The Familiar (add-on) : Discussion Thread

[Trisha]

From the New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent, and creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age

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 line between magic, science, and fraud is 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.

[Trisha]

12 chapters

(view spoiler)[ hmmm. I'm not sure what to make of this. lots of POV and I'm not sure their importance

I think it's smart for Luzia to play a little dumb - so everyone underestimates her

Valentina is just awful. Interested to see where this is going (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

23 chapters

(view spoiler)[ I like that we know a little more about everyone. Luzia is really shaping up and it's interesting to learn more about her magic

wow, we're definitely learning more about Santangel and his situation sounds just as awful - a servant with prettier clothes

I wonder how Perez will fair through all this. is he really searching for favor? will he get a champion in time?

I liked learning more about the other players too, although I think Luzia is being played a little (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

33 chapters

(view spoiler)[ well, things are fully going off the rails now. attempted murders and now demons or whatever that was
interesting about the candles even though I'm not really sure how that made them go away

I feel so bad for Santangel, that he's been alone and tortured for so long but I'm not sure this romance is a good idea

I wonder how Valentina will play into this, now that she's happier and not making everyone else miserable

or was her misery a part of the emotion that Luzia gave off - now that her power is happy, those around her seem happier (except her aunt- who seems stressed ) (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

and done

(view spoiler)[ I do like that they ended up together

I was sad the aunt was almost a side note when she was killed off
I liked that I felt like Luzia won and that Santangel's captor did not.

but in those times, the crown always won
and so did the church. (hide spoiler)]