Reviews
"The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) " The Familiar highlights all of the things that make Bardugo so well loved: a romance with maddening chemistry, an artfully built world, side characters with their own deep backstories, and a plot full of dark twists and spiderweb connections." --Booklist (starred review) "Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric." --Kirkus (starred review) "Bardugo masterfully weaves magical realism with historical fiction and romance, which makes this book impossible to put down." --Library Journal (starred review) "A richly imagined, intricate tale... I loved every word of this novel, and it's a must-read for those who are seeking a little magic in their lives." --Deborah Harkness, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, "Reading Bardugo is an immersive, sensual experience... One can't help sinking into Luzia and Santángel's world and wishing never to leave." --The New York Times "The Familiar feels distinct from similar tales -- including Bardugo's own -- because it explores a brutal and shameful real-life history... Bardugo brilliantly explores the wavy line between the supernatural and the divine: Magic is forbidden, but miracles come from God." --The Washington Post "Full of hidden perils and twisting machinations, The Familiar is Bardugo's most assured and mature work yet, a remarkable portrait of the magic of exiles and the traumatic echoes of the Spanish Inquisition." --BookPage (starred review) "The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) " The Familiar highlights all of the things that make Bardugo so well loved: a romance with maddening chemistry, an artfully built world, side characters with their own deep backstories, and a plot full of dark twists and spiderweb connections." --Booklist (starred review) "Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric." --Kirkus (starred review) "Bardugo masterfully weaves magical realism with historical fiction and romance, which makes this book impossible to put down." --Library Journal (starred review) "At this point it seems fair to wonder--is there anything Leigh Bardugo can't do?" -- Paste Magazine "If you appreciate rich historical fantasy with gorgeous descriptions and powerful displays of magic, check out The Familiar ." -- Geek Girl Authority "A richly imagined, intricate tale... I loved every word of this novel, and it's a must-read for those who are seeking a little magic in their lives." --Deborah Harkness, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches " Riveting... Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three-dimensional you want to reach through the page." --Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander " A wonderful, transporting ride through a moment in history, where you can see the height of Spanish power but also sense the rot underneath. I really enjoyed it, it definitely made me think, and, of course, it's deeply romantic." --Katherine Arden, author of The Warm Hands of Ghosts, "The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) " The Familiar highlights all of the things that make Bardugo so well loved: a romance with maddening chemistry, an artfully built world, side characters with their own deep backstories, and a plot full of dark twists and spiderweb connections." --Booklist (starred review) "Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric." --Kirkus (starred review) "Bardugo masterfully weaves magical realism with historical fiction and romance, which makes this book impossible to put down." --Library Journal (starred review) "A richly imagined, intricate tale... I loved every word of this novel, and it's a must-read for those who are seeking a little magic in their lives." --Deborah Harkness, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches " Riveting... Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three-dimensional you want to reach through the page." --Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander " A wonderful, transporting ride through a moment in history, where you can see the height of Spanish power but also sense the rot underneath. I really enjoyed it, it definitely made me think, and, of course, it's deeply romantic." --Katherine Arden, author of The Warm Hands of Ghosts, "Reading Bardugo is an immersive, sensual experience... One can't help sinking into Luzia and Santángel's world and wishing never to leave." --The New York Times "The Familiar feels distinct from similar tales -- including Bardugo's own -- because it explores a brutal and shameful real-life history... Bardugo brilliantly explores the wavy line between the supernatural and the divine: Magic is forbidden, but miracles come from God." --The Washington Post "Full of hidden perils and twisting machinations, The Familiar is Bardugo's most assured and mature work yet, a remarkable portrait of the magic of exiles and the traumatic echoes of the Spanish Inquisition." --BookPage (starred review) "The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) " The Familiar highlights all of the things that make Bardugo so well loved: a romance with maddening chemistry, an artfully built world, side characters with their own deep backstories, and a plot full of dark twists and spiderweb connections." --Booklist (starred review) "Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric." --Kirkus (starred review) "Bardugo masterfully weaves magical realism with historical fiction and romance, which makes this book impossible to put down." --Library Journal (starred review) "A richly imagined, intricate tale... I loved every word of this novel, and it's a must-read for those who are seeking a little magic in their lives." --Deborah Harkness, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches " Riveting... Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three-dimensional you want to reach through the page." --Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander " A wonderful, transporting ride through a moment in history, where you can see the height of Spanish power but also sense the rot underneath. I really enjoyed it, it definitely made me think, and, of course, it's deeply romantic." --Katherine Arden, author of The Warm Hands of Ghosts, "Full of hidden perils and twisting machinations, The Familiar is Bardugo's most assured and mature work yet, a remarkable portrait of the magic of exiles and the traumatic echoes of the Spanish Inquisition." --BookPage (starred review) "The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) " The Familiar highlights all of the things that make Bardugo so well loved: a romance with maddening chemistry, an artfully built world, side characters with their own deep backstories, and a plot full of dark twists and spiderweb connections." --Booklist (starred review) "Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric." --Kirkus (starred review) "Bardugo masterfully weaves magical realism with historical fiction and romance, which makes this book impossible to put down." --Library Journal (starred review) "A richly imagined, intricate tale... I loved every word of this novel, and it's a must-read for those who are seeking a little magic in their lives." --Deborah Harkness, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches " Riveting... Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three-dimensional you want to reach through the page." --Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander " A wonderful, transporting ride through a moment in history, where you can see the height of Spanish power but also sense the rot underneath. I really enjoyed it, it definitely made me think, and, of course, it's deeply romantic." --Katherine Arden, author of The Warm Hands of Ghosts
