Chapter 61: Dankwoord – Acknowledgments and Author’s Reflection
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Chapter 61, titled "Dankwoord" (Dutch for "Acknowledgments"), is a non-narrative section in which Leigh Bardugo expresses gratitude to the many people who helped her create the world of Luzia and Santángel. She thanks her editorial team at Flatiron Books and Macmillan, especially editor Megan Lynch and publisher Bob Miller, as well as her UK team at Viking-PRH. Her agent Joanna Volpe and the New Leaf Literary agency receive particular praise. Bardugo acknowledges research assistant Robin Kello and scholar Javier Castro-Ibaseta for their expertise on sixteenth-century Spain. She lists numerous academic works that informed the novel, covering topics such as the Spanish Inquisition, Sephardic Jewish history, Renaissance magic, and daily life in Golden Age Spain. Early readers Kelly Link, Holly Black, and Sarah Rees Brennan are thanked for their feedback. The chapter concludes with a personal note: Bardugo dedicates the final thanks to her ancestors who fled Spain in 1492 or were later expelled, saying their spirits kept her company while writing.
Key Events
- Bardugo thanks her primary editor Megan Lynch and publisher Bob Miller for supporting the project.
- She thanks her literary agent Joanna Volpe and the entire New Leaf team.
- Research assistant Robin Kello and scholar Javier Castro-Ibaseta are acknowledged for historical guidance.
- A long list of secondary sources is cited, covering topics from the Inquisition to Ladino language preservation.
- Bardugo thanks early readers Kelly Link, Holly Black, and Sarah Rees Brennan for reading early drafts.
- She thanks her mother, her dog Freddy, and a person referred to as "E" for emotional support.
- The final acknowledgment is directed at her Sephardic ancestors who left Spain in 1492 or were later expelled.
Character Development
This chapter does not advance the development of any fictional characters from the story. Instead, it offers insight into the author's own perspective and motivations. The personal dedication to her ancestors reveals a deep emotional connection to the Sephardic diaspora, which underpins the novel's themes of identity, exile, and hidden heritage.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Gratitude and Community: The extensive list of thanks underscores the collaborative nature of writing and the many experts who contribute to historical fiction.
- Historical Research: The citation of academic works and scholars emphasizes the novel's foundation in careful historical study, particularly of sixteenth-century Spain, the Inquisition, and Sephardic culture.
- Heritage and Memory: Bardugo's final words to her ancestors introduce a personal motif of remembering those who were forced to flee or convert. This connects to the broader novel's exploration of concealed Jewish identity.
- Language and Preservation: References to Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) and the efforts to preserve its refranes (proverbs) highlight the importance of language as a vessel for cultural survival.
Why This Chapter Matters
Although it is an acknowledgments section, Chapter 61 provides valuable context for understanding the depth of research behind The Familiar. It shows that the novel's portrayal of magic, the Inquisition, and Sephardic life is grounded in scholarly sources. The personal note about the author's own ancestry adds a layer of authenticity and emotional weight, revealing why the story of a conversa (a Jewish convert to Christianity) in sixteenth-century Spain resonated so strongly with Bardugo. For readers interested in the historical background, this chapter serves as a bibliography and a tribute to the people who made the book possible.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does the list of academic sources in this chapter suggest about the novel's approach to history? The sources cover topics like the Spanish Inquisition, Sephardic Jewish history, Renaissance magic, and daily life in Golden Age Spain. Their inclusion indicates that Bardugo aimed for historical accuracy and used specialist research to build a believable world, rather than relying solely on popular conceptions.
2. Why does Bardugo choose to end the acknowledgments with a dedication to her ancestors? By dedicating the final thanks to her ancestors who fled Spain in 1492 or were later expelled, Bardugo connects her personal family history to the novel's themes of exile and hidden identity. This suggests that the story of Luzia—a conversa navigating a dangerous world—is not only a work of fiction but also a reflection of the author's own heritage.
3. How do the early readers (Kelly Link, Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan) contribute to the novel's creation? Bardugo thanks them for reading early versions of the manuscript. Their feedback likely helped shape the plot, character development, and tone before publication. Their involvement also highlights the collaborative nature of the writing process, even for a single-author novel.