All These Things I've Done

June 27, 2011
In this first installment of the Birthright series, Zevin (Elsewhere) paints a disturbing picture of a not-so-distant future, when the economy has shrunk along with natural resources, and precious luxury itemsâlike chocolate, coffee, and newly manufactured clothingâare banned in the United States. In crime-ridden New York City, 16-year-old Anya Balanchine, the orphaned daughter of a renowned black-market chocolatier boss, has more than her share of responsibilities, trying to keep her siblings safe and care for her ailing grandmother. When she is wrongly accused of poisoning her ex-boyfriend with tainted chocolate produced by her father's company, Anya faces one of the most difficult trials of her life. To complicate matters, she is falling in love with the wrong boy, Win, the son of a prominent prosecutor in the DA's office. Anya must decide between following her heart or fulfilling her duties as new head of the family. Offering the excitement of a crime drama and the allure of forbidden romance, this introduction to a reluctant Godfather-in-the making will pique the interest of dystopia-hungry readers.

In 2083, Anya Balanchine struggles to keep her siblings away from the family's illegal chocolate business. Ilyana Kadushin's tempered reading perfectly suits Anya's attempts to keep her emotions hidden under the surface. After being accused of poisoning her ex-boyfriend, Anya reluctantly begins to work with her family to investigate the conspiracy behind the tainted chocolate--a plot aimed at bringing about the downfall of the Balanchine family. Anya also tries to keep her distance from the district attorney's attractive son. With believable Russian accents for older family members and deliberate timing that deftly builds suspense, Kadushin will keep listeners riveted with this futuristic story of a mob family. J.M. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

December 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-Despite being the daughter of New York's most notorious crime boss, Anya Balanchine's life is fairly normal. That is, as normal as possible in a futuristic world where chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is scarce, and minors are allowed to consume alcohol like soda pop. Anya does her best to avoid Family dealings. When a poisoned supply of Balanchine's black market chocolate is leaked to the public and Anya's loser ex-boyfriend is the first to fall ill, she takes the rap. Anya's innocent and just wants to clear her name and shield her younger sister, ailing grandmother, and mentally disabled brother from Family drama. Not helping matters is Anya's growing attraction to Win, a forbidden boy whose father is on the opposite side of the law. As Anya investigates the poisoning, she begins to suspect an inside job. It turns out that she's right, and Anya must now decide whether to accept her rightful place within the Balanchine family. This is the first title (Farrar, Straus, 2011) in Gabrielle Zevin's projected "Birthright" trilogy. Narrator Ilyana Kadushin does an outstanding job voicing the various characters, adding credibility to the production. Although the story's dystopian elements seem lightweight-humorous even-compared to the apocalyptic themes of other titles in the genre, the intriguing mystery and exceptional characterization will keep listeners thoroughly invested.-Alissa LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI

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