Look at the lovely cover for this book. Do you think that it could be about a dystopian world? Peel away the dust jacket (thanks for the tip, Mocha Latte!) – There’s a surprise beneath. It’s a Balanchine Special Dark Chocolate book cover. YUM!It’s 2083 and the futuristic New York City is seriously lacking resources. Water is scarce, food is rationed, and paper and candles are not readily available. What remains of the Statue of Liberty are her feet and the bottom of her dress. New York City is plagued by crime and corruption, especially since chocolate and caffeine have been prohibited. The good news – you can still get a drink and there is no drinking age. OK, so I can believe that in about 70 years or so, resources will have dwindled. I can understand that crime and corruption could run rampant in a large city. But a ban on chocolate AND caffeine, two of my favorite food groups? That is brutal.Prohibitions on these items lead to a healthy black market. The Balanchine family controlled the chocolate trade. Their trademark Balanchine Special Dark was highly sought after. Then someone poisons the chocolate supply…What’s interesting about this book is that it begins as the story of a young girl living in New York City in 2083. Anya leads a pretty normal life under her circumstances. She attends a Catholic High School, hangs out with her ditzy friend Scarlet, and her boyfriend Win (short for Goodwin). As you continue reading, Anya is not an ordinary girl. She is the daughter of Leonyd Balanchine, head of the Russian mafiya.Anya is a remarkable girl. She lives with her younger sister Natalya, her older brother Leonyd, and her dying grandmother. Anya bears a lot of responsibility to ensure that her family can stay together. Leonyd has not been the same since he was injured in a botched mob hit. Anya is protective of her family and has a level of maturity beyond her years. Anya is not like any teen heroine I’ve read. There is no angst, though there should be. There is no whining, either. Anya has strong beliefs and a strong moral code. I was surprised to find out that this book is part of the Birthright trilogy. The other books are untitled and there was no publication information at this time. It would be interesting to see what happens to Anya and the rest of her family in the next book. Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
