Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are safe and warm and enjoying the snow if you're in the northeast. We had virtual school yesterday. By the time I got out to remove the snow, there was nine inches! I'd rather remove nine inches of snow in three inch increments, but couldn't, since, you know, teaching. Oh well. Has the snow day been made obsolete in this age of technology? I feel sorry about that.

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer. Unabridged downloadable e-audiobook. ~14 hours. Read by Rebecca Soler. Macmillan Audio, November, 2020. 9781250758934. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer. Sophomore Prudence Barnett is an over-achieving, judgmental perfectionist and she's furious with her do-nothing lab partner, Quint Erikson. She has just received the first C in her entire life and she just won't stand for that going on her permanent record! She convinces her biology teacher to let her re-do the project. He reluctantly agrees on the condition that Quint also work on the project. Quint's not interested. He's happy with his B, which is another sticking point with Pru - how did he get a better grade than she?

After receiving a blow to her head at karaoke night, Pru discovers that she can bestow instant karma on those around her if she wishes it hard enough. She's pretty hyped about this and can't wait to use it on Quint. Only her wishes bestow good karma, such as finding a twenty dollar bill on the sidewalk, on Quint! How can such a slacker have so much luck? Read this fluffy romance to find out.

There's a strong sense of place here and I enjoyed the environmental message that was seamlessly woven into the book.

Truthfully, this one was a bit of a miss for me. I so loved the author's Lunar Chronicles and Heartless, also read by Ms. Soler. Pru was such an unsympathetic character, who didn't really grow much. I found it really difficult to care. The magical realism of the instant karma was entertaining but that premise and some other plot points were barely believable. Also, the resolution after the slightly soap opera-ish climax had me scratching my head. 

Even Ms. Soler's impeccable narration couldn't make me care. That said, my students will love this and none will learn of my lack of enthusiasm for it (unless they read my blog).