House of Earth & Blood: Characters, spice, glossary & triggers

Written By Esta Pinto

If you enjoyed the ACOTAR or TOG series by Sarah J. Maas, and were wondering if Crescent City is just as good, my answer is: if you like her previous books, you’ll probably also like CC. Although bear in mind its an urban fantasy.

In this House of Earth and Blood book guide, I’m covering everything you want to know: synopsis, main characters and supporting character guide, including spice levels, where to find those spicy chapters, trigger warnings and a bit of a glossary of the world areas and houses to help you get your head around the worldbuilding.

Please be sure to note that the FAQ section down the bottom will contain spoilers, so avoid reading further if you haven’t read House of Earth and Blood yet and don’t want to be spoiled. Otherwise go right ahead and take a peek.

 

House of Earth and Blood synopsis.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.

Get House of Earth and Blood here.
 

The 4 houses of Midgard: An overview.

Midgard’s supernatural population is divided into four Houses, each covering different species, creatures and magical beings, with their own divine associations, ranging from humans and shifters to angels, mer, reapers, vampires and all manner of beings.

House Who belongs here?
House of Earth and Blood Shifters, humans, witches, ordinary animals, and many others to whom Cthona calls, as well as some chosen by Luna.
House of Sky and Breath Malakim (angels), Fae, elementals, sprites*, and those who are blessed by Solas, along with some favoured by Luna.
House of Many Waters River-spirits, mer, water beasts, nymphs, kelpies, nokks and others watched over by Ogenas.
House of Flame and Shadow Daemonaki, reapers, wraiths, vampyrs, draki, dragons, necromancers, and many wicked and unnamed things that even Urd herself cannot see.
*Sprites were kicked out of their House as a result of their participation in the Fall and are now considered Lowers, though many of them refuse to accept this.
 

Crescent City / Lunathion: World guide to the quarters and districts.

Lunathion is a city-sized melting pot of different supernatural factions, social classes and varying degrees of “do not go there.” Each quarter has its own vibe, inhabitants, gemstone on the city's dial-pad system, insignia and ruling power. Some are fancy, leafy and packed with palatial villas and expensive restaurants, while others are more mysterious, grim or ominous. Here’s a rundown of the major city quarters, what they’re like and who’s calling the shots.

It’s also probably good to note that in House of Earth and Blood, each Head controls a specific part of the city. Asphodel Meadows has no seat at the table. Micah, Head of the Central Business District rules over all the Heads and is answerable to the six Asteri in the Eternal City.

I wouldn’t count the Blue Court as one of the quarters, nor is it featured on the dial pad, but people from there have important roles in the city, such as the River Queen and Tharion Ketos, a mer Captain of Intelligence.

City quarter Description Who controls it? Dial-pad gemstone District insignia
Central Business District Full of skyscraper buildings. It has a square where public crucifixions are held. On certain days, the smell of blood and rotting flesh can carry for days. Micah, Archangel of Valbara. Opal Pair of wings
Moonwood More oak trees, less magic frills. Full of sprawling parks and riverfront walkways, palatial villas and complexes for Vanir, peppered with the best schools and many of the fanciest restaurants in town. At its heart lies the Den, surrounded by towering walls: Sabine’s territory. The Prime of Wolves. Sapphire Oak tree
Five Roses / FiRo Predominantly full of Fae who discriminate or “sneer” at half-breeds. The Fae Autumn King. Emerald Rose
Bone Quarter Black obsidian steps rig the foggy shore, leading to the towering ivory bone gates of the Bone Quarter. No one knows what goes on in here, if the reapers patrol and rule like kings or if it is merely mist-carved stone and silence. No one dares fly over it. The Under-King. Onyx Skull and crossbones
Meat Market Predators both born and trained use the Meat Market as a personal hunting ground. It’s full of subterraneanly interconnected warehouses that make up the blocks of the district, with ramshackle stalls, vendors and food stands, smoke drifting throughout, and the tang of blood and magic acrid in one’s nostrils. In the warrens below, carved deep into Midgard’s womb, lie three different levels just for flesh; mostly human, although every fetish can be bought. The Meat Market has its own laws and ways of enforcing them. The Viper Queen. Tiger’s eye Serpent
Old Square The Old Square Gate was often called the Heart Gate thanks to its location in the dead center of Lunathion, with the six other gates located equidistant from it, each one opening onto a road out of the walled city. Bryce feels the Old Square is the only safe place for her to live as a half-breed, as well as the fact that she’s got her pick of restaurants, music halls and museums. The Oracle. Ruby Heart
Blue Court / Istros River The Blue Court is located far beneath the Istros River’s turquoise surface. The inhabitants are notoriously secretive. One glass sub goes in and out per day, and those on it travel by invitation only. The River Queen. N/A N/A
Asphodel Meadows Isn’t much to behold. Yet the Meadows is a luxury development compared to the human districts in Pangera. No one. Amethyst Human hand

