A review by nyquillll
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I started this book on a whim - my first audiobook and my first dive back into Greek mythology in years. I had little expectations and was just looking for a romance book with some mythology. 

I’m happy to say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I finished it in one day, listening on 1.95x speed. The writing style was descriptive and the audiobook narrator’s changing voices for characters and energetic, fully committed effort really helped bring the world to life. 

I really appreciated the updates and changes to the classic story of Persephone and Hades. (Though I will admit that I don’t remember the original mythology around the two super clearly.) I liked how Persephone’s character was firm in her convictions and knew what she wanted, even if Hades was someone who helped her gain confidence in herself. I liked how the book touched on learning how to find a sense of independence when a parent was too controlling, finding out who’s a friend and who’s using you, sticking up for yourself in a work setting (props to Dimitri for taking swift action!!!), learning to fight your own battles instead of relying on/expecting others to do it, how fame and celebrity status (as a god) can warp public perception, how actions can seem far removed from their original intent (but when you look at the reasoning, there’s a humanizing aspect), how two lonely souls can find peace in each other, how safe it feels to finally find someone who wants to understand you more, friends who hold you in the bad times, and the struggle of reckoning with the world our parents build and describe for us versus the one we start to experience on our own. 

I definitely enjoyed reading about the two and how their romance bloomed - and I especially liked how Persephone made it clear that
even if she loved him, it would never be true love for her if the reason she stayed in the Underworld was because of the deal and not of her free will
. I also really really loved the choice to humanize Hades and
how Persephone learns he’s not a cruel, sadistic god but rather one who understands the gravity of death and the afterlife and uses the bets/stakes he sets to try and set people on a more righteous path to a better life
. I also liked the bonus two chapters in Hades’ pov where we learn about
his bet with Aphrodite, Aphrodite and Hephaestus, and his first impression of Persephone - as well as his acute read on her with how she was a young woman struggling to find a concrete sense of self (which then informed what was wagered and how to meet the terms of the bargain)
. 

I’ve already downloaded the second book and I’m looking forward to listening to it :)
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