It started on TikTok. Honestly, most modern publishing phenomena do these days. You’ve probably seen the covers—the dark, moody aesthetic, the pomegranate motifs, and that title that sounds like a whispered secret: A Touch of Darkness. Scarlett St. Clair didn't just write a book; she basically reignited a collective obsession with Greek mythology that hasn't let up since. People aren't just reading it; they're living in it.
But why? Why this specific retelling?
We have Lore Olympus. We have Hadestown. We have Madeline Miller’s lyrical prose in Circe. Yet, St. Clair’s version of the Hades and Persephone myth feels different. It’s grittier. It’s more urban. It feels like something that could actually happen if the gods decided to trade Mount Olympus for high-end skyscrapers and underground nightclubs in a place called New Athens. It’s a romance, sure, but it’s also a commentary on power, agency, and the terrifying reality of being seen for who you actually are.
What A Touch of Darkness Gets Right About Modern Gods
Most retellings keep the gods in the past. They wear chitons. They ride chariots. St. Clair tosses that out the window. In the world of A Touch of Darkness, the gods are celebrities. They have PR teams. They run media empires. They’re basically the ultimate influencers, but with the power to actually end the world if they get a bad comment. Persephone isn't just a goddess of spring; she’s a journalism student trying to stay under the radar.
That’s the hook.
It’s the relatability of someone who feels small in a world of giants. Persephone has these powers she can't control—or rather, flowers wither when she touches them, which is the exact opposite of what she’s supposed to do. It’s a metaphor for imposter syndrome that hits way harder than it should. You’ve felt that, right? That feeling that you’re a fraud in your own life? St. Clair nails that.
Then there’s Hades.
He’s not the villain. He’s never really been the villain in the original myths if you look closely enough—that title usually goes to Zeus—but in this universe, he’s the King of the Underworld who runs a literal gambling empire. He doesn't take souls; he takes bets. It’s a brilliant pivot. It makes the "bargain" trope feel fresh. When Persephone makes a deal with him to create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom, it’s high stakes. It’s not just magic; it’s a contract.
The Power Dynamics of New Athens
The setting is basically a character itself. New Athens feels like a fever dream version of New York or London. It’s sleek. It’s cold. It’s full of people who want something from you. St. Clair uses this to highlight the massive gap between the "Upper World" and the Underworld.
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In most stories, the Underworld is a place of rot. Here? It’s arguably more honest than the world above.
Hades’s realm is where people go when they have nothing left to hide. There’s a scene where Persephone first enters his club, Nevernight, and the sensory details are overwhelming. The music, the shadows, the sheer weight of his presence. It’s a masterclass in atmosphere. St. Clair doesn't just tell you it’s dark; she makes you feel the temperature drop.
Why the "Spice" Isn't the Only Reason People Are Reading
Let’s be real. A Touch of Darkness is often categorized as "spicy" romance, and it definitely earns that label. But if that was all it was, it wouldn't have the staying power it does.
The real draw is the slow-burn emotional deconstruction of these two characters.
Persephone is repressed. She’s lived her whole life under the thumb of Demeter, who is portrayed here as a helicopter parent taken to a divine extreme. Demeter isn't just protective; she’s stifling. She’s the personification of "good intentions" turning into a cage. Watching Persephone break those bars is deeply satisfying.
And Hades? He’s lonely.
It’s a trope, yeah, the "lonely king," but it works because he’s actually competent. There is nothing more attractive in fiction than a character who is genuinely good at their job. He manages the dead. He keeps the balance. He’s not a brooding mess; he’s a functioning ruler who just happens to be deeply misunderstood by everyone except the one person he’s not supposed to have.
- The mythology is integrated, not just window dressing.
- The tension is built on psychological barriers, not just plot contrivances.
- It honors the "Hymn to Demeter" while subverting the "abduction" narrative into one of choice.
The Controversy of the Retelling Trend
Not everyone loves what Scarlett St. Clair did here. Purists sometimes argue that turning ancient deities into club owners cheapens the weight of the original myths. They miss the "gravitas" of the classics.
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But honestly? Myths have always been fluid.
