Part thriller, part romance and set in a futuristic but effectively bankrupt New York where life is tough and bears no resemblance to the 21st century that we know. Anya is a feisty and likeable teen heroine who is trying to keep her kid siblings and grandmother together following the death of her mafia member parents in a gang related murder. Both the story and the setting are well drawn as are the characters. The author's style is unique and original so if you're already a fan of her two previous novels then you'll love this, the first in a planned trilogy. If you're new to her then All These Tings I've Done is a great place to start.
Gabrielle Zevin talks about the book in this video:
Sixteen year-old Anya's parents have been murdered because her father
was the head of a notorious underworld gang. Now she is determined to
keep herself and her siblings away from that world. But her father's
relatives aren't so keen to let them go. When Anya's violent
ex-boyfriend is poisoned with contaminated chocolate - chocolate that is
produced illegally by Anya's criminal family - she is arrested for
attempted murder. Disconcertingly, it is the new D.A. in town who
releases her from jail, but her freedom comes with conditions. The D.A.
is the father of Win, a boy at school to whom Anya feels irresistibly
drawn. Win's father won't risk having his political ambitions
jeopardised by his son seeing a member of a crime family. She is to stay
away with him. Anya knows she risks her freedom and the safety of her
brother and sister by seeing Win again. Neither the D.A. nor the
underworld will allow it. But the feeling between them is so strong that
she may be unable to resist him...
'Anya's attractive blend of strength and innocence makes her such a likable heroine. . . . The achingly realistic romance between this latter-day Romeo and Juliet, told in Anya's earnest voice, will attract readers as surely as chocolate attracts . . . mobsters.' - The Horn Book
'Zevin excels at inviting readers into Anya's mafiya paranoia. . . . Anya is a likable character. . . . The love story's to die for, and the tangled web of relationships will keep readers intrigued to the last page.' - Kirkus Reviews
'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.' - Publishers Weekly
Praise for Elsewhere:
'A work of powerful beauty. This inventive novel slices right to the bone of human yearning, offering up an indelible vision of life and death as equally rich sides of the same coin.' - Booklist, starred review
'With an intriguing and well-developed premise, thoughtful characterization, and refreshing style, Zevin's poignant novel rewards readers with a view of death that celebrates the rich complexities of being alive.' - The Horn Book, starred review
'Intriguing. Surely guides readers through the bumpy landscape of strongly delineated characters dealing with the most difficult issue that faces all of us. Provides much to think about and discuss.' - School Library Journal, starred review
'Zevin's touch is marvelously light even as she considers profundities, easily moving among humor, wisdom and lyricism. . . . No plot synopsis can convey what a rich, wise spell this book casts.' - The New York Times Book Review
Praise for Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac:
'Zevin is completely convincing on the intensity of early passion and the way it can evaporate in the rays of something new, and she has a light touch with the deceptively shallow anguish of adolescence.' - The New York Times Book Review
Author
About Gabrielle Zevin
Gabrielle Zevin is a screenwriter and a novelist. As a screenwriter, Gabrielle has optioned several screenplays, and her screenplay for Conversations with Other Women, was filmed with Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart in the lead roles, now available on DVD.
Gabrielle is a 2000 graduate of Harvard with a degree in English & American Literature. She was born in New York and lives there still with one pug dog, Mrs. DeWinter, and her partner of ten years, director Hans Canosa.
Gabrielle's books have been translated into eighteen languages. All These Things I’ve Done is the first part of an eagerly anticipated trilogy.
