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The Familiar: A Novel Hardcover – April 9, 2024


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#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * #1 INDIE BESTSELLER * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“An immersive, sensual experience.” ―The New York Times

"Essential."
―The Washington Post

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a spellbinding novel set in 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 improve the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the 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 Santángel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.


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From the Publisher

The Familiar Leigh Bardugo
The Familiar Leigh Bardugo Deborah Harkness quote
The Familiar Leigh Bardugo
The Familiar Leigh Bardugo Diana Gabaldon quote
The Familiar Leigh Bardugo

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Reading Bardugo is an immersive, sensual experience... One can’t help sinking into Luzia and Santángel’s world and wishing never to leave."
―The New York Times

"The Familiar feels distinct from similar tales ― including Bardugo’s own ― because it explores a brutal and shameful real-life history... Bardugo brilliantly explores the wavy line between the supernatural and the divine: Magic is forbidden, but miracles come from God."
―The Washington Post

"Full of hidden perils and twisting machinations,
The Familiar is Bardugo’s most assured and mature work yet, a remarkable portrait of the magic of exiles and the traumatic echoes of the Spanish Inquisition."
―BookPage (starred review)

"The sharp realism mixes with a genuine feeling of enchantment to create a top tier historical fantasy."
―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"
The Familiar highlights all of the things that make Bardugo so well loved: a romance with maddening chemistry, an artfully built world, side characters with their own deep backstories, and a plot full of dark twists and spiderweb connections."
―Booklist (starred review)

“Lush, gorgeous, precise language and propulsive plotting sweep readers into a story as intelligent as it is atmospheric.”
―Kirkus (starred review)

"Bardugo masterfully weaves magical realism with historical fiction and romance, which makes this book impossible to put down."
―Library Journal (starred review)

"At this point it seems fair to wonder―is there anything Leigh Bardugo can’t do?"
Paste Magazine

"If you appreciate rich historical fantasy with gorgeous descriptions and powerful displays of magic, check out
The Familiar."
Geek Girl Authority

“A richly imagined, intricate tale... I loved every word of this novel, and it’s a must-read for those who are seeking a little magic in their lives.”
―Deborah Harkness, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches

"
Riveting... Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three-dimensional you want to reach through the page."
―Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander

"
A wonderful, transporting ride through a moment in history, where you can see the height of Spanish power but also sense the rot underneath. I really enjoyed it, it definitely made me think, and, of course, it's deeply romantic."
―Katherine Arden, author of The Warm Hands of Ghosts

About the Author

Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, The Language of Thorns, and the King of Scars duology―with more to come. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House (Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019). She lives in Los Angeles and is an Associate Fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flatiron Books (April 9, 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 125088425X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250884251
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.36 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.55 x 1.2 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Leigh Bardugo
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Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.

For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for Leigh's newsletter: http://bit.ly/bardugonews.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
4,251 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style impeccable and relatable. They also describe the setting as cool and the storyline as unique and engaging. Readers mention the emotional content as grief and loss. However, some find the book a little slow to start and repetitive.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

57 customers mention "Storyline"52 positive5 negative

Customers find the storyline gorgeous, with lush settings and sumptuous descriptions. They also appreciate the author's mixing of history and magic. Readers also say the book is inspirational, weird, and full of life decisions.

"...I had no idea how this was going to end, but there was masterful foreshadowing throughout. It was beautifully written. 🖤𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:..." Read more

"...Love love love.The Familiar is a standalone historical fantasy for when you're looking for something with depth, high stakes, magic, and..." Read more

"I just finished The Familiar today and loved it.The story is gorgeous, with lush settings, sumptuous descriptions of clothing and intelligent..." Read more

"...The whole concept sounded very interesting, and I was intrigued for a while. However, part way through the competition, I started to lose interest...." Read more

30 customers mention "Writing style"26 positive4 negative

Customers find the writing style rich, detailed, and beautiful. They also appreciate the audiobook narration and unique perspective. Overall, readers recommend the book for its rich, detail-oriented writing style.

