Take a photo of a barcode or cover
alyslovestoread 's review for:
A Game of Retribution
by Scarlett St. Clair
3.75 ⭐️
3 🌶️
“When your boyfriend is battling gods and you’re just trying to feel seen.”
3 🌶️
“When your boyfriend is battling gods and you’re just trying to feel seen.”
Finally, we get the tea from the brooding, emotionally constipated God of the Dead himself—and let me tell you, Hades has a lot going on.
‘A Game of Retribution’ delivers what fans of Greek mythology and dark romance crave: power plays, ancient grudges, and a god who spends as much time swinging swords as he does struggling with his feelings. Told from Hades’ POV, this entry feels meatier than its Persephone-focused counterpart (sorry, girl) - there’s more mythological intrigue, more world-building, and significantly fewer existential spirals.
Hades is a delightfully complex character. He’s juggling impossible labors from a petty Hera, brooding over his place in the Underworld, and still trying to be a supportive boyfriend… in the most avoidant, emotionally unavailable way possible. Meanwhile, Persephone’s having a rough time (grief, self-doubt, vibes) but gets little screen time and even less communication. It’s like ‘The Bachelor: Underworld Edition’, and Hades forgot the group date.
That said, the book shines whenever Hades is with Hermes or Hecate—those two remain the MVPs of the series, hijacking every scene with wit, wisdom, and much-needed personality. The spice is there, as expected, but it’s beginning to feel a bit like mythological déjà vu. Fewer but more meaningful and better scenes would definitely elevate the romance.
Still, this book is a noticeable step up in both pacing and prose. It’s clear St. Clair is hitting her stride with these gods behaving badly. And if Hades is your favorite flavor of morally grey, emotionally scarred love interest? This one’s for you.
Final verdict: 3.75 stars for mythic melodrama, sword-swinging gods, and Hermes being the chaotic icon we all deserve.