Instant Karma
Kids say
Based on 11 reviews
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Instant Karma, by Marissa Meyer, is about Prudence, a hardworking perfectionist teen who, after a head injury, develops the power of delivering karmic justice to deserving people. On the last day of her sophomore year, Prudence receives a low grade on a major science project, and she insists on redoing it over the summer, leading her to volunteer at the local marine rescue organization. The center is owned by the mom of her sworn nemesis, Quint. The two were partnered on the big project and each blame the other for poor communication and the unsatisfactory final product. Working together at the rescue center, they continue to bicker and antagonize each other but eventually learn to work together in this opposites-attract romance. The story's content is tame. There's a little kissing; mild, infrequent swearing ("crap," "hell," "a--hole," "ass") and a couple of instance of teen drinking There are descriptions of injured sea animals, and the rest of the violence is limited to slipping and falling. Discussion topics include the problem with being judgmental and rigid, the need to be more open minded and caring, checking one's intentions, and the dangers of wishing ill on people.
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What's the Story?
In INSTANT KARMA, Prudence Daniels not only strives to overachieve at everything in her life, she has no patience for anyone who slacks off or slows her down. She's partnered with easy-going Quint Erickson for a major school science project, and she gets her first ever C. She blames Quint and pushes to redo the project over the summer. This leads her to volunteer at the local marine animal rescue center, which is owned by Quint's mom. Before she starts working at the rescue center, she slips and hits her head, and afterward discovers she has the power to dole out karmic retribution just by wishing it on people. Much to her frustration, Prudence's newfound power of karmic justice doesn't work on Quint. In fact, when she tries to hex him, it backfires on her. Prudence and Quint work together at the rescue center for the summer, arguing and irritating one another, but they eventually let down their guards and see the good in each other. Prudence's big plan for redoing their school project involves fundraising for the rescue center, which leads to some big plot twists and turns as she learns more about the financial problems they're having. Prudence also learns that her new powers are not without undesirable consequences.
Is It Any Good?
This heartwarming romance is cute and fun, but it's overly long and gets bogged down in too many side plots. Instant Karma is best when it illustrates how people can learn from each other, grow, and become more empathetic. Prudence's a tough character to like for much of the book. She's argumentative, rigid, and judgmental. Even though she learns how to deal with these issues, she's hard to take a lot of the time. The notion of a person who's so judgmental getting the power of bestowing karmic justice on others is interesting. Prudence revels in it at first, but she eventually learns that all actions have consequences, and some of those consequences can be serious. The romance angle works well enough. Prudence and Quint have the classic opposites-attract vibe going on, but their squabbles get old, as they have the same arguments over and over. Author Marissa Meyer includes lots of detail on the workings of the marine animal rescue center. It's a fascinating part of the book and will be informative for lots of readers. Overall, this story is built for lovers of sweet, light romance, if they can look past the long, twisting, unnecessary side plots.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Prudence's sudden powers in Instant Karma. How do you feel about stories of people with superpowers? Is it a fun fantasy? How do superpowers affect a character's reality? Can they do more damage than imagined?
If you were to have a special power, what would it be and what would you use it for?
How well do you take criticism? It's an important part of learning and growing as a person, but it is often hard to hear. Is it something you need to work on?
Do you make assumptions about people you don't know well? Have you ever judged someone and then changed your mind after you learned more about them?
Book Details
- Author: Marissa Meyer
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Friendship, High School, Ocean Creatures
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
- Publication date: November 3, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 400
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: April 2, 2021
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