In the Age of Love and Chocolate

by Gabrielle Zevin
5/5 stars
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013
286 pages
YA Speculative Fiction

Source: Library

No surprise that I highly anticipated this novel. First book All These Things I've Done and sequel Because It Is My Blood have been among my favorite books I've read for the blog. I know not everyone has clicked with the writing style which is done in the style of a memoir with an older Anya narrating her life; however that tends to remind me of my beloved epistolary style so I clicked easily. I also admire Anya's steadfast devotion to family and protective nature as well as having a huge crush on her (ex-)boyfriend Win. When I picked up this book, I figured that my enjoyment would hinge largely on whether or not the pair reconciled.

But it is not as if romance is the only or even the primary focus of this novel. Anya has many concerns such as her younger sister's newly rebellious self, her best friend Scarlet and her child, and most importantly her ambition to go legit with a cacao nightclub that skirts the edge of the law but will finally allow Anya out of the illegal chocolate game when it proves a success. So much happens over the rest of the book (despite its relatively short length) and we cover several years bringing Anya out of her teenage years as she continues her push to overturn the ban on chocolate.

It's pretty hard to talk about this book in too much detail without getting in to spoilers (so I do have a spoiler section below) but suffice it to say that I loved it. Well, I guess you knew that because you saw the five star rating I bestowed on it but I wanted to say that again. I love the writing style, I love prickly Anya and all who surround her, I love the way this ended. I feel like this is especially a trilogy to value and reread. I can't wait to pick up my own copy to complete my collection!

SPOILER:
So what about Win? At one point, he says the cruelest things to Anya, making me despair that the two could ever return to their partnership. Anya is of a despondent nature anyway often choosing the pessimistic view so she certainly thinks their high school romance can't last. But dang if Zevin didn't treat us to some beautifully romantic moments before bringing the two back together. Win is one loyal boy and he gets to say some great things that I just want to read over and over again.
END SPOILER

Other Opinions:
Good Books and Good Wine
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Lisa Loves Literature

Because It Is My Blood

Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
4.5/5 stars
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012
350 pages
YA Dystopia Sequel

Source: Picked up at library.

Last year I loved All These Things I've Done, feeling almost like I was reading a contemporary to my delight! Additionally I admired main character Anya's strong feelings about family as well as her love interest Win.  Therefore I picked up this sequel with much excitement but also trepidation as second books have let me down quite a bit this year. Although Jen Ryland helped to reassure me with her review, I was still nervous.

Thankfully that was unnecessary. This book also blew me away! I think that is in large part due to Anya's strong personality. While I don't think every character is fully drawn out, Anya is an amazing character. If you don't click with her, these books won't work but I love her. I think she is up there on my list of favorite characters of all time. I can picture her so clearly and I would love to have her protecting me.

The book picks up several months after the conclusion of All These Things I've Done with Anya being released from Liberty and having to make plans for her future. Through a series of events, she ends up having to leave Manhattan, taking a trip that solidifies the reasons why chocolate (remember it's a banned substance) is in her blood and gives her a bold new idea for her future with some unanticipated twists and turns.

So much happens over the course of this novel with a timeline that is a little wacky during the time Anya is out of New York. I don't want to go too in-depth but there are some great scenes of Anya having to kick some butt and a lot of information is thrown at us but there is still more to come. I don't really have the words to articulate my strong positive feelings about this book.

However it did not get five stars. Why is that? I was disappointed with the lack of Win although I completely understand what is happening there and I really hope he comes back in full force in the third book. I also very much disliked Anya's friend Scarlett's decisions (enough possessives, huh?)

Overall: A strong second installment that sets up many new avenues for the third book to explore.

Cover: Not thrilled with the cover redesign, just because I like my covers to match. I think I will wait to buy all three until the covers are definitely confirmed.

 

All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011
354 pages
YA; Speculative Fiction
4.5/5 stars

Source: Received a review copy through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to break this down into five elements to help me better process my thoughts and to hopefully convince you to read this because I really enjoyed it.

Setting: The setting is established on the back cover. The year is 2083, chocolate and caffeine are illegal, paper books are scarce, and New York City is rife with poverty and crime (although it kind of is now, right?) Anyway it didn't feel very futuristic except for specific references to the illegality of chocolate and the rareness of books. Life goes on much as it does today. However it does provide an intriguing entry point; I know that I wanted to know about life without much chocolate as a diehard chocoholic!

Plot: The fact that chocolate is illegal is an important plot point though because main character Anya Balanchine is the daughter of a now slain mob boss and her family's money comes from chocolate. The majority of the book revolves around Anya trying to take care of her brother and sister as they are orphans and their grandmother is near death; as a 16-year old Anya cannot officially be the guardian and taking caring of her family is her number-one priority. The other main plot threads are the Balanchine crime family as well as Anya's budding romance, which will be discussed later.

Characters: Anya is the make-or-break it element of this book. She's the narrator, you're in her head so if you hate her, then you will not like this book. However I warmed to her easily. A. she's pro-family and I enjoyed her struggles against her selfishness to do what would protect her family (not all YA-heroines can handle that) B. She's pretty lippy, which is just funny. I enjoyed her voice a lot. Then there are the other characters: Anya's family, her best friend Scarlet, the boyfriend, and various authority figures. In general, I felt they were distinct personalities with specific reasons for being in the narrative.

Writing: The writing connects with the characters as it is told in Anya's voice. I felt this was a little shaky (although as this was an uncorrected proof, perhaps this will be edited later?) because the story was mostly told by Anya to the reader as flashback with her making little interjections for foreshadowing. The other element relating to this is how Anya inserts her father's words of wisdom, which some people may not like but I loved.

And lastly, Romance: I was not sure I was going to be sold on this as their romance is cliched: the mob boss's daughter and the assistant D.A.'s son as star-crossed lovers fighting societal and parental expectations-blech. However there was more depth and more heat that got me rooting for them. The 4.5 rating was basically clinched due to the last page with them on it.

One last note is how the back cover states "a groundbreaking new series," which sounds hyperbolic to me; not sure what's in this book lives up to that statement. However I am eager for the next book to see what Anya's going to do next!

Overall: Highly recommended! Do you have any questions that I didn't answer or that I was vague about? I would love to answer and hopefully encourage you to give the book a try for yourself!