House of Earth and Blood

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. What personal qualities initially make Bryce and Hunt seem like opposites? In your experience, do opposites really attract? What similarities are eventually revealed between these two characters? In your opinion, are these qualities a sufficient basis for a relationship?

2. In real life, people react in many different ways to grief. How would you describe Bryce’s and Hunt’s ways of reacting to grief? Do you think their reactions are productive in helping them overcome their sadness? Should a standard like this be applied to grief, or is everyone’s way of processing grief equally valid?

3. One criticism that has been leveled against Sarah J. Mass’s writing is that her male characters lack range—e.g., the sympathetic male characters all tend to be pretty similar to one another. How would you describe the sympathetic male characters in House of Earth and Blood? Did they remind you of men you know in real life? Did they reflect a realistic variety of personality types? In your opinion, is this a reasonable standard to apply to a fantasy novel?

4. How would you define a “god”? According to your definition, are the Asteri gods? Do the inhabitants of Midgard owe them loyalty and obedience, or not?

5. Which characters in the story make huge sacrifices for those they love? Which of these character’s actions did you find most admirable, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Of the many kinds of beings that exist on Midgard, humans have by far the least rights and status. What real-world problems does the inequality on Midgard remind you of? What rhetorical or thematic purposes does creating a world where all humans are marginalized serve?

2. In what ways does the government of Midgard resemble the government(s) of Ancient Rome? How do contemporary Western societies view Ancient Rome? What does including this parallel add to the novel’s tone?

3. What are some of the tactics that the most powerful beings in Midgard’s hierarchy use to maintain their power? In which real-world societies do you see these same tactics being used?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. In urban fantasy, familiar and realistic contemporary elements are blended with unfamiliar fantasy elements, like magic, nonhuman beings, and so on. In House of Earth and Blood, what do the familiar, contemporary elements have in common? What is the significance of these commonalities? How does the juxtaposition of these realistic elements with more fantastical elements contribute to the story’s atmosphere?

2. What does Bryce’s defeat of Micah contribute to the story’s themes of Debunking Impressions/Role Reversals and The Love of Power and the Power of Love? How does it relate to the text’s concerns with hierarchy and the men Bryce refers to as alphaholes?

3. Which revelations about Bryce’s true nature and identity does the text foreshadow? Which revelations come as a surprise to the reader? How does the timing of each revelation help support the novel’s thematic arguments about Debunking Impressions/Role Reversals?

4. House of Earth and Blood contains elements of mystery along with romance and fantasy. How does Maas incorporate mystery techniques into this novel? What is the “murder mystery” the characters are trying to solve? Which characters function as “detectives”? Where do you see clues, misdirection, and red herrings? How does Mass create tension and suspense?

5. What are the key qualities of the setting of Lunathion? How does the nature of this setting create atmosphere, support characterization, and impact plot?