With spiritual and mythical undertones, Karma’s return is the perfect concoction of fate within the teenage dimension. Authors Elin Peer and Pearl Beacon have created a realistic world in which we can fully escape whilst questioning our own purpose and existence.
As the story unfolds, the events accurately capture life as a teen in high school America: the cliques, the bullying, the pressures to fit into society rather than stand out from the crowd. I loved the way in which the authors expressed main character Emma’s vulnerability, with no fear in portraying the impact of daily despair and isolation upon a person. I do however feel that some of the other characters perhaps did not have the depth that Emma did but this was understandable given that they were not the main protagonists. What I also appreciated was how the bullies were given back stories and reasons for their own actions rather than just being painted as your typical ‘villains’ of the novel.
On immersing yourself in the pages, you’ll find yourself following Karma, an otherworldly spirit, who decides to unfairly punish Emma leading to Emma’s decision to nearly take her own life. Given the fact that Emma has an important path to follow, it is Karma’s job to temporarily displace Emma’s soul from her body and make her wrongdoings right. Delving into a more human experience is a challenge for Karma, and readers will enjoy watching someone who regards themselves as superior having to function on a human level. The interplay between the characters throughout the novel is fast-paced and for fans of the teen fiction genre, it’s authentic and compelling. An ‘easy read’ in many respects, it has page-turning quality that encourages you to keep reading ‘just one page more’.
The Book Dragon had the pleasure of reviewing Karma’s Return on behalf of the authors themselves and thoroughly enjoyed the experience; with two more books in the trilogy, I’m desperate to read the next two, especially with the cliffhanger we were left with…a fully deserved 4 stars.
Not Available to Buy at The Book Dragon