BookBrowse Reviews The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

BookBrowse:

Veteran author Leigh Bardugo returns with a tale of magic and romance set in 16th-century Spain.

Luzia, the heroine of Leigh Bardugo's novel The Familiar, is a young woman employed as a scullion in the home of the decidedly middle-class Marius and Valentina Ordoño. Although she appears to be just an ordinary servant, Luzia can perform simple magic — unburning a loaf of bread, fixing torn clothing, turning six eggs into a dozen. She does her best to keep this talent hidden; it's the age of the Spanish Inquisition, and she fears coming to the institution's attention, well aware that her gift would be viewed with mistrust. Making her situation even more precarious is that she's a "converso" (a Jew who's converted to Christianity) and would very likely end up being tortured and then burned at the stake if arrested. One day her mistress accidentally sees one of these "milagritos" — little miracles. Eager to improve her status, Valentina invites important people to dinner and forces Luzia to perform. As Luzia's fame spreads and her talent grows, she comes to the attention of wealthy and powerful men who intend to use her abilities to improve their status at the court of Philip II — ultimately putting her life in grave danger.

Bardugo's prose is lovely throughout, with lush descriptions that bring each scene to life:

"A woman had entered the ballroom. Her hair was smooth and so black it shone nearly blue. Her milky skin seemed to catch the candlelight so she glowed like a captured star. Her staid gown was black velvet and covered her completely, but it was so heavily embroidered with diamonds and metallic thread that it no longer looked black, but like quicksilver, sparkling beneath the chandeliers."

She brilliantly conjures up a sense of magical wonder while casting it against the menacing shadow of the Inquisition. It's this tension that drives the plot and keeps the pages turning.

The author's attention to historical detail is also superb. She completely captures the everyday life of the times (Luzia must walk to a fountain to get buckets of water, sleeps on a cellar floor and attends mass daily). Beyond that, many of the characters are real-life historical figures, including Lucrecia de León (see Beyond the Book), Antonio Pérez and Miguel de Piedrola. While none are major characters, they're inserted so skillfully that their inclusion feels like a natural outgrowth of the story.

The real highlight, though, is Bardugo's fictional characters and their development. I was especially impressed with the depth she gives each. We gradually learn, for example, that Luzia isn't as oblivious and obedient as she appears to be, and we come to understand why she takes the risks she does. Valentina, too, transforms in unexpected ways by the end. Each character, in fact, is imbued with complexity, and it's this intricacy that makes the novel such a winner.

The Familiar should be of interest to a young audience in addition to an older one with its emphasis on fantasy, both magical and romantic. It's a fun, fast read that reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and those who enjoyed that book will likely find this one equally enchanting. It will also appeal to historical fiction readers, especially those interested in Renaissance Spain, and it's sure to become a book club favorite.

This review first ran in the April 17, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.