Let's be real for a second. If you’ve spent more than five minutes on BookTok or scrolled through the romance charts on Amazon lately, you’ve seen that neon-under-glass cover art. It’s everywhere. Scarlett St. Clair basically took the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone, stripped away the dusty academic vibes, and injected it with a massive dose of New Adult adrenaline. A Touch of Darkness books aren't just another retelling; they’re the reason why a whole generation of readers is suddenly obsessed with pomegranate seeds and brooding subterranean kings.
It's a phenomenon.
But why? Honestly, Greek myths have been retold a thousand times. We’ve had everything from Disney’s Hercules to the high-brow literary prose of Madeline Miller. Yet, St. Clair’s version hits different because it treats the gods like modern-day celebrities. They own nightclubs. They deal with PR nightmares. They have Instagram followings. It’s a weirdly effective blend of ancient destiny and modern vanity that makes the stakes feel incredibly high and oddly relatable at the same time.
The Reading Order Chaos: How to Actually Tackle A Touch of Darkness Books
One of the biggest headaches for new fans is figuring out how to actually read these things. You’d think it’s a straight line. It isn't. You have the primary "Touch" series, which is told from Persephone’s point of view, and then you have the "Game" series, which retells the same events from Hades’ perspective.
Some people say you should read all of Persephone’s books first. Others swear by the "chronological" method, jumping back and forth between perspectives. If you want my take? Read them in publication order. There's something about seeing the world through Persephone’s eyes—the confusion, the fear of her mother Demeter, the slow realization that Hades isn't just a monster—that makes his side of the story feel more rewarding later on.
Breaking Down the Persephone Saga
- A Touch of Darkness: This is the spark. We meet Persephone as a journalism intern who is desperately trying to hide the fact that she’s the Goddess of Spring who can’t even make a daisy grow. Then she loses a bet to the God of the Dead. Oops.
- A Touch of Ruin: Things get messy. The honeymoon phase is non-existent because the press is hounding them, and Persephone's grief starts causing actual, literal storms.
- A Touch of Malice: This is where the world-building expands. We’re talking war with the gods, Hecate being a total boss, and the looming threat of the Olympians deciding they’ve had enough of this "mortal-adjacent" romance.
- A Touch of Chaos: The finale. It’s big, it’s loud, and it wraps up the massive conflict between the New Greece and the Old World.
The Hades POV (The "Game" Series)
Hades is... complicated. In A Game of Fate, A Game of Retribution, and A Game of Gods, we see what he was doing while Persephone was busy overthinking things. It turns out, being the King of the Underworld involves a lot of paperwork, soul-management, and being incredibly lonely. St. Clair uses these books to flesh out his past, specifically his relationship with his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon. It’s darker. It’s gritier. Honestly, a lot of readers actually prefer his books because the internal monologue is less "journalism student" and more "ancient entity with a lot of baggage."
Why the "Modern Myth" Setting Works So Well
The setting of New Greece is basically Athens if it were run by a tech conglomerate and some very petty influencers.
It’s genius, really. By placing A Touch of Darkness books in a world where gods are public figures, St. Clair taps into our current obsession with fame. Persephone isn't just hiding her powers from a few neighbors; she's hiding them from a 24-hour news cycle. When she gets caught at Nevernight (Hades' club), it’s not just a secret scandal—it’s trending on social media.
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This creates a specific kind of tension. In traditional myths, the "forbidden" nature of Hades and Persephone is about geography and the seasons. Here, it’s about reputation and power dynamics. Persephone is a "nobody" in the eyes of the elite gods, and her struggle to find her own identity outside of being "Hades’ plaything" is what gives the story its backbone. It’s about agency.
The Demeter Factor
We have to talk about Demeter. In these books, she’s not just a protective mom; she’s a helicopter parent with the power to cause a global famine. Her relationship with Persephone is one of the most realistic portrayals of toxic parental control I’ve seen in fantasy. She uses guilt like a weapon. Every time Persephone tries to grow (literally and figuratively), Demeter is there to prune her back. It makes the escape to the Underworld feel less like a kidnapping and more like a liberation.
Addressing the "Smut" vs. "Story" Debate
Look, there’s no point in dancing around it. The A Touch of Darkness books are spicy. Very spicy. But if you dismiss them as just "smut," you’re missing why they actually work.
