The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo is one of the most talked-about recent releases readers keep adding to their lists and it is easy to see why: a servant with secret magic is thrust into the deadly intrigues of Golden Age Spain.
What it's about
Leigh Bardugo sets her standalone in the Spanish Golden Age, where a lowly scullion hiding small miracles is swept into a lethal court competition of magic and ambition, with the Inquisition's shadow over everything. It is atmospheric, romantic and steeped in the danger of being powerful and powerless at once.
Why everyone's talking about it
Bardugo is a superstar of fantasy after Shadow and Bone and Ninth House and The Familiar was a major, bestselling release, praised for its rich historical setting and slow-burn romance. Her fandom turned out in force.
The verdict, for now
If you love historical fantasy with real texture and stakes, this is a standout. Come for the servant-with-secrets premise, stay for a beautifully rendered, perilous world.
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