U.S. hardcover with black sprayed edges, 385 pages
English language
Published April 29, 2024 by Flatiron Books.
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 improve the family’s social position.
What begins as simple amusement for the 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 …
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 improve the family’s social position.
What begins as simple amusement for the 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 Santángel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.
Fun story that moves at a good pace but gets a little out over it's skis at the end.
The premise of The Familiar felt like a great hook--a Jewish converso scullery maid who can perform small miracles, set during the time of the Spanish inquisition. Her mistress discovers her magical secrets, and she's thrust into dangerous visibility and politics.
I enjoyed this book overall, but there were some weak spots for me. Other than the religious persecution, I didn't get a strong sense of place from this book. The beginning of the book was quite enjoyable, but the second and third acts (so to speak) worked less well for me. (Some of this is my own personal bias against anything that whiffs of shonen tournament arc.) Finally, the nature of magical bargains in this book felt so handwavingly convenient that it made the conclusion less satisfying, even as it satisfied the strictures of a fantasy romance novel.
The story was fine enough, though it did drag on a bit. I felt no connection to the characters. I never had a sense of urgency, or an inkling that things wouldn't end up working out fine for the MCs. I did enjoy the setting since I have not read any historical fictions that took place in Spain during the Golden Age. Not mad I read it, but glad it was a library loan so I didn't put money into it.
