A Game of Retribution (Hades x Persephone Saga, 4)

The Yarnling

points > paragraphs

"Points > Paragraphs Overall 5 Spice 5 (due to gratuitous amount) • Modern Hades Persephone Retelling • Book 2 of Hades POV • Unfinished series • SPICY AF • Subtle Nods to so many great Greek myths • Fast paced • Needed a recap in the prologue • Hecate is amazing (as always) • Zofi Backstory • Miscommunication/lack of communication • Check trigger warnings I love this series! the Persephone POVs were amazing and seeing the inner working of Hades adds SO much to this series. I do wish we had a quick recap in the beginning. I'm noticing this trend with a few authors who also do companion series, like this one, alongside their main series. I find the use of recaps extremely beneficial to the reader and it would have helped a lot in this series. This book was also heavier on the spice than the Persephone POV almost to an overly gratuitous level, so do be prepared. As a typical male, Hades is thinking about spice just as much as engaging in it. Once again Scarlett St Clair has done a great job of creating a fantasy world that you are sad to leave when the last page flips. ["

Show more

June 5, 2022 Verified Purchase

Subah Ahmed

Hades Superiority 👏👏👏

"3.5⭐️ 🌶🌶🌶 I had a hard time reviewing this book. As someone invested in the series, I know that this part of a larger story and sets a foundation. As such, it has some of the hallmarks of a middle book in series with continuing plot lines. When I originally read A Game of Fate, I enjoyed it more than A Touch of Darkness. The same applies for this book. Personally I prefer the Hades POV because there is more action. Also, I connect more with Hades. In the Main series, I’ve gotten annoyed with Persephone at times due to her immaturity. To be fair, Hades has the perspective of thousands of years and multiple lives and Persephone is a new goddess. I love all the references to Greek Mythology! With Hera’s challenges and a deeper understanding into the workings of the Underworld. I didn’t get the Ariadne/Dionysus subplot so much but I think it could be a precursor to their own book. Overall, I liked this book. It’s more than ATOR from Hades’ POV, it’s a story unto itself. And while I enjoy that in application, it also bothers me how much Hades keeps from Persephone. For two people in a committed relationship, it seems like they are at time living separate, disconnected lives. My hope is that when A Touch of Chaos comes out, its dual narration will make for a more connected relationship. Both A Touch of Ruin and A Game of Retribution highlight the growing pains in Hades and Persephone’s relationship. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to reaching A Game of Gods for more Hades adventures. ***I’ve seen a lot of discourse about the audio narration of this book. I will admit when I first started it, it was surprising because that wasn’t what I had pictured for Hades’ voice. However, I think the narrator did well. Overall series rating: A Game of Fate A Touch of Darkness A Game of Retribution A Touch of Malice A Touch of Ruin ["

Show more

March 7, 2023 Verified Purchase

Gusty

Love it

"These books are so fun! It is so interesting to get the story from Hades perspective, and to get insight into the events that Persephone doesn't know or participate in. The spice level is high, but there is still an intricate plot between mortals, demigods, gods, titans, and monsters. Hades and Persephone are my favorite Greek gods, and Scarlett St. Clair brings them to life in such a great way that you can't help but love their characters and personalities. The world is a diverse mash of ancient, magic, and modern. And the supporting characters are lively, fun, and endearing. The sass of Hermes and Hecate never fail to make me smile. ["

Show more

July 27, 2023 Verified Purchase

Mallorie

Repetitive, literally

"The story repeat in Hades perspective in Book 2 was a cool way to start the series, but I was bummed that this Book 4 was set-up the same way. I had already suffered through Persephone’s sufferable first person in Book 3 and found myself skimming this book to get through the same plot despite preferring Hades as the narrator. I would’ve much rather the story progress on than relive it and feeling like I only have read two books so far instead of four - but I’m too far into the series to had to finish. ["

Show more

August 29, 2025 Verified Purchase

abbie

Did I think I'd ever connect with the god of the dead? No. But did I? Yes!

"After reading A Touch of Ruin, I was angry—angry for Persephone, for all she endured, for how broken things felt. But A Game of Retribution completely changed my perspective. Seeing it all unfold through Hades’ eyes… my heart broke in ways I didn’t expect. Hades isn’t just the God of the Dead here—he’s a man in love, stumbling through fear, guilt, and a desperate need to protect what he cherishes. His silence? Not indifference, but fear of being too much. His power? A shield forged from past pain. “You are my weakness. Losing you is my greatest fear, and your love is my most treasured possession.” That line stayed with me. And there were so many more moments where I had to pause, breathe, and just feel. Scarlett St. Clair writes him with so much depth—his love, his grief, his mistakes… it’s all here. “He could command the dead, but he could not bring peace to the woman he loved.” What I loved most is how human Hades feels in this book. We see his devotion, but also his doubt. His rage. His tenderness. And as the story builds, there's a quiet sense that something darker, something bigger, is brewing beneath it all. The ending left me tense, heart pounding, knowing the real war hasn't even begun yet. Scarlett St. Clair is now a permanent spot on my auto-buy list. Her writing is rich with emotion, myth, and meaning. A Game of Retribution made me fall in love with this world all over again—and it made me ache for a god who only ever wanted to be worthy of love. ["

Show more

August 12, 2025 Verified Purchase