Just Read: “A Touch of Darkness” by Scarlett St. Clair

Read August 15, 2021 – August 17, 2021

I came across this book while searching for something to read involving Greek mythology. I wanted an engaging story that involved Persephone but definitely didn’t want to dive into Homer or Ovid; while their works are classics, I really wasn’t interested in reading something so heavy. Scarlett St. Clair’s novels came up in my search and after looking a bit into her and her retellings, I knew I had to take a look the first book in her Hades x Persephone Saga.

What is it about? 

Persephone is the young Goddess of Spring, disguised and living the life of a mortal. She is attending college and starting an internship at a local newspaper. She doesn’t want anyone to know who she really is, not even her best friend, so she uses her mother’s magic to hide her identity.  Persephone wants nothing more than to live a normal life and make an impact in some way; her own magic simply doesn’t work and accepting this uncharmed life is probably best.

She finds herself at a nightclub owned by the God of the Dead, Hades. Her mother warned her as a child to stay far away from him and he has a bad reputation for manipulating mortals and taking their souls. He’s tall, dark, and handsome and Persephone struggles to resist his appeal, fearing her mother’s disappointment and inevitable punishment. There is definitely more to him than meets the eye and she is bent on discovering the god who rules the kingdom below.

What does it have?

• Greek mythology retelling
• Forbidden Love
• Controlling Mother
• Holy Mother of Erotic (PG13+???)

Why is everyone so sexy in Greece? All of these gods and goddesses are radiating beauty and have quite the thirst for passion. The way St. Clair describes Hades has me over here falling in love; his “eyes [are] like the universe—vibrant, alive, vast.” Can I get his number, or…? St. Clair also weaves in some great reminders of the weight of our words and actions – you can manipulate language to “spin stories and craft lies” while your actions speak volumes of truth. She reminds us that dwelling on the past wont lead to a fulfilling future and the key to freeing ourselves is to take charge of the here and now.

Is it worth reading?

I think so! Fantasy isn’t a genre I find myself reading often and at first I thought this might be geared toward adolescent readers but once I got into the thick of it I realized it was written for someone like me. Brb while I go download the next book in the series…