"...It was beautifully written. 🖤𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:Language creates possibility. Sometimes by being used...." Read more

"4.25⭐️1🌶The Familiar showcases Leigh Bardugo's exquisite writing, world-setting, and character development...." Read more

"...The story is gorgeous, with lush settings, sumptuous descriptions of clothing and intelligent characters who are passionate...." Read more

"...The writing was good, so maybe it was just too much historical fiction and not enough fantasy. It's a 3 star for me." Read more

24 customers mention "Characters"21 positive3 negative

Customers find the characters relatable and praise the author's talent for story telling.

"...The characters in this book were so real and raw, and the setting was so vibrant and a character in itself...." Read more

"...Leigh Bardugo's exquisite writing, world-setting, and character development...." Read more

"...with lush settings, sumptuous descriptions of clothing and intelligent characters who are passionate...." Read more

"...Luiza Cotado was a great character. I enjoyed the slow romance too. Really it's a great story, it just feels slow going for a while." Read more

6 customers mention "Emotional content"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the emotional content of the book to be powerful, eliciting sympathy for people. They also say the book is a fantasy, history, and a telling of human survival, grief, and connection.

"I’m not usually into fantasy but this book was solid. The setting it takes place in is pretty cool and one I’ve never thought about admittedly...." Read more

"...Valentina, Hualit, and few of the other female characters were very strong and really carried the plot...." Read more

"...the things I appreciated most about this book is that Bardugo elicits sympathy for people who a lesser writer would make into simple targets for our..." Read more

"Wonderful reading! Exciting, intriguing, heartbreaking and filled with hope. A cautionary tale of what happens when absolute power corrupts...." Read more

6 customers mention "Setting"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the setting perfect, intriguing, and unique.

"...The Familiar showcases Leigh Bardugo's exquisite writing, world-setting, and character development...." Read more

"...The story is gorgeous, with lush settings, sumptuous descriptions of clothing and intelligent characters who are passionate...." Read more

"...The setting it takes place in is pretty cool and one I’ve never thought about admittedly...." Read more

"...The setting was perfect. I truly enjoyed the story telling and historical information in the time period." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book compelling and enjoyable.

"...Compelling and enjoyable. Names are confusing because each character has alternate references apparently common in Spanish." Read more

"Fun and whimsical but full of life decisions. I absolutely loved this newest novel by Leigh Bardugo...." Read more

"...It was my first book from the author. It was entertaining but didn't blow me over...." Read more

"I loved this book. Darker than Ninth House and Hellbent, and equally as thrilling and captivating." Read more

15 customers mention "Comprehensibility"0 positive15 negative

Customers find the book hard to follow, repetitive, and shallow. They also say the writing style is slow and interrupts the flow of words on the page. Overall, readers are not captured by the story.

"...It interrupts the flow of words on the page.Otherwise, loved the book." Read more

"I was going to give this book a 3 because the writing style is so slow but the story and ending are so good that I had to give it a 4...." Read more

"this book is beautifully written, if only a little hard to follow at times. i expected a story of death and bad endings...." Read more

"...Luzia is likeable enough and so Santangel, bit the development is shallow. Nothing like her other novels...." Read more

