A review by renettereads
A Touch of Darkness, by Scarlett St. Clair

mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

“‘Let me worship you’, he said. His request felt sinful and devious, and she reveled in it. She answered, ‘Yes’.”

A modern-day retelling of the Hades and Persophone myth which starts off with Persophone studying journalism, relishing in her newly-won freedom. When her friend convinces her to join her at Hades’ exclusive nightclub, Nevernight, Persephone unknowingly falls into a bargain with the god of the underworld. 

This book was a bit of a strange one for me. Initially, the writing made it feel quite young, which didn’t really match up with what I knew of it, but I persevered, eager to know more about Persophone’s pursuit to free herself from Demeter. Queue Hades and, oh my goodness, was this SPICY! The mood changed immediately and although it suddenly felt more grown up, I still found it a little jarring. I enjoyed the sexual tension, but felt as though the chemistry between these two purely came down to sexual desire. I’m hoping as the series continues, that we see a growth in their relationship and more of an emotional connection. 

I did enjoy seeing Persophone go from naive and timid to a fiercer character as she grew into herself a little more. Although I didn’t feel that the prose was necessarily strong, I was still gripped by the story and, yes, the smutty scenes, and enjoyed this read. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings