Reviews tagging 'War'

A Game of Retribution by Scarlett St. Clair

11 reviews

whatkatyread87's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Eh. This one was okay. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Stalking

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and War

yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’m super intrigued on the war. Hades is so quick to assume things and then ends up messing up with Persephone. I also feel like this man is sex crazy and I love smut but there were so many times where they had sex when they should’ve talked. Hecate and Hermes are definitely my faves

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Grief, Car accident, and War

Minor: Kidnapping and Stalking

rchulin1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

savage_book_review's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

So the note at the back of this book says the author doesn't like it when people show her version of Hades all the love while bashing Persephone. My response to that has to be that, while I like Persephone's story arc and am keen to see her grow into her powers and role as Queen of the Underworld, I'm thinking the reason she doesn't get the same amount of love is because Hades has his opportunity to shine in both her PoV and his. This book tells the story of 'A Touch of Ruin' from Hades PoV and, once again, you get to explore what happens when Persephone isn't around and see just what other s**t he has to deal with. At this point, I'm very much preferring seeing things from his perspective; I appreciate he is a few millenia older than Persephone, but his jaded, world-weary outlook seems so much more real to me than Persephone's quite immature attitude.

However, I guess it's meant to be like that; it's just a struggle to remember that Persephone was essentially kept in isolation for 18 years when she seems to have so much more experience than her four years in New Athens would suggest. In some ways, she is still very much a child and, seen in that context, her erratic behaviour and desperate desire for reassurance, friendship and love becomes a little more understandable. I think the main issue I have is that, where Hades seems to genuinely feel something when taking action (whether rage, lust, sadness, pride or joy), Persephone's outbursts don't feel like they have that same depth - they're more like temper tantrums, which I guess brings me back to her essentially being a child.

Although I would say that you really should read 'A Touch of Ruin' first, this book does flow better for those who might be jumping in here. There is much more of a story going on for Hades, and it serves as a great build up to what I can only assume is going to follow in the next books. And the development of his relationship with Persephone makes so much more sense when seen through his eyes - this man who has never had anyone to ask him 'how was your day?' or who wants to be in his orbit because of him as a person, not him as a God... even though I felt for him in the last book and got why he acts the way he does, to see his thought processes and the repercussions of that really gives him a properly rounded character, and one that I'm incredibly drawn to.

I enjoyed the interactions with other Gods, Dionysius and Hephestus in particular, and the sinking feeling that the Olympians are about to come to blows. Likewise, Hades' relationships with Hecate and Hermes continue to make me smile and are giving me 'found family' vibes. I want a 'family dinner' scene with them, Persephone, Thanatos and Charon all just being relaxed and comfortable with eachother, banter flying, and everyone ganging up on Hades to poke fun at something ridiculous he says or does.

I'm also continuing to enjoy the weaving in of established mythology to the modern context. The introduction of Ariadne as a detective, for example, I thought was great. And her chemistry with Dionysius sparks off the page very well.

Overall, I'm still not completely sold on the writing, but it works well enough to trigger my imagination and for me to enjoy the retelling of the classic myth. So it's not bad! Slightly annoyed the next in the series isn't available on KU yet, but at least my library service has a copy I can borrow!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Stalking, and Car accident

lovetlr's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Hermes is the best.
Too much sex in this one, more smut than plot

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

Minor: Trafficking and War

namitini's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Mental illness and War

kimmy0__0's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I like Hades' side better than Persephone's in A Touch of Ruin. They seem darker and touch on deeper more interesting storylines

like the impending war with the Gods

. Hades' perspective also seems more explicit. I want to listen to the next books concurrently. I love Hermes and Hectate moments. ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, and Sexual harassment

csmall73's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Hades is wonderful. I enjoy this version of him. Reading his perspective was much easier to read and digest than Persephone. She is young and impulsive but she’s emotionally trying for me. Hades makes sense. He adapts and learned quicker. He is also much older and had time to develop past the chaos of youth and ignorance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and War

readwithde's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Stalking, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infidelity, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, and War

raiderqueen23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape, Vomit, and War

It only mentions rape.