Historical Fantasy, Magic Competition, Forbidden Romance, Politics
5 out of 5 stars
Historical Fantasy, Magic Competition, Forbidden Romance, Politics
𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂:Luzia is a scullion in a lowly, unfashionable house in 16th century Madrid. Accustomed to misery and drudgery, she sings little magic proverbs to make her life a tiny bit easier—phrases to unburn bread, to fix a tear in a skirt, to multiply one egg into two. When her mistress gets a whiff of Luzia’s magical talents, she sees Luzia’s gifts as a ticket to higher social status and forces Luzia to perform for her guests.When word of Luzia’s little miracles circulate Madrid, Don Víctor de Paredes becomes Luzia’s patron, outfitting her in lavish gowns and placing her under the tutelage of his mysterious servant, Santángel. Known as El Alacrán, The Scorpion, Santángel is said to have made a deal with the Devil himself.They prepare Luzia to enter a magical competition where the victor will be the King’s holy champion. But in the eyes of The Inquisition, there is a fine line between miracles and witchcraft, and Luzia’s secret Jewish heritage and the source of her power could mean her death.𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:✨Historical Fantasy✨Magic Competition✨Forbidden Romance✨Politics𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀:The characters in this book were so real and raw, and the setting was so vibrant and a character in itself. I loved the Spanish and amalgamations of other languages and cultures layered in. Luzia’s constant fear of The Inquisition—I think I was nervous for half the book—and her desperation and longing for better circumstances was palpable. It was also interesting to see Luzia discover who she is, instead of who she’s supposed to be. The moments of romance, happiness, and true human connection made my heart ache.There were many twists and turns, and I had no idea how this was going to end, but there was masterful foreshadowing throughout. It was beautifully written. 🖤𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:Language creates possibility. Sometimes by being used. Sometimes by being kept secret.____“Do you know any real magic? Grand magic? The kind in stories?”He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasped palms against his heart. “Only this,” he said as morning drew near. “Only this.”
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2024
𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂:
Luzia is a scullion in a lowly, unfashionable house in 16th century Madrid. Accustomed to misery and drudgery, she sings little magic proverbs to make her life a tiny bit easier—phrases to unburn bread, to fix a tear in a skirt, to multiply one egg into two. When her mistress gets a whiff of Luzia’s magical talents, she sees Luzia’s gifts as a ticket to higher social status and forces Luzia to perform for her guests.

When word of Luzia’s little miracles circulate Madrid, Don Víctor de Paredes becomes Luzia’s patron, outfitting her in lavish gowns and placing her under the tutelage of his mysterious servant, Santángel. Known as El Alacrán, The Scorpion, Santángel is said to have made a deal with the Devil himself.

They prepare Luzia to enter a magical competition where the victor will be the King’s holy champion. But in the eyes of The Inquisition, there is a fine line between miracles and witchcraft, and Luzia’s secret Jewish heritage and the source of her power could mean her death.

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
✨Historical Fantasy
✨Magic Competition
✨Forbidden Romance
✨Politics

𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀:
The characters in this book were so real and raw, and the setting was so vibrant and a character in itself. I loved the Spanish and amalgamations of other languages and cultures layered in. Luzia’s constant fear of The Inquisition—I think I was nervous for half the book—and her desperation and longing for better circumstances was palpable. It was also interesting to see Luzia discover who she is, instead of who she’s supposed to be. The moments of romance, happiness, and true human connection made my heart ache.

There were many twists and turns, and I had no idea how this was going to end, but there was masterful foreshadowing throughout. It was beautifully written. 🖤

𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:
Language creates possibility. Sometimes by being used. Sometimes by being kept secret.
____

“Do you know any real magic? Grand magic? The kind in stories?”

He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasped palms against his heart. “Only this,” he said as morning drew near. “Only this.”
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fantasy, Magic Competition, Forbidden Romance, Politics
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2024
𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂:
Luzia is a scullion in a lowly, unfashionable house in 16th century Madrid. Accustomed to misery and drudgery, she sings little magic proverbs to make her life a tiny bit easier—phrases to unburn bread, to fix a tear in a skirt, to multiply one egg into two. When her mistress gets a whiff of Luzia’s magical talents, she sees Luzia’s gifts as a ticket to higher social status and forces Luzia to perform for her guests.

When word of Luzia’s little miracles circulate Madrid, Don Víctor de Paredes becomes Luzia’s patron, outfitting her in lavish gowns and placing her under the tutelage of his mysterious servant, Santángel. Known as El Alacrán, The Scorpion, Santángel is said to have made a deal with the Devil himself.

They prepare Luzia to enter a magical competition where the victor will be the King’s holy champion. But in the eyes of The Inquisition, there is a fine line between miracles and witchcraft, and Luzia’s secret Jewish heritage and the source of her power could mean her death.