The Greeks changed these stories constantly. Ovid changed them. The playwrights changed them. Every generation recreates the gods in their own image. In the 2020s, our "gods" are the powerful, the wealthy, and the inaccessible. By placing Hades and Persephone in that context, A Touch of Darkness is actually following a very long tradition of mythological evolution. It’s not "dumbing it down"—it’s making it resonate with a world that understands NDAs and paparazzi better than it understands animal sacrifice.
Dealing With the "Romantasy" Label
The book sits firmly in the "Romantasy" genre, a term that basically didn't exist in the mainstream five years ago. Now, it dominates Bestseller lists. St. Clair is a pioneer here. She proved that there is a massive, hungry audience for books that prioritize female desire and agency within a high-stakes fantasy framework.
It’s not just about the romance. It’s about the world-building that allows the romance to exist.
If you look at the series as a whole—including the "Hades Saga" which tells the same story from his perspective—you see a massive web of politics involving Hermes, Hecate, and Apollo. Apollo, by the way, is written as a truly punchable character. It’s great. St. Clair isn't afraid to make the "Sun God" a narcissist, which, if you read actual Greek myths, is pretty spot on.
The Technical Craft: How St. Clair Builds Tension
The pacing in A Touch of Darkness is relentless. St. Clair uses short, punchy chapters that almost always end on a hook. It’s designed to be "unputdownable."
She also uses a very specific type of sensory language. She focuses on textures—the silk of a dress, the cold marble of a throne, the scent of rain and mint that follows Hades. It creates a physical reaction in the reader. You don't just read the book; you inhabit the space.
Is the prose "literary"? No. And it’s not trying to be.
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It’s accessible. It’s direct. It uses a modern vernacular that makes the gods feel like people you could actually talk to (if you weren't terrified of them). That’s a specific skill. Writing "simple" prose that still evokes deep emotion is harder than it looks. Ask any editor.
What Most People Get Wrong About Persephone’s Agency
A big criticism of the Hades and Persephone myth in general is the "Stockholm Syndrome" argument. People look at the original story of the abduction and see a victim.
St. Clair flips this by making the "Underworld" Persephone's choice.
In A Touch of Darkness, the "abduction" is internal. She is being stolen away from her mother’s influence, yes, but she’s the one holding the map. She negotiates. She argues. She fails. She gets back up. The agency doesn't come from her being a "badass" with a sword; it comes from her making choices about her own body and her own future in a world that wants to decide those things for her.
That is the core of the book's success.
It’s a coming-of-age story wrapped in a dark romance. It’s about the moment you realize your parents are flawed, your world is bigger than you thought, and the "monster" under the bed might be the only person who actually tells you the truth.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Read
If you’ve finished the book and you’re looking for what to do next, don't just jump into the next random TikTok recommendation. There’s a strategy to enjoying this genre.
- Read the Hades Saga side-by-side. Scarlett St. Clair wrote A Game of Fate, which is the same story but from Hades's point of view. Reading them chronologically together—alternating chapters—is a completely different experience. It fills in the gaps of what he was doing while Persephone was spiraling.
- Look into the actual Eleusinian Mysteries. If you want to see where St. Clair got her inspiration, look up the ancient cult of Demeter and Persephone. The real history is actually darker and more mysterious than the fiction.
- Check out the "World of Lore." St. Clair has expanded this universe significantly. Don't stop at the first book; the political stakes with Zeus and the other Olympians get much more complex in A Touch of Ruin and A Touch of Malice.
- Explore the Semantic Variations. If you loved the "Gods in the Modern World" trope, look for "Urban Fantasy Myth Retellings" as a specific search term. It’ll lead you to authors like Katee Robert or Jennifer L. Armentrout, who play in similar sandboxes but with different rules.
The legacy of A Touch of Darkness isn't just that it’s a popular book. It’s that it opened the door for a specific kind of storytelling that refuses to choose between being "fun" and being "meaningful." It proves that we are still, thousands of years later, captivated by the idea of a god of death falling in love with the bringer of life. Maybe because, in a way, we're all just looking for someone who sees our darkness and doesn't look away.
Grab the book. Turn off your phone. Start with chapter one. Just be careful what you bargain for.