House of Earth and Blood characters.

Character art shared by artist @ellendrawings_ via Instagram

House of Earth and Blood is told from the third-person lens of Bryce Quinlan, Hunt Athalar and Ruhn Danaan, with occasional perspectives narrated from Declan’s POV. 

Anyway, below is a quick recap of our main characters, followed by a list of the major supporting and minor characters, including a chimera with no dialogue who is arguably one of the cutest characters in there. Shout out to the otters too 🦦.

 

Main characters.

Bryce Quinlan.

Bryce Quinlan is a half fae, half human, bastard daughter of the Fae Autumn King and half-sister to Ruhn Danaan, which she keeps secret. Snarky, irreverent and loves to party.

Hunt Athalar.

Hunt Athalar is an enslaved Archangel, currently “owned” by Micah Domitus, the Governor Archangel of Valbara. He’s also known as the “Umbra Mortis” meaning Shadow of Death, for his role as Micah’s personal assassin.

Ruhn Danaan.

Character art shared by artist @batboys.art via Instagram

Crown Prince of the Autumn Fae and son of the Autumn King, Ruhn is a tattooed, shadow wielding fae, who is a bit of a cinnamon roll (you’ll see) and is loyal, sarcastic and kind-hearted. He will do anything for his half-sister, Bryce and his friends.

All characters.

Here’s a list of all of the characters in House of Earth and Blood including on-page characters, minor characters and the occasional off-page mentions. Plus, their descriptions.

⚠️ Please be mindful that reading this character list may spoil some of the reveals in House of Earth and Blood! ⚠️

