For the Plot | ‘A Touch of Darkness’ review

Scarlett St. Clair’s “A Touch of Darkness” series is a spellbinding journey that seamlessly weaves together mythology, romance and intrigue. Set in a world where Greek gods and mortals coexist, St. Clair introduces readers to a fresh perspective on familiar tales — breathing new life into ancient myths.

St. Clair’s “Hades and Persephone” series has seven books currently, but it is still in the process of completion. The main series follows Persephone’s point of view. However, St. Clair is coming out with some books from Hades’ perspective.

The series includes “A Touch of Darkness,” “A Touch of Ruin,” “A Touch of Malice” and “A Touch of Chaos.”

All of these books are from Persephone’s point of view.

“A Touch of Darkness”

After moving to New Athens, Persephone, the goddess of spring, hopes to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist. Hades, the god of the dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world, and his bets are rumored to be impossible. After an encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the god of the dead. Persephone must create a life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a goddess — her love for Hades begins to grow, and this romance is forbidden.

One thing that I think makes this series really interesting is that gods and goddesses owned mortal businesses. For example, Zeus owns a marketing and creative agency and Apollo is a rock star. All of the gods are portrayed as modern-day celebrities with paparazzi following their every move, red carpet events and trashy tabloid coverage.

I think this aspect of the series makes it a lot more fun to read, and I think if Greek gods were living amongst mortals, it would be very similar to the way this book has everything set up.

This story pulled me in quickly and I finished this book in about a day and a half. The romantic tension between Persephone and Hades is palpable, drawing readers into a love story that is as compelling as it is forbidden. Watching the romance between Hades and Persephone form was a page turner. The book starts as a slow burn and quickly evolves into the perfect enemies-to-lovers story.

St. Clair does a great job exploring the complexities of their relationship, delving into themes of power, sacrifice and redemption. Their chemistry leaps off the pages.

In addition to its compelling characters and gripping plot, “A Touch of Darkness” is also notable for its lush and vivid worldbuilding. St. Clair paints a rich tapestry of the bustling streets of New Athens to the shadowy depths of the Underworld. Her attention to detail immerses readers in a world that feels authentic.

In this series overall, but this book specifically, I loved how the Underworld was described. The Underworld was shown as a place that isn’t meant to be feared or roaring with pits of fire, but a place where families are able to come together and enjoy their time in the afterlife. It meant a lot to me that an author would show life after death not as something to fear, but something to potentially look forward to.

“A Touch of Ruin”

Persephone’s relationship with Hades has gone public, and the resulting media storm disrupts her normal life and threatens to expose her as the goddess of spring. Hades is burdened by a hellish past that everyone is eager to expose in an effort to warn Persephone away. Things only get worse when a tragedy leaves Persephone’s heart in ruin and Hades refuses to help. Desperate, she takes matters into her own hands, striking bargains with severe consequences. Faced with a side of Hades she never knew and crushing loss, Persephone wonders if she can truly become Hades’ queen.

Building upon the first book, “A Touch of Ruin” delves further into the complexities of Persephone and Hades’ forbidden love, but one of the standout aspects is the character development. Persephone continues to evolve as a protagonist, grappling with her growing power and the weight of her responsibilities. Likewise, Hades is given greater depth and complexity, his struggles and vulnerabilities laid bare for readers to witness.

Romance remains at the heart of the story, with Persephone and Hades’ relationship facing new obstacles and continuing to blossom. Their journey is both swoon-worthy and heart-wrenching.

“A Touch of Malice”

Persephone and Hades are engaged. In retaliation, Demeter, Persephone’s mom, summons a snowstorm that cripples New Greece and refuses to lift the blizzard unless her daughter calls off her engagement. When the Olympians intervene, Persephone finds her future in the hands of ancient gods, who are divided — do they allow Persephone to marry Hades and go to war with Demeter or prohibit their union and take up arms against the god of the dead? Nothing is certain but the promise of war.

This book definitely focuses more on the aspects of going to war and makes it very immersive to the point where you are ready to fight for Hades and Persephone’s love. Exploring Hades and Persephone’s journey as they confront significant challenges in their relationship is truly heartwarming, highlighting the depth of their love and commitment to one another.

Additionally, St. Clair’s skillful depiction of intense and vivid battle sequences definitely enhances the overall reading experience. Her ability to seamlessly blend these elements with moments of passion and intensity makes this story such a lethal combination of adventure and romance.

Overall, this series is a great romance and is one of my favorite mythology retellings. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Greek myths with a lot of romance. 

Rating: 4/5