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House of Sky and Breath

House of Sky and Breath

Dark FantasyFantasy
Pages
807
Published
2022
Language
English

Synopsis

Several months after uncovering the truth behind the murders in Crescent City, Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to live quietly — but peace is short-lived. A rebel human organisation called Ophion is gathering support against the Asteri who rule the world, and Bryce finds herself drawn into their orbit against her better judgement. Meanwhile Hunt is navigating a fragile, conditional freedom while Ruhn Danaan, Bryce's half-brother, becomes entangled in a covert telepathic correspondence with a mysterious woman he knows only by a code name. As the political ground shifts and old alliances fracture, Bryce begins to piece together a larger truth about the Asteri, the nature of power, and a world her people were told never existed. The novel ends with a reality-shattering development that fundamentally changes the scope of the Crescent City series and its connections to Sarah J. Maas's wider fictional universe.

Prose complexity
10/10

Vibe

TenseAdventurousRomanticSpicyDark
Court IntrigueMultiple POVsFound FamilySecret IdentitySlow Burn

Genres

Dark Fantasy Fantasy Romantasy Urban Fantasy Adventure Young Adult Romance

About the author

S
Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas is a #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author known for her epic fantasy novels and their devoted global readership. She began writing what would become the Throne of Glass series as a teenager, posting early chapters online before the series was acquired by Bloomsbury. Her three interconnected fantasy universes — Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City — have sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and been translated into dozens of langua...

Characters

Bryce QuinlanProtagonist

Drawn into a rebel organization's fight against the ruling Asteri.

Hunt AthalarProtagonist

Navigating a fragile, conditional freedom alongside Bryce.

RigelusAntagonist

One of the Asteri, the rulers of Midgard; he appears as a youthful Fae but wields ancient power.

Ruhn DanaanSupporting

Bryce's half-brother, drawn into a covert telepathic correspondence.

Ithan HolstromSupporting

Grief and loyalty pull him into the larger conflict he had hoped to avoid; his own power and identity questions become more prominent.

All characters in House of Sky and Breath

Frequently asked questions

  • Do I need to read the author's other book series before starting this one?

    While this is the second book in the Crescent City series, its final chapters establish a direct, narrative-altering crossover with the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. To fully understand the ending and the subsequent sequel, you will want to be familiar with the characters and world of Prythian.

  • Does this book end on a cliffhanger?

    The story concludes with a massive, high-stakes cliffhanger that scatters the main characters, leaves several in immediate peril, and abruptly transports another to an entirely different realm.

  • How does House of Sky and Breath connect to Sarah J. Maas's other series?
  • Who is Cormac Donnall, and why is he in the story?

    Cormac is an Autumn Court Fae prince and Ophion rebel introduced in this book. He is betrothed to Bryce as a political manoeuvre and becomes a key figure in the covert operation against the Asteri. His loyalties and motivations evolve significantly across the second half of the novel.

  • What is the significance of Ruhn's mysterious correspondent, 'Daybright'?
  • Does reading A Court of Thorns and Roses help before this book?

    For most of the novel, no prior ACOTAR knowledge is needed. However, the final act — in which characters from Prythian appear — will carry significantly more weight for readers familiar with that series. The core plot of House of Sky and Breath is self-contained, but the emotional resonance of the ending depends on knowing who those characters are.

  • What happens to Hunt's status as a slave in this book?
  • Does Tharion's storyline resolve, or does it carry into Book 3?
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