deeply misogynistic and deserved to step on Legos barefoot; I mean.... out of all these dusty crusty losers, I guess I'd choose Santángel too...... 
  • Idk maybe Valentina deserves her own book, but nvm, don't write that book, Leigh because I've lost faith! 

Overall, if you liked The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab, you'll probably like this. I fucking hated that book for centering whiteness while exploring in the vastness of world history, but idk again, reviews are subjective, kthxbye! 

Quotations I liked:
“Language creates possibility. Sometimes by being used. Sometimes by being kept secret.”

“You think you know hardship, but men have a gift for finding new ways to make women suffer.”
also Leigh, you have a gift for finding new ways to make your female main characters suffer! I will never forget the trauma porn that was Ninth House!

“Maybe there really was a demon inside her. One that craved feather beds and fine food and applause.”
Lmao I gotta admit, I love the satire of recognizing how cishet men, media, etc. paint women/femmes in poor lights when they dare to ask for more and for wanting more 

“There are different kinds of suffering, Valentina thought. The kind that takes you by surprise and the kind you live with so long, you stop noticing it.”
An example of why Valentina was the best character in this book

“His belief in her was wine on an empty stomach and it left her light-headed.”
Me personally? That's not a good feeling, babygirl.

“Better to live in fear than in grinding discontent. Better to dare this new path than continue her slow, grim march down the road that had been chosen for her. At least the scenery would be different.”

“She would build herself a life of plenty. She would force her world to bloom as she’d made the pomegranate tree grow, and Santángel would help her do it. Even if blood watered the soil.”

“Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic. Writing is creating something out of nothing, is opening doors to others lands. Writing gives you power to shape your own world when the real one hurts too much.”

“I still meet grief in sudden places, when I least expect it. A familiar song. A smell from the kitchen. Then there it is. An enemy that can’t be bested.”
excellent and poignant description of grief - I co-sign this! 

“What do you really think of this place?"
"What does a beetle think of the boot that crushes it? It is a very excellent boot with a most impressive sole and made of the finest leather.”
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