A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair Review: Is this Hades and Persephone Retelling Worth the Hype?

The Hades and Persephone retelling is one of the most enduring tropes in modern romantasy. Scarlett St. Clair’s A Touch of Darkness takes this ancient myth and drops it into a modern, urban fantasy setting where the Greek gods live as celebrities and billionaires among mortals.

It is incredibly popular, incredibly spicy, and highly addictive. But does the modern setting do justice to the original myth? Here are my thoughts after descending into the Underworld.

The Premise: The Goddess of Spring and the God of the Dead

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring, but she has a massive problem: everything she touches dies. Disguising herself as a mortal journalist in the glittering city of New Athens, she tries to live a normal life away from her incredibly overbearing mother, Demeter.

Her freedom is shattered when she accidentally makes a magical bargain with Hades, the God of the Dead. To buy back her freedom, she has to create life in the Underworld—an impossible task for a goddess whose magic is broken.

The Tropes: Billionaire Romance meets Greek Mythology

If you love the "billionaire romance" trope but want it wrapped in fantasy, this is the book for you. Hades is portrayed as a mysterious, morally grey club owner who is terrifying to the world but utterly devoted to Persephone.

The forced proximity of their bargain leads to an intense, fast-paced romance. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and St. Clair leans heavily into the contrast between Persephone's perceived innocence and Hades's darkness.

The Critique: Frustrating Character Choices

The reason this sits at a solid 4 stars for me comes down to Persephone's character arc. While Hades is incredibly consistent, Persephone can be frustratingly naive. She often makes rash, poorly thought-out decisions that cause unnecessary drama, and her communication skills with Hades leave a lot to be desired.

Additionally, the world-building of New Athens is fun, but it is very surface-level. The story is entirely character-driven and focused almost exclusively on the romantic relationship, meaning the actual plot surrounding her magic and the bargain sometimes takes a backseat to the spice.

Obsessed with spicy retellings and morally grey gods? If you loved the intense chemistry and modern mythological twist in A Touch of Darkness, you won't want to miss Amelia Cord's upcoming novel, Thorns (Book 1 of the Briar and Bone series). It's a world where ancient bargains have lethal consequences and the line between monster and lover is razor-thin!

Spice Level and Content Warnings

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5. This is highly explicit and very spicy. The physical relationship is a major driving force of the plot.

Is it a standalone? No. It is part of a larger, ongoing series (both from Persephone's perspective and a parallel series from Hades's perspective).

Content Warnings: Explicit sexual content, toxic parental relationships (Demeter), and death/grief.

The Verdict

A Touch of Darkness is pure, addictive popcorn reading. It doesn't have the deepest world-building or the most complex plot, but it is incredibly entertaining. If you want a fast, spicy, and fun Hades and Persephone retelling that feels like a modern soap opera with magic, you will devour this.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