A Touch of Malice is the story of Persephone trying to figure out who she is while everything is changing around her. As she tries to continue to keep her Goddess identity a secret, she is finding it harder and harder as people recognize her more and more as Hades’s fiancé. Not wanting to let her relationship with Hades define her in the mortal world, Persephone tries to make a mark with her online blog The Advocate. While her mother sends the mortal world into an endless winter, the Gods start getting attacked. Aphrodite asks Persephone to investigate the matter so she can get revenge on the person who attacked her sister. As she investigates, Persephone finds herself learning new things about Hades again and tries to cope with all the new information. While all of this is going on, she also decides it’s time to train with Hecate to finally have control over her powers.
I found the story of this third installment in the HadesxPersephone series to be quite interesting. I really enjoyed the character development from Persephone and how she’s finally accepting the Goddess part of herself. I also love how more confident in herself and in her relationship with Hades she’s getting. She’s finally giving in to her dark side. There were some hiccups in their relationship, of course, but they worked it out and are now better for it! When she first started using Hades’s magic against him or using it to become more powerfull, I thought it was possible only with him since they complete each other. I was happily surprised when she used Zeus’s magic against himself! I am honestly really excited for the next book in this series, because it finally seems like we’re getting into the meat of the story. The war between the Gods is starting!
As with any book containing character development, there will still be parts where the character is being stupid. The biggest exemple I have in mind is towards the end when she’s being held captive by Theseus. He brought her, Sibyl and Harmonia to an entrance to the Underworld so that Persephone could open the way and he could steal Hades’s Helm. My problem with this situation, is when Ceto attacked Theseus and Demeter, Persephone told her to stop! Sibyl, Harmonia and Persephone were all safe on the shore while Theseus and Demeter were held by Ceto. All Persephone had to do, was tell Ceto to kill them, or keep them captive until she got hold of Hecate or another God to help. But no, she told Ceto to let them go and brought them in the Underworld where Theseus got what he wanted. I was so frustrated when she told Ceto to let them go. It just did not make sense. I understand that it’s for the next book’s plot, but it should’ve been written differently.
I enjoyed the character development on both sides and I really like that the story is finally picking up. So, even though Persephone still made me mad at times with her stupidity, I give this one a 4 out of 5.
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