Character Description
Bryce Quinlan Assistant to a sorceress, chronic dater of preening breakable human men.
Hunt ‘Orion’ Athalar Known as the “Umbra Mortis”, Hunt is Micah’s personal assassin, with the rare gift of lightning in his veins, who can eliminate almost any threat. Branded by Pangeran witches with magical ink that binds his power.
Ruhn Danaan Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae. Son of the Autumn King and current possessor of the Starsword, fabled dark blade of the ancient Starborn Fae. Technically Bryce Quinlan's half-brother, who the world thinks is her cousin. The bulk of his magic skews towards his mother’s kin, the Avallen Fae, where he can summon and walk through shadows.
Syrinx A thirty-pound chimera, an expensive, rare creature with a wiry golden coat, long tail tufted with dark fur at the end like a lion’s, folded ears, round fuzzy head, wrinkles of fat and longer hair at his neck, plus too-big paws which end in birdlike talons.
Danika Fendyr Bryce’s best friend and soul sister for life, a Valbaren wolf shifter, leader of the Pack of Devils Auxiliary patrol, and officially second in line to Sabine, her mother the Prime Apparent. Possessor of the family heirloom sword.
Lehabah A fire sprite, descendant of Queen Ranthia Drahl.
Jesiba Roga A four-hundred-year-old enchantress who’d been born a witch and defected, Jesiba has joined the House of Flame and Shadow and answers only to the Under-King. She possesses an arsenal of spells to rival any sorcerer or necromancer in the darkest of the Houses and has been known to change people into animals if she gets irritated enough.
Declan Emmet One of Ruhn's best pals. A tech genius and hacker.
Tristan Flynn One of Ruhn's best pals. Flynn will one day inherit his father’s title: Lord Hawthorne.
Sabine The Prime Apparent of the Valbaren wolves, who has been her aging father’s heir for centuries.
Sandriel The Archangel and Governor of the northwestern quadrant of Pangera, and Hunt’s former owner before Micah had traded with her. Twin sister to Shahar, Hunt’s dead lover.
Micah Domitus Archangel Governor of Valbara, appointed by the Asteri, Head of the Central Business District and answerable to the six Asteri in the Eternal City, the capital and beating heart of Pangera.
Fury Axtar Fury is Vanir but she has no idea of what kind and no idea what House Fury belongs to. With her preternatural speed, grace and reflexes, she’s a secret operative and her attendance at Crescent City University (CCU) had only been a front for missions. She is licensed to kill in half a dozen countries including Valbara.
Juniper Andromeda A quiet pretty faun with a sweet and mild temperament.
Captain Tharion Ketos The irreverent and charming mer Captain of Intelligence for the River Queen.
Queen Hypaxia Enador Queen of the Valbaran Witches and medwitch. Rumour had it that Queen Hecuba raised her deep in the Boreal Forest of the Heliruna Mountains, far from the corruption of the Republic.
Isaiah Tiberian Commander of the 33rd, who can summon wind. Hunt believes he should have been in the Asterion Guard with his skills and pristine white wings but has come “from the gutter,” like Hunt, so is probably discriminated against.
Pollux Antonius Sandriel’s golden-haired triarii commander. They call him the Malleus. The Hammer. As cruel and merciless as Sandriel.
Naomi Boreas Captain of the 33rd’s infantry, and one of the triarii who answers only to Micah. Not fallen.
Ember Quinlan Bryce’s mother.
Randall Siago Bryce’s adoptive father, legendary war hero and sharpshooter.
Aidas Pale-skinned, blond, blue-eyed pretty-boy demon and Prince of the Chasm who occupies the fifth level of Hel (the Chasm). He yields to only two others, the Prince of the Abyss and the Prince of the Pit.
Amelie Ravenscroft Head of the Aux packs of wolves.
Phillip Briggs A human who is part of a group called the Keres rebels whose aim was to trigger a war between the humans and Vanir. The war meant a possibility to overthrow those who oppressed the humans: the Vanir and the Asteri, who ruled the planet Midgard from the Eternal City in Pangera.
Maximum Tertian A two-hundred-year-old vampyr; unwed and unmated; son of Lord Cedrian, richest of the Pangerean vamps and the most monstrous, if rumour was to be believed. Known for filling bathtubs with the blood of human maidens in his frosty mountain keep and bathing in their youth.
Viktoria Vargos A wraith who rebelled with the malakim. She has no body of her own and wears bodies the way people own cars. Also enslaved, she is trapped within her current body forever (or assuming until she is freed).
Justinian Gelos The youngest of Micah’s triarii who bears the halo that suppresses his power.
Connor Holstrom Danika’s Second in the Pack of Devils.
Nathalie Danika’s Third in the Pack of Devils.
Ithan Holstrom Connor’s wolf shifter younger brother.
Bronson Part of Danika’s Pack of Devils.
Zelda A white wolf, part of Danika’s Pack of Devils. Twin to Zach. Nicknamed The Ghosts.
Zach A white wolf, part of Danika’s Pack of Devils. Twin to Zelda. Nicknamed The Ghosts.
Thorne Part of Danika’s Pack of Devils.
Reid Redner A mortal that Bryce dated who comes off as a jerk.
Riso Sergatto A flamboyant and rare breed of butterfly shifter, with tonnes of personality, always laughing, who runs The White Raven nightspot.
Marrin The ursine shifter behind the front desk.
Shahar The Daystar, Hunt’s dead lover who had rebelled against her fellow Archangels and the Asteri.
The Hind A deer shifter who reports directly to the Asteri and is known to be Pollux’s lover.
Rigelus, the Bright Hand An Asteri in a slim teenage boy’s body that is a mockery of the monstrous power within.
Lidia Cervos (mentioned) The republic's most notorious spy hunter and breaker.
Prince Pelias (mentioned) The first Starborn Prince and high general for a Fae queen named Theia. Original possessor of the magical artefact: the Horn. One of several Fae with Starborn power.
Queen Theia (mentioned) Queen Theia was also Starborn and her daughter, Helena, possessed the same power.
Helena (mentioned) Daughter of Queen Theia. Described as "night-haired Helena, from whose golden skin poured starlight and shadows".
Prince of the Pit (mentioned) The seventh and mightiest of the demon princes: known as the Star-Eater, and his name is never uttered on this side of the Northern Rift. The first and only being to ever kill an Asteri: the seventh holy star, Sirius, the Wolf Star.
Hecuba (mentioned) Beloved witch of her people.
The River Queen (mentioned) Part mer, part river spirit, daughter of Ogenas, born from the mighty river that encircles the world and sister to the Ocean Queen.
The Ocean Queen (mentioned) The reclusive ruler of the five great seas of Midgard.
Governor Ephraim (mentioned)
 

