The intricate, exciting and romantic world-building of Sarah J. Maas—along with her amazing characters—has stolen the hearts of thousands of readers, and we are no exception.
Sarah J. Maas’ series are a perfect combination of magic, adventure, and romance that will sweep you off your feet. The overwhelming success of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” aka “ACOTAR”, “Throne of Glass”, and “Crescent City” was inevitable.
However, rumors have plagued Sarah’s fans for years: Are her worlds connected?
With common themes, magic, races, and Easter eggs masterfully woven into each story by the author, an endless chatter about a SJM’s multiverse began along with theories that keep all of us looking for clues in the thousands of pages.
And the answer is yes.
But we also know that for a new reader, starting off with Sarah J. Maas might be a bit tricky—especially with the complexity of a multiverse.
So we are here to help.
While we love all her series, picking where to begin might come to personal preference.
So before we go into explaining the “hows” of the possible interconnections between ACOTAR, Throne of Glass and the Crescent City series, we are going to go into a quick summary and explain the vibe of each series—no spoilers, promise.
All we can do, after all, is give you everything you need to pick your next book and dive into Maas’ universe.
Let us start off with Sarah’s oldest (and complete) series “Throne of Glass”.
Following the journey of the breathtaking but lethal Celaena Sardothien trying to earn her freedom as well as run from her mysterious past, the first book of the Throne of Glass series will only leave you wanting more. Especially when you realize that the fate of the entire Kingdom hangs in the balance. The seven books of the main TOG series go as follows:
But if you want to start with knowing a little bit more about the mysterious Celaena going into the story, you can always start with “The Assassin’s Blade” as it is a prequel that predates the main story. Or, as the author has suggested, you can read “The Assassin’s Blade” right after “Heir of Fire” for maximum emotional damage.
Just keep a box of tissues close. You never know.
In the most romance-focused series, Feyre Archeron, a mortal huntress of Prythian seals her fate the moment she loosens an arrow on a Fae. A web of Fae politics and endless romance, ACOTAR, will keep you spellbound. With five books in the ongoing series, be prepared to lose your heart to more than one character.Feeling that the new book is taking too long to be published? We’ve got you! Here is a list with 18 books like ACOTAR to keep your mind distracted while waiting. And in case you want to read more about your favourite ACOTAR characters or the ACOTAR zodiac signs, we’re here for you, fellow bookworm!
The most recent, the Crescent City series has only three books, “House of Earth and Blood” and “House of Sky and Breath”, and the well-anticipated release of “House of Flame and Shadow”. The latest book of this series sealed the confirmation of Sarah’s multiverse, so we can only suggest leaving this one for last.
When Bryce Quinlan, a half-Fae half-human girl, is forced to work with the broody Fallen Angel Hunt Athalar to discover the truth about a series of brutal murders that left her wounded and alone, she is bound to make a discovery that shakes her to her core—along with the world. With everything on the line, answers might cost them even more than they thought.
In an urban, modern setting, the Crescent City series is going to feel closer than ever.
The verdict
Having explained the general setting of each series, although it does come to personal preferences, we do have some suggestions.
If you are a well-versed reader in fantasy books and fantasy series, we suggest starting with the TOG series. A complete, high-fantasy epic tale with characters to die for is the perfect start for SJM.
However, if fantasy has not been your top preference, A Court of Thorns and Roses series might be the easiest transition with the never-ending plotting and dark romance in Faerie courts.
Already interested in the series? Check out our article about ACOTAR summary.
If you prefer a modern, urban fantasy setting with a blend of magic and contemporary elements, the Crescent City series might be the best starter.
That being said, the spoiler-free zone has now ended, so if you’d like to have some answers about the TOG, Crescent City and ACOTAR series and their interconnections without any spoilers, we would suggest moving to the conclusions.
Otherwise, read ahead at your own peril.
The multiverse theory
With the introduction of the Crescent City series, many of us theorize that this urban fantasy setting may serve as a focal point for characters and events from all series and different worlds to converge.
And with good reason. So let’s get into it!
Interconnected Plotlines
The first and biggest indication is a pivotal scene in “Kingdom of Ash”, the final book of the Throne of Glass Series. When Aelin (Celaena, after her hidden identity as the lost Galathynius Princess is revealed) after using an immense amount of power, she pierces the veil and falls through worlds.
Surprise surprise, when her fall is slowed down by Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court and… Feyre’s mate from ACOTAR.
During Aelin’s fall, she also observes what we believe is Lunathion, Bryce’s home city.
But it doesn’t stop there. In House of Sky and Breath, Bryce unravels the truth about the Dusk Project, discovering that it is, in reality, the Asteri, feeding on the first light of the Vanir from Midgard. They have been drawing various species into Bryce's world, extracting their power for sustenance.
Both the Fae and the shifters are essentially Fae, originating from distinct worlds—you can guess what is implied here.
Moreover, at the end of the book, Bryce actually teleports to Prythian. The last iconic line: “Hello, Bryce Quinlan. I’m Rhysand,” left all of us screaming, crying and throwing up!
