Review: OH. MY. GOD. “House of Earth and Blood” is definitely Maas’ best work yet! I seriously could not put this book down. 

Reading urban fantasy was such a change of pace for me and I love how Maas incorporated a murder mystery into the storyline. The subtle clues sprinkled throughout paired with the novel’s fantastical elements kept fully engaged and on my toes. 

Though I was a bit overwhelmed by the world building in the first 100 pages, I was absolutely blown away by its complexities. Many species of beings were introduced that differed from those that existed in Maas’ other series which was exciting. I appreciated the guide at the novel’s start, as it helped me to further distinguish between the different types of species and the houses they belong to. I also thought that the magic involved in “House of Earth and Blood” was well thought out and contributed to my understanding of the world’s government/ruling system.  The more magic one possesses, the more power they have, as evidenced by the Asteri, the houses of Midgard, and who is qualified to hold the governor position. 

Like Maas’ other novels, “House of Earth and Blood” has a strong female lead. However, what makes Bryce Quinlan stand out is that she is actually part fae, part human. Throughout the story, Bryce struggles with not being able to fully identify with one species or the other and she often faces discrimination. What makes Bryce’s character so powerful is the way she shows strength in the face of adversity. 

I really enjoyed watching Hunt and Bryce’s relationship blossom. It was the perfect enemies-to-lovers, slow burn romance! Though it took a while for sparks to fly, everything about the development of their relationship felt so natural. Maas took her time revealing the full extent of their losses and capturing how Hunt and Bryce were able to heal each other’s wounds over time. 

Another aspect of the novel I appreciated was the presence of diverse characters. It was great see characters identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community live openly (like Isaiah), characters of color share their point-of-view (like Hunt), and characters of color hold powerful positions (like Hypaxia). “House of Earth and Blood” also comments on slavery and oppression which is important to note.

“House of Earth and Blood” is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2022! I cannot wait to see what “House of Sky and Breath” has in store!