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The Familiar

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The Familiar

By: Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER


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 better the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored 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 Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent and creator of the Grishaverse comes a bewitching historical novel set in the Spanish Golden Age, brimming with peril and dark deeds.

'Impossible to put down' - Stephen King

‘A pacey read with electric prose’ Independent

‘Crackling dialogue and sumptuous description. Bardugo dives deep into this world… if you’re not careful, it’ll steal all your time’ New York Times

©2024 Leigh Bardugo (P)2024 Penguin Audio
Historical

What listeners say about The Familiar

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  • Overall
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Great book!

The story line and narrator had me hooked within the first few minutes! Off to find my next Leigh Bardugo title

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

One of the best stories I’ve heard, gut wrenching, beautiful, tragic and very human. This will forever be one of my top favourites.

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How refreshing!

Is it weird to say that the ending was what I expected and not at the same time? That I wept, smiled and hurt for Lucia and San Angel all the same. That more than anything I am happy Victor de Paredez got what he deserved and Valentina finally knew what freedom and love is. Not to mention Fortuna being trapped at his own little game. I would’ve liked to have known what happened to Theodora.
I loved all these characters and I enjoyed the story. I loved how Lucia was morally grey and learnt through her actions, she felt very human to me and that San Angel seemed even more human and flawed.
It felt like a tale of humans and their choices and the way life teaches you exactly what you need to learn at exactly the time it deems it so.
I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

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Slow burn, great ending

It took me a while to get into the story as I found it quite slow to start with. But great story once I was hooked!

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loved this book

narration was brilliant - i binged it in 2 days highly recommend. learnt a great deal about the Spanish inquisition

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Great all round

Great story, really good narration.. overall it’s a really great story which is a bit different!

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What I was looking for

As another review I read said, it's very much an adult book, which is what I was looking for (nothing cringe). Interesting story and well written

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Another great story by Leigh!

Incredible story loved the actors performance.
Another well thought out interesting concept from Leigh bardugo!

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Beautiful, ruthless, pensive

A favourite author and one of my favourite narrators bring a tragic story to life. I could not stop reading. Weaving together the lives of those in inquisition Spain - the politics and power plays, and the dream for a better life. This a haunting story, and one I’ve binged and already re-visited chapters. I’m going to be reading up more on the inquisitions now…

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Medieval Magic

Was great to see this story set in Spain during the Inquisition with all its power superstition & social moirés. I loved Loren’s reading, her Spanish accent was so good! Very curious tale, but absorbing.

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