A review by sbbrown25477
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

As someone who is an Orthodox Jew I found most of the story’s plot, of what I read, to be disheartening . This was marketed as fantasy or something and it was something. I don’t get offended easily given the state of the world and its current opinion towards Israel and her people, so reading this book couldn’t come at a worse time. This book isn’t bad in any sense. No book can be bad, just not for you. The whole “magic” of the plot is rooted in Jewish folklore that the author takes and runs off into a weird trial type book. I didn’t like the use of my faith and peoples’ history as a plot line that came off as exaggerated to the point of almost comical. Just know what you’re getting into before you purchase it. The name of the author in this case shouldn’t be the reason why you read it because it’s nothing like her other books.