With the discovery that the Fae in Lunathion came with Theia from Prythian, the interconnection is finally clear, and the three worlds are organically connected.
Subtle Clues and Shared Elements
Besides those scenes that could not be described as anything but huge “Multiverse” neon signs, there are several more subtle clues, common themes, and elements.
The "Autumn King" in Crescent City:
In Crescent City, the emergence of the "Autumn King" draws undeniable parallels with an ACOTAR noble. The author's choice to echo a title from one series in another serves as a subtle yet potent nod to the shared universe. However, after the House of Flame and Shadow, the latest installment of the Crescent City series, it clear that the Fae in Bryce’s world originate from Prythian and perhaps even Erilea, where Fae are predominantly shifters. So, the Autumn King is clearly a descendant of an Autumn Court Fae. The Autumn King’s fire is further proof of this, not to mention the wine-red hair and amber eyes.
Avallen Fae and Night Court Fae Powers:
It’s impossible not to notice that the powers exhibited by Avallen Fae in Crescent City bear a striking resemblance to those of Night Court Fae in A Court of Thorns and Roses. The convergence of magical abilities, though subtle, hints at an underlying unity in the fabric of these fantastical realms. King Morven and his court are descendants of Night Court Fae, thus inheriting their darkness and shadows.
Rhysand and the Starborn Fae:
Rhysand, Feyre’s mate and the High Lord of the Night Court in ACOTAR, shares intriguing commonalities with the Starborn Fae, in Crescent City. Rhysand comes from the line of Silene, Starborn Queen Theia’s youngest daughter. He is essentially part of the Starborn line, but his own powers seem to converge more on the dark light, instead of Bryce’s bright and blinding light.
The Eight-Pointed Star:
The recurring motif of the eight-pointed star acts as a celestial thread weaving through the narrative of Sarah J. Maas’ books. This symbol, ever-present and consistent across series, becomes a beacon guiding readers through the interconnected worlds. Whether it graces the pages of Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, or Crescent City, the eight-pointed star serves as a unifying emblem—a cosmic constant that hints at a shared cosmic order or destiny binding the diverse characters and realms within the Maasverse. Both Bryce and Nesta seem to be blessed with an eight-pointed star carved on their skin. For Bryce, it is a testament to her Starborn origins, and as for Nesta it still remains to be seen how she will be called to use it. The Prison is also built upon an eight-pointed star, where Silene’s memories are stored.
The Stag Shifters:
Stags are Terassen’s, Aelin Galathynius’ kingdom in TOG, symbol. They are said to have been hunted to extinction, but the Stag Lord and the Stag constellation are used as a beacon of hope for Terassen’s rise from the ashes in the entire series. Similarly, an old family of powerful Stag shifters is found in Lunation. And when Lidia Cervos or the Hind, as she is called for her shifter powers, takes the antidote against the Asteri’s parasite, her fire power, similar to Aelin’s is unleashed. Even her son is named after Brannon, the first fire-bringing king of Terassen, Aelin’s ancestor. Definitely another family of migrating Fae and more descendants.
The Old Gods:
Many speculations have been made about beings existing in all three worlds. There are many theories that the Bone Carver, who is held a prisoner in The Prison in ACOTAR, is the god of truth that had blessed Gavin with the sword that ended up being used by Dorian Havilliard in Kingdom of Ash. The fact that they could not lie to the Bone Carver and that the truth God’s temple in TOG was made of carved bone makes this theory extremely plausible.
World-Walkers:
Like Maeve in Throne of Glass, Bryce has a similar ability to jump between worlds due to The Horn being tattooed on her back. The existence of ‘thin places’ where mists mysteriously appear and doors that lead to other places or worlds is also uncovered in HOFAS.
With the publication of the Crescent City series acting as a catalyst to this debate, we think that after all this, it’s safe to say that Sarah’s universes are definitely connected. Whether it be through grand scenes or subtle clues, Sarah J. Maas has been slowly but surely weaving an intricate web where each magical thread leads to a huge and united Maasverse.
And with the newest book of Crescent City, “House of Flame and Shadow” out, we would definitely suggest expediting any re-read plan you may have since most of our questions
And theories were finally answered.
It truly is a magical journey.
Yes. Crescent City and A Court of Thorns and Roses seem to be connected through various themes and symbols, like the Autumn king, but also the Valbaran Fae in Crescent City have originated from Prythian (ACOTAR) and possibly Erilea (TOG).
Yes, they are connected. As we can see in the last book of the TOG series, with an explosive finale, SJM shows a clear interconnection when Aelin falls through worlds and Rhysand standing next to Feyre slows her fall, helping her go back to Erilea alive.
Yes, Crescent City and Throne of Glass are connected. In the final book of the Throne of Glass series, during Aelin's fall through worlds, it is theorized that one of the cities that she sees is Lunathion, Bryce’s hometown. Also, Lidia’s family of Stag Shifters seems to be descended from Terassen and perhaps Aelin herself.
