All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin. Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2011.

New York. 2083. Crime. Food rationing. Banned foods. Power grid problems.

Anya is trying to keep her family together. Her grandmother is very ill, so Anya takes care of her. Her mother and father were killed in mob hits (making Anya the unwilling future mob boss) and her older brother suffered brain damage. He thinks he can help Anya but he doesn’t understand the ramifications of his actions and becomes involved in violent situations. She doesn’t want to be involved with the family but keeps getting pulled back into the business.

Her family has several business ventures- all illegal. Mainly, they produce, import and sell contraband- chocolate and caffeine. Her ex-boyfriend eats some of the family black market chocolate and almost dies. Anya doesn’t know if it was an accident or deliberate but she suspects a setup.

The last thing she needs or wants is romance. Anya meets the son of the district attorney and they start flirting. A crime family involved with a law and order family? Anya is determined not to fall in love. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Now, Anya and her family are being investigated by the district attorney (yes, her boyfriend’s father). She must prove her innocence and clear her family name. She also has to keep herself and her family out of trouble. Who has the time for romance? She does!

This dystopian fiction is recommended for grades 8 and up.

Visit Gabrielle Zevin's website