62 pages • 2 hours read
Sarah J. MaasHouse of Earth and Blood
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Debunking Impressions/Role Reversals
Almost none of the characters in the novel are who they seem to be. The central murder mystery of the book takes a back seat to the greater mysteries that are resolved when the characters show their true colors over the course of the story.
Danika initially appears as a loyal friend to Bryce. In contrast, her mother perceives her as arrogant and reckless—a girl who likes to take risks and lets Bryce lead her into trouble. Bryce herself eventually questions Danika’s true nature when she learns that her friend has stolen Luna’s Horn. Bryce also doubts Danika’s courage in her last moments to such a degree that she trades her own afterlife to guarantee that Danika will be received favorably by the Under-King. Despite Bryce’s initial doubt, Danika not only remained a steadfast friend to Bryce by refusing to give Micah any info that might put Bryce in harm’s way. Danika paid for her allegiance to Bryce with her life, was setup and drugged by Micah, and also kept Bryce’s Fae gift a secret. This secret also caused Danika’s mom, Sabine, to dislike her daughter’s secretive loyalty toward Bryce, and caused much of Sabine’s hatred and incorrect assumptions about Bryce as a troublemaking half-human. Danika’s sacrifices reveal that both Bryce’s and Sabine’s impressions about her were incorrect assumptions.
Hunt is another character who isn’t what he seems. As the Umbra Mortis, he is a fearsome assassin whose very presence makes people tremble whenever he appears. Because of his size and bossy behavior, Bryce immediately tags him as an alphahole, which is her favorite derogatory term for domineering alpha males. However, Hunt reveals himself to be a caring and sensitive person instead of the self-absorbed peacock that Bryce assumes he is. In a complete reversal of the hero trope, Hunt isn’t the one who races to save the city. Instead, he is immobilized by enchantments and handcuffs at the Summit while Bryce goes into action. Hunt can do nothing more than watch his girlfriend take charge. He doesn’t save the girl, as heroes usually do. He saves the girl who saves the city.
Bryce herself represents the biggest role reversal in the novel. She deliberately projects a party-girl image. While her antics initially frustrate Hunt, he begins to recognize that Bryce’s persona as a “weak, silly” female puts people off their guard and gives her a tactical advantage. He is even more surprised to learn she is an expert sharpshooter. The entire city is stunned when Bryce reveals her magical abilities and saves all of Lunathion.
Moving Past Mourning
As the novel opens, both Hunt and Bryce are emotionally broken. Each one inhabits a solitary cocoon of misery. The most devastating event in Bryce’s life is the loss of Danika. The reason this death is so catastrophic is that Bryce has largely been rejected by the magical community as a half-breed. Her own father casts her out after her disgraceful meeting with the Oracle. As a result, Bryce doesn’t feel that she belongs in either the human or the Vanir world. Danika’s acceptance gives her a space to belong and a clique of friends who take her at face value. The fact that Bryce is out partying while the wolfpack is slaughtered creates a deep sense of guilt. Bryce not only mourns the loss of the pack, but she also punishes herself for not being there to prevent it. Rather than having the kristallos venom removed from her leg wound, she lives with the pain for two years. The injury is a reminder of her own failure. In some strange sense, it also keeps her friends alive. She is unwilling to let go of the pain until Hunt comes into her life.
Hunt also knows the pain of loss. His involvement in the angel rebellion results in slavery for eternity. The Umbra Mortis seems disinclined to escape his captors for the simple reason that he is punishing himself in the same way that Bryce is. When Hunt loses Shahar, he loses all reason to go on living. Just as Danika raised Bryce out of her loneliness by befriending her, Shahar promoted Hunt through the ranks and became his lover because she saw something worthy in him. Hunt is unwilling to let go of his attachment to Shahar’s memory and tells Bryce that he will love the dead archangel for the rest of his life.
Both characters are mired in the past. At one point, Bryce says to Hunt, “‘I never realized it […] That you and I are mirrors.’ He hadn’t, either. But a voice floated back to him. You look how I feel every day” (556). It isn’t until both characters look past their grief that they can see each other and envision a future together.
The Love of Power and the Power of Love
The inhabitants of Midgard are obsessed with power, both magical and political. When the Asteri first enter the dimension, they take control and dispossess the humans who rule the planet. The Asteri have been able to maintain their regime for 15,000 years by rigidly keeping rebellions in check.
While the Asteri represent the apex of the pyramid, the Vanir follow suit and create a similar pecking order based on magical power and political pull. The archangels Sandriel and Micah continuously jockey for position to expand their influence with the Asteri. Micah’s own insecure hold on Crescent City is what motivates him to exploit Luna’s Horn to amass more power for himself.
One step lower on the power chain is Bryce’s biological father, the Autumn King. He resents the fact that his own son inherited the Starborn light and was able to claim the Starsword as a result. As it is, the Autumn King intends to exploit Ruhn as long as he can. He has no use for Bryce since she displays none of the power that he seeks to acquire for himself.
The characters described above are all driven by the love of power. In contrast, Danika, Bryce, and Hunt are driven by the power of love. Danika keeps Bryce’s secret about her Starborn gift. She steals the Horn when she realizes that Micah wants to put it to an evil use. Even though it costs her life, Danika doesn’t betray Bryce or the location of the Horn.
Hunt is willing to throw himself out of a helicopter to shield Bryce from a missile attack. Since his wings are injured, he doesn’t expect to survive the fall. Bryce risks her life to help the human inhabitants of Crescent City to find shelter. She then uses her last remaining strength to make the Drop, hoping that she can heal Hunt by doing so. Bryce collects the power of every magical being who has ever touched the Old Quarter Gate because her actions are a selfless attempt to save the city. In the end, Danika’s motto proves true: “Through love, all is possible” (776).
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By Sarah J. Maas
