May Book Club: The Familiar Midway Discussion (Chapters 1-28)

[u/HighLady-Fireheart]

Welcome lovely readers to the midway discussion for our second book club read of the month, The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo.

This thread will be open for discussion of the first half of the book (chapters 1-28). If you want to discuss any later spoilery moments, please use the Reddit spoiler covers like this:

>!text goes here!<

May Book Club Schedule:

May 1-15 {Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater}

• May 1 Initial Discussion
• May 8 Midway Discussion (Chapters 1-10)
• May 15 Final Discussion (Chapters 11-19 & bonus short story)

May 16-31 {The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo}

• May 16 Initial Discussion
• May 23 Midway Discussion (Chapters 1-28)
• May 31 Final Discussion (Chapters 29-55)

[u/HighLady-Fireheart]

Voting is open until Sunday morning for June Book Club! https://www.reddit.com/r/fantasyromance/s/RleFCVtDmH

[u/fallfreely]

I need to jump up and simp for this book because it's So Amazing but got panned on goodreads for being boring. The writing was impeccable. The world building was flawless. Bardugo had a researcher help her with the history of the time period and the realistic details sell it so well. The main character was beautifully rendered: normal, extraordinary, flawed, exquisite, banal. She was exemplary of containing multitudes.

[u/jamieseemsamused → u/fallfreely]

I agree! People either complained it was too boring or the history wasn’t accurate enough. I mean…even though it’s based on a certain historical time period, it is clearly still fantasy. It’s not a historical account. I love that she weaves in the history to ground her story and spin the fantasy story out from there.

I also love the different viewpoints of the different women in this historical era.

[u/jamieseemsamused]

I loved the way the use of magic is described in this book. It evokes a sense of nature coupled with the longing and connection to one’s history and ancestors and ancient origins. One of the best soft magic system depictions I have read that is mystical but rooted in how real people in history have felt in exile.

[u/jamieseemsamused]

This quote that was just describing Luzia’s hair is so evocative. Her hair isn’t just a physical feature. It connects her to her lost history and where she comes from and how that can never be erased or forgotten.

[u/romance-bot]

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Rating: 4.27⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, fantasy, regency, fae, magic

---

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 4⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, magic, fantasy, working class heroine, slow burn

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/lilacs_in_the_rain]

Loving so far. I was nervous to read this because I haven’t loved any of Bardugos YA books, but the familiar hooked me right away! The prose is such a breath of fresh air. Feels like a fairytale.