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
✨Historical Fantasy
✨Magic Competition
✨Forbidden Romance
✨Politics

𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀:
The characters in this book were so real and raw, and the setting was so vibrant and a character in itself. I loved the Spanish and amalgamations of other languages and cultures layered in. Luzia’s constant fear of The Inquisition—I think I was nervous for half the book—and her desperation and longing for better circumstances was palpable. It was also interesting to see Luzia discover who she is, instead of who she’s supposed to be. The moments of romance, happiness, and true human connection made my heart ache.

There were many twists and turns, and I had no idea how this was going to end, but there was masterful foreshadowing throughout. It was beautifully written. 🖤

𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:
Language creates possibility. Sometimes by being used. Sometimes by being kept secret.
____

“Do you know any real magic? Grand magic? The kind in stories?”

He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasped palms against his heart. “Only this,” he said as morning drew near. “Only this.”
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
3 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
4.25⭐️
1🌶

The Familiar showcases Leigh Bardugo's exquisite writing, world-setting, and character development. While the first 1/3 of the book was a bit slow-moving, what seem to be innocuous events unravel, resulting in dangerous turns of events for Luzia and the entire household she serves. Readers are brought on a journey of keeping secrets, fighting the horrific Inquisition, finding love and friendship, honoring one's identity and heritage, and holding onto one's power.

I loved every character in this story. Everyone has specific complexities; fears, backstories, and motivations. Everyone is connected, every event has an impact and ripple effect throughout the story. It was intriguing and exciting to read through their various points of view. Especially for Hualit and Luzia, understanding just how much they've lost and stand to lose, should they take a single misstep.

The romance in this book builds slowly, naturally flowing between Luzia and Santángel as their forced proximity shines light on their truest selves. They're each something more than mortal, but their connection couldn't have felt more human in its sincerity. Love love love.

The Familiar is a standalone historical fantasy for when you're looking for something with depth, high stakes, magic, and a bit of romance.
Customer image
4.0 out of 5 stars Dark and magical with slow simmering peril and romance.
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
4.25⭐️
1🌶

The Familiar showcases Leigh Bardugo's exquisite writing, world-setting, and character development. While the first 1/3 of the book was a bit slow-moving, what seem to be innocuous events unravel, resulting in dangerous turns of events for Luzia and the entire household she serves. Readers are brought on a journey of keeping secrets, fighting the horrific Inquisition, finding love and friendship, honoring one's identity and heritage, and holding onto one's power.

I loved every character in this story. Everyone has specific complexities; fears, backstories, and motivations. Everyone is connected, every event has an impact and ripple effect throughout the story. It was intriguing and exciting to read through their various points of view. Especially for Hualit and Luzia, understanding just how much they've lost and stand to lose, should they take a single misstep.

The romance in this book builds slowly, naturally flowing between Luzia and Santángel as their forced proximity shines light on their truest selves. They're each something more than mortal, but their connection couldn't have felt more human in its sincerity. Love love love.

The Familiar is a standalone historical fantasy for when you're looking for something with depth, high stakes, magic, and a bit of romance.
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
I just finished The Familiar today and loved it.
The story is gorgeous, with lush settings, sumptuous descriptions of clothing and intelligent characters who are passionate.
Bardugo takes her characters and places them in Spain in the late 16th century along with actual people such as the prophetic dreamer Lucrecia de Leon and King Phillip of Spain, whose navy armada was defeated by Queen Elizabeth I.
I loved the magic, which Leigh connected with actual illusionary acts of people in that century.
A beautiful love story takes place as well.
That all being said, I was startled out of the flow of reading when the author inserts the f word for no reason. I really doubt that the people at the time used that kind of language. Is the use of foul language for contemporary readers or for the publishers? It interrupts the flow of words on the page.
Otherwise, loved the book.
22 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024
Luzia is a servant in the time of the Spanish Inquisition. She can perform magic, and she is Jewish. These are both dangerous things during this time period in The Familiar, a historical fiction, fantasy book. Seeking a better life, Luzia lets people witness her abilities, and soon she is in a competition for performing miracles. However, Luzia is walking a fine line between miracle worker and heretic.

