Review: A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
“He smirked, and she could feel it deep in her gut. ‘Darling, I win either way.’”
The Basics
Title: A Touch of Darkness (Hades and Persephone #1)
Author: Scarlett St. Clair
Published: 2019
Publisher: Scarlett St. Clair
Pages: 299
Format: E-book
Genres: Fiction — Mythology, Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Romance, Fantasy romance
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Book Synopsis
In this modern-day spin on the Hades and Persephone myth, Persephone is a journalism student, who after years of forced confinement at home, is enjoying her newfound freedom in the city of New Athens. Her freedom, however, is contingent upon a promise that she made to her mother, the goddess Demeter: she will not associate with any of the gods, least of all the God of the Underworld, Hades. As she is keen to hide her divinity and pass as a mortal, Persephone has so far not been tempted to break that promise, but all that changes after she accompanies one of her friends to Nevernight, Hades’ infamous nightclub where mortals and gods alike can strike bargains with the god of the dead himself. Persephone inadvertently finds herself in one such bargain, and the terms are not in her favor – she must either create life in the Underworld or face eternity in Hades’ realm. Her growing attraction to Hades further complicates matters, for even if she manages to complete the bargain without her mother ever finding out about it, will she be able to walk away from him?
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: Looking for a steamy fantasy romance that you can devour in a couple of sittings? Look no further.
A Touch of Darkness is a true guilty pleasure read. It’s sexy, fast-paced, and so irresistible that once you start it, you’ll be hard pressed to put it down. Trust me, I binge read it in a day.
So, what makes this such a captivating read? The romance. This modern-day retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth features a swoon-worthy Hades and chemistry that jumps off of the pages. The sexual tension between Hades and Persephone is palpable, and the buildup to when they will get together is delectably drawn out. Once they finally do get together, the spice level gets cranked way up.
Steamy romance aside, this book is enjoyable for its fresh, imaginative spin on Greek mythology. The story is set in a world in which the gods and humans live side by side, with many of the gods owning businesses popular among mortals. Hades, for instance, owns an uber-exclusive nightclub featuring high-stakes gambling – wager your soul for a chance to win a favor from the God of the Underworld. Then there’s Persephone, a journalism student who enjoys baking. It was so much fun to see these deities portrayed in a more modern, human manner.
With regard to the writing, the book is written in the third person and past tense – i.e., a pretty standard narrative style. The writing is easy to understand and appropriately paced, which makes this a relatively quick read.
The not so good
The world building is not super extensive, nor are the place names the most creative (e.g., New Greece and New Athens). Then again, this is intended to be a light, entertaining read, so I am neither surprised nor disappointed by the minimal world building.
My one true critique relates to Persephone, namely that she can be a tad infuriating at times. She makes a number of questionable decisions and is too easily swayed by others. She is also comically blind to Hades’ feelings for her. I often found myself wanting to reach in and shake her.
Overall
A Touch of Darkness is a fun, addicting read. Is it going to win the Pulitzer Prize? Absolutely not, but that’s okay. This book excels at its intended purpose – to entertain. It certainly entertained me and made my day a little bit better. And what more can you ask for?
Have you read A Touch of Darkness? If so, let me know what you thought of the book in the comments section below.
