by Leigh Bardugo
Flatiron Books, 2024. 400 pages. Historical Fantasy
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.
Leigh Bardugo, best known for her bestselling young adult Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows series, brings her immersive writing and lush descriptions to adult audiences with The Familiar. Combining historical fiction, fantasy, and romance, this is a gothic page-turner for fans of many genres. I was impressed that even with its magical elements, The Familiar felt grounded in realism – I came away from it feeling like I had a better understanding of what everyday life was like for people of various classes under the Spanish Inquisition. The author, who grew up in a secular Jewish home, draws on the history of her own family who were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition. In addition, she worked with historian and Jewish studies professor Conan Bolel to ensure that her depictions of Sephardic Spanish culture was as accurate as possible. Bardugo consistently earns starred reviews for her work, and The Familiar is no exception.
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by Katherine Arden.
Del Rey, 2017. 368 pages. Historical Fantasy
For generations, the noble Vladimirovich family has lived a difficult but peaceful life on the edge of a Russian forest. The family and the local villagers praise God in church on Sunday and leave offerings for the magical creatures who watch over their homes and stables throughout the week. Young Vasilisa Vladimirova has a peculiar gift, however, and secretly sees and talks with these friendly spirits. When a new, terrified, and fiercely devout stepmother and a captivating young priest arrive, they demand that the villagers stop their idol worship and abandon their traditional practices. Alone in her determination to honor the old ways, Vasilisa must defy both her place in society and the evil forces growing falsely in the name of Christ.
by Hannah Whitten.
Orbit, 512 pages. Fantasy
When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she's lived by one rule: don't let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore's job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore's power is revealed, she's taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what's happening and who in the King's court is responsible, or die. Lore is thrust into the Sainted King's glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August's ne'er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society. But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.
SGR
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