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Welcome to the Wiki Edit

Welcome to The Familiar wiki! This is an online portal for Mark Z. Danielewski's 27-volume epic: The Familiar. Here you'll find synopses of the currently-available Volumes as well as information on each of the nine protagonists and other characters in their stories. Feel free to add any information you think would be helpful!

About The Familiar Edit

The Familiar is one story composed of nine stories told over 27 Volumes. The setting of the story ranges from Mexico to Southeast Asia, from Venice, Italy, to Venice, California, with nine lives hanging in the balance, each called upon to make a terrifying choice. They include a therapist-in-training grappling with daughters as demanding as her patients; an ambitious East L.A. gang member contracted for violence; two scientists on the run from an organization powerful beyond imagining; plus a recovering addict in Singapore; and a programmer near Silicon Beach whose game engine might unleash consequences far exceeding the entertainment he intends. At the very heart, though, is a twelve-year-old girl named Xanther who one rainy day in May sets out with her father to get a dog, only to end up trying to save a creature as fragile as it is dangerous... which will change not only her life and the lives of those she has yet to encounter, but this world, too - or at least the world we think we know and the future we take for granted.

Current Volumes Edit

Additional Reading Edit

Protagonists Edit

Xanther Ibrahim: A 12-year-old girl living in Los Angeles, California.

A 12-year-old girl living in Los Angeles, California. Astair Ibrahim: A therapist-in-training living in Los Angeles, California.

A therapist-in-training living in Los Angeles, California. Anwar Ibrahim: A programmer and game designer living in Los Angeles, California.

A programmer and game designer living in Los Angeles, California. Lutéro Perez: A ruthless and ambitious gang member from East Los Angeles, California. Referred to almost exclusively as Luther .

A ruthless and ambitious gang member from East Los Angeles, California. Referred to almost exclusively as . Özgür Yıldırım: A detective operating in Los Angeles, California. Commonly referred to as Oz .

A detective operating in Los Angeles, California. Commonly referred to as . Shnorhk Zildjian: A humble taxi driver living in Los Angeles, California.

A humble taxi driver living in Los Angeles, California. Jingjing: A recovering addict living in Singapore.

A recovering addict living in Singapore. Isandòrno: A quiet man working his way through Mexico.

A quiet man working his way through Mexico. The Wizard: A scientist on the lam, last seen in Atlanta, Georgia. Her full name is Dr. Catherine Aa’ala Stern but she is referred to almost exclusively as Cas.

Additional Characters Edit

Page By Page Annotations Edit

Volume 1 Annotations

Volume 2 Annotations

Volume 3 Annotations

Volume 4 Annotations

Volume 5 Annotations

Locations Edit

A Google Map of Locations