This is another book that I wanted to love, but it was just meh. It's the first book by Leigh Bardugo that I didn't love. The whole concept sounded very interesting, and I was intrigued for a while. However, part way through the competition, I started to lose interest. The writing was good, so maybe it was just too much historical fiction and not enough fantasy. It's a 3 star for me.
3 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2024
I've read most of Ms. Bardugo's books and I've enjoyed all of them. She knows how to write and weave a good story.

I felt this book diverged a little from her usual, seeing as she gave it a historical background, that being the reign of the Catholic Monarchs and the Spanish inquisition. She did a great job inserting her fantasy world into the real world.

She mentioned that her ancestors had fled or were exiled from Spain at this time, and I can fully relate, as I too had ancestors who were driven out of Spain because they weren't Catholics, as I'm sure is the case of thousands others.

Anyway, excellent book, I wholeheartedly recommend.

Top reviews from other countries

Mariana
5.0 out of 5 stars Not your average Sarah J Mass shallow soft P0rn
Reviewed in Canada on May 21, 2024
I don't normally write reviews for books, but I had to write one for this.
I was getting really tired of looking for new fantasy stories lately after trying to read at least a couple of books that apparently are very popular and supposed to be good. It's saddening to see so much literature aimed at young readers who are just getting to know fantasy being associated with plain p0rn0gr4phy, glorifying abusive relationships, reinforcing beauty standards and sexist stereotypes and such bad bad BAD writing.
I confess I was still a bit skeptical when I decided to give a chance to this one. Little did I know it would become one of my very favorite books. Leigh Bardugo clearly knows a lot about real Spanish
Inquisition history and did a wonderful job managing to insert a magical story into it while being extremely respectful and accurate. I could not put this book down. I read it in 3 days and I can say this was one of the very few books that actually made me cry. I am very grateful for giving it a chance, and I strongly recommend this read to anyone who might also be feeling the struggle that is finding good solid reads nowadays.
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tamara ✨
5.0 out of 5 stars i love the cover, but the book wasn’t good.
Reviewed in Poland on June 28, 2024
the condition of the book: 5 ⭐️

the book itself: 2 ⭐️
Name required ..ok
5.0 out of 5 stars Differant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2024
If I had not known the author I would still have appreciated it. She is doing something different and I admire that. Whether the resolution works for me, I do not know, but perhaps I need to be more of a romantic there. I like the risk taken.
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Tierarztpraxis Janitza
5.0 out of 5 stars Episch
Reviewed in Germany on April 16, 2024
Was für eine wunderschöne Geschichte, so fließend, so leicht, so betörend erzählt. Wie ein Märchen aus 1001 Nacht! Zum genießen …
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Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars A bittersweet disappointment
Reviewed in France on April 15, 2024
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆, I am both Spanish and a History scholar specialised in the historical period this book is based on. Given my background, it always cheers me up when someone tries to write about this specific time period. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 "𝘁𝗿𝘆". This book has good intentions but its poorly-executed plot made it dull and uninteresting for most of it.

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆, even though most historical details and descriptions have been are accurately researched, the characters are plain and they serve no purpose. The plot is vague and loopholed. Although I am trying to be as constructive as possible, I can't hide my disappointment because I used to be a big fan of Bardugo's previous books. There were many chances for it to be interesting... only to be squandered.

Other aspects:
For context, I read it in English. The book includes many words in Spanish or ladino (old language spoken back in the 16th century) For a non-Spanish speaker the great amount of vocabulary included in said languages that goes unexplained, far from resulting immersive may be a drawback. Eg. Words like 'sultanas' (a type of dried fruit) are details meant to show off how much research has been made rather than to contribute to the reader's immersion, I think.
- passable historical facts (especially accurate and excessively extensive when it comes to the description of women's gowns and garments)
- romantic relationship feel plastic and forced

I hope this review has been useful
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