Review: A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair
“Create the life you want, Persephone, and stop listening to everyone else.”
The Basics
Title: A Touch of Ruin (Hades and Persephone #2)
Author: Scarlett St. Clair
Published: 2020
Publisher: Scarlett St. Clair
Pages: 417
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Mythology, Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Romance, Fantasy romance
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Book Synopsis
With her relationship with Hades now public knowledge, Persephone is under the spotlight like never before. The press camps out in front of her office building, and on more than one occasion, she has woken up to find her photograph splashed across the front page of a tabloid. All of this scrutiny has her wondering if she is truly ready to be Queen of the Underworld.
As these doubts are taking root in her mind, a tragedy befalls Persephone, and when Hades refuses to help her, her uncertainty over their relationship only intensifies. His refusal also forces her to take matters into her own hands and make a bargain that could broaden the growing divide between them.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A dissatisfying follow-up to A Touch of Darkness featuring an insufferable lead and a lackadaisical plot.
Wow, what an entirely disappointing sequel. A Touch of Darkness was such an enjoyable read, but A Touch of Ruin was an exercise in willpower. I desperately wanted to shelve the book at multiple points throughout the story, but as a book reviewer, I knew that I had to see it through to the end. So, I persevered – just barely.
A Touch of Ruin’s greatest flaw is its protagonist, Persephone. In the previous book, she was a trifle aggravating, but in this book, she has morphed into someone who is practically insufferable. She is childish, vindictive, jealous, obstinate, and insecure. Not to mention, she is extremely mercurial – her moods can change at the drop of a hat. One minute she is happy and in love with Hades, and the next, she is angry and doing something to spite him. She is also too easily manipulated by others. All it takes is someone making an offhand comment about Hades, and before you know it, she is beginning to have second thoughts about their relationship and doubting his feelings for her.
And that brings me to my next gripe: Hades and Persephone’s relationship. It is dysfunctional, to say the least. Persephone is insecure in the relationship, constantly questioning Hades’ commitment to her and rarely giving him the benefit of the doubt. Moreover, when she is upset with him, she lashes out rather than communicate how she is feeling. That is not to say that Hades is blameless; he isn’t. He enables her behavior by constantly cleaning up her messes and shielding her from the consequences. Like Persephone, he is also not a great communicator, often choosing to give her space instead of talking things through.
Unfortunately, the plot cannot make up for these shortcomings of the characters, for it is just as lacking. The story is all over the place, with subplots arising and being resolved without much fanfare. In fact, some of the conflicts are ended so quickly and easily that you start to think that it must be a trick ending – but it isn’t. The plot is also super predictable, and it features so many sex scenes that this book feels more akin to erotica than fantasy or mythology.
The good
The book becomes slightly better toward the end, and it hints at an intriguing-enough sounding plot for the next book.
Overall
A Touch of Ruin is a bit of a letdown after A Touch of Darkness. That said, I will likely continue the series to see how the characters’ stories play out (and because I am clearly a glutton for punishment).
Have you read A Touch of Ruin? If so, share your thoughts with me in the comments section below!