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House of Earth and Blood FAQs.

SPOILER ALERT:

⚠️ Some answers may spoil House of Earth and Blood if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution. ⚠️

Is House of Earth and Blood a series?

Yes, House of Earth and Blood is book one in the Crescent City series, by author Sarah J. Maas. So far, as of 2026, there are three books out in the series.

Discover the best order to read all the books in the Sarah J. Maasverse, from ACOTAR to Throne of Glass, to Crescent City, here.

What are the content and trigger warnings?

  • Violence

  • Discussion of slavery

  • Discussion of cannibalism

  • Drug and alcohol use

  • Grief

  • Suicidal ideation

  • Confinement

  • Blood

  • Gore

  • Sexual content

  • Death

  • Injury and injury details

  • Cursing

  • Torture

  • Death of parent (off-page)

  • Depression

  • Colonialism

  • War

  • Toxic family dynamics

What is the age rating for House of Earth and Blood?

House of Earth and Blood is classified as adult, so ages 18+, due to adult themes and sexual content. Please also see the trigger and content warnings listed above.

Is House of Earth and Blood spicy?

Yes, House of Earth and Blood is spicy, but only very mildly. At the most, we get to second or third base, not a home run, if you know what I mean.

What is the House of Earth and Blood spice level?

Spice level: 🌶

I rate House of Earth and Blood at a 1 out of 5 chillies overall. That means mild spice and not much of it, with a very slow build up of steamy tension. The spice is open door and doesn’t shy away from explicit language, yet it doesn’t result in full bangity bang, it’s always getting interrupted, unfortunately for our two main characters.

What are the House of Earth and Blood spicy chapters?

Here’s your House of Earth and Blood spicy chapters map. See how most chapters are marked with capsicums? That means kissing and steamy tension only.

You can find the one mildly spicy chapter, marked with a chilli emoji, in chapter 64.

Chapter number Chilli rating Description
47 🫑 Neck nuzzling
54 🫑 Hurt/comfort
55 🫑 Cooking in the kitchen
64 🌶️ Oh, it gets a little spicy. But bloody too. Ouch.
95 🫑 Now is not a good time to call, Mom!

Learn where to find each and every spicy chapter in the ACOTAR series here.

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