Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination and graphic violence.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. House of Sky and Breath combines elements of high fantasy, such as magic, fae, and merpeople, with ones usually associated with science fiction, such as a far-future version of Earth and extraterrestrial invaders. What did you think of this combination, and which elements most interested you?

2. Before penning the Crescent City books, Sarah J. Maas was already a prominent figure in the fantasy genre because of the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series. If you’ve read any of these works, how would you say this third series differs from her earlier works in terms of genre and tone? What common themes and techniques can you trace across her oeuvre?

3. The novel is an example of urban fantasy. Have you read any other works within this genre, such as Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones? If so, how does Maas’s approach to utilizing fantasy elements in an urban