The physical intimacy in these books is almost always tied to Persephone discovering her power. When she’s with Hades, she isn't the "weak" goddess who fails at gardening. She’s someone who can handle the King of the Dead. St. Clair uses these scenes to track Persephone’s transition from a girl who is afraid of her own shadow to a Queen who can stand toe-to-toe with Zeus.
That said, the pacing can be a bit wild.
Sometimes you’ll have fifty pages of intense political maneuvering and then fifty pages of... well, not that. It’s a polarizing style. If you’re here for a tight, Brandon Sanderson-esque magic system, you’re going to be disappointed. The magic is vibes-based. It’s emotional. It’s about how the characters feel, not about the specific physics of how a soul is transported to Tartarus. And you know what? That’s okay.
The Secondary Characters: More Than Just Background Noise
While the main couple gets all the fan art, the supporting cast is actually quite deep.
- Hermes: He’s the chaotic best friend we all need. He’s funny, he’s fast, and he provides the much-needed levity when Hades is being too broody.
- Hecate: She is arguably the coolest character in the series. As the Goddess of Witchcraft, she acts as a mentor to Persephone, but she’s got her own mysterious agenda.
- Sybil: An oracle with a tragic edge.
These characters make the world feel lived-in. You get the sense that New Greece keeps turning even when Persephone and Hades are locked away in their palace. It’s a sprawling urban fantasy that feels much larger than a simple romance.
Comparing St. Clair to Other Hades/Persephone Retellings
It’s impossible to talk about these books without mentioning Lore Olympus or Neon Gods.
Lore Olympus is whimsical and deals heavily with trauma recovery. Neon Gods by Katee Robert is much more focused on the "kink" aspect and the power dynamics of a fictional city called Olympus. A Touch of Darkness books sit somewhere in the middle. They have the high-stakes world-building of a traditional fantasy, but they don't shy away from the gritty, romantic intensity of modern "dark" romance.
What sets St. Clair apart is her willingness to make Persephone kind of annoying sometimes.
Wait, hear me out. Persephone makes mistakes. She’s impulsive. She ignores red flags. She gets jealous. In many retellings, Persephone is a perfect, innocent victim. In this series, she’s a twenty-something trying to figure out her life while literally being the Goddess of Spring. She’s flawed. That makes her growth feel earned. When she finally steps into her role as Dread Queen, it feels like a victory because we saw her fail so many times before.
Fact-Checking the Mythology: How Accurate Is It?
If you’re a mythology purist, you’re going to have a few "well, actually" moments. St. Clair takes massive liberties. For example, in the original myths, the relationship between the gods is... let's just say "incestuous" is an understatement. St. Clair wisely cleans this up for a modern audience.
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She also changes the nature of the "deal" between Hades and Persephone. Instead of the pomegranate seeds being a trick (or a choice) that binds her to the Underworld, she focuses on the emotional contracts they make.
However, the core themes remain. The idea of the "Sacred Night," the roles of the Fates, and the general hierarchy of the Greek pantheon are all respected. It’s a remix, not a cover version. She takes the samples of the original myths and loops them into a new beat.
What to Do After Finishing the Series
If you've plowed through all the books and you’re feeling that post-series depression, you aren't alone. The "Hades and Persephone" itch is hard to scratch.
First, check out the King of Battle and Blood series by the same author. It’s got a similar "forced proximity/enemies to lovers" vibe but with vampires. It’s just as intense.
Second, look into the Adrian and Isolde series. It’s another St. Clair staple that deals with reincarnation and massive, world-ending stakes.
Finally, if you want to go back to the roots, read the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. It’s short, it’s the original source material, and it’s fascinating to see how far we’ve come from the ancient oral traditions to the modern-day spicy paperback.
The legacy of A Touch of Darkness books isn't just in the sales numbers. It’s in how they’ve revitalized interest in classical mythology for a whole new audience. It’s messy, it’s dramatic, and it’s occasionally over-the-top, but it’s never boring.
Actionable Next Steps for Readers
- Verify your edition: There are several versions of these books out there (the original self-published covers vs. the new Bloom Books editions). The content is largely the same, but the Bloom editions often have bonus scenes.
- Join the community: The Discord and Facebook groups for Scarlett St. Clair are incredibly active. If you’re confused about the timeline of A Game of Gods, that’s where you’ll find the fan-made spreadsheets that track every single day in New Greece.
- Support local: If you're looking for the physical copies, check your local independent bookstore first. These books are often "backordered" on major sites because they sell out so fast whenever a new installment drops or a TikTok goes viral.