Reviews with content warning for Torture - A Game of Retribution

Reviews tagging 'Torture'

A Game of Retribution by Scarlett St. Clair

19 reviews

bangiebangs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

Re-read this because the next book of the series is out and I wanted to refresh my memory - this was the first book I finished this year, and I liked it on my second pass as well. I slightly prefer the story from Hades' POV, though am looking forward to the next one in the timeline, which will be Persephone's POV again.

Things I dislike:

Noted this in another review, but the sex scenes are a bit template-y feeling after a while. It's not hugely imaginative, and the language can be a turn off for me. They are spicy though, just not as appealing to my brain as other authors can be.
I also just violently hate the miscommunication trope. So, so many problems, dangers, and fights could be avoided by talking, and I'm just having a hard time with believing that any eons-old god (whether they are experienced in romantic relationships or not) is struggling SO MUCH to express their thoughts... just plain annoying

Things I like:

Hermes! Somehow we love the trickster in all their incarnations (I don't think I've come across an unlikable Hermes yet?). Definitely bringing the sass.
In this book in particular, I really like that there are real-world (and impactful) consequences to MC's actions. As sad as the story gets, I'm glad that there isn't some loophole or some magical cure-all that pops up and fixes it. I feel that this gives the story more depth.

So yeah, I'm excited to read on now!

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kimmy0__0's review against another edition

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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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grace2elrod's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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evie95's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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readwithde's review against another edition

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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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bryelle's review against another edition

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dark funny medium-paced

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

3.0

Second book in the Touch of Darkness series from Hades perspective. I wish this had given some type of recap at the beginning of the book. I read the other books before this one came out so it took a minute for my brain to catch up to the plot since it seems to just resume from where the last book left off.

It’s really cool to see what happens in this series from Hades point of view. Though he is very brooding and bad at communication. Hades grows in this book while he fights challenges from Hera to get her approval of his marriage to Persephone one day. In the mess of the challenges, Hades at time is hard to communicate with. In the end we find there is someone trying to hurt gods and goddesses.

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