Good Oil

Apr 21, 2013 Nataliya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reads, for-my-future-hypothetical-daughter

It seems that almost every book with young characters runs a risk of becoming a mixture of love story and coming-of-age journey - a combination that can easily turn stale, grounded in tropes, cliché-filled pseudo-deep conclusions and quasi-sophistication.

After all, the pains of growing up are far from unique. They seem stereotypical for a reason - we all have been there.

And yet, while you are there, caught in the moments - the years, actually - of painful transition "in no-man’s-land between th

...more
It seems that almost every book with young characters runs a risk of becoming a mixture of love story and coming-of-age journey - a combination that can easily turn stale, grounded in tropes, cliché-filled pseudo-deep conclusions and quasi-sophistication.

After all, the pains of growing up are far from unique. They seem stereotypical for a reason - we all have been there.

And yet, while you are there, caught in the moments - the years, actually - of painful transition "in no-man’s-land between the trenches of childhood and adulthood," it all feels raw and new to you, and, like any transition, riddled with uncertainty and disappointments and harsh lessons.

What Laura Buzo managed to do was capture that scary feeling of transition between stages in life and present it in a thoughtful, touching and self-deprecating way that gives the old stereotypes new unexpected freshness. What she also managed to do is give a fair spotlight to things beyond love and growing up - to things like social issues, economic constraints, and gender roles.

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If you have lived through adolescence and young adulthood, you will probably recognize either yourself or at least someone you used to know in Amelia and Chris.

Amelia, a serious and introspective girl who "even takes the goings-on of fictitious characters personally" is still young enough to still count her age in years AND months. She feels that she does not quite fit in - like you'd expect a fifteen-year-old. She has unhappy parents and less than ideal home life, and juggles quite a few responsibilities.

Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are not in her life at this point - but at least some of them are in the life of Chris, her coworker at Wollworths' grocery store, six years her senior and the object of Amelia's desperate, all-encompassing crush.

“You’re pretty passionate about your unhappiness, aren’t you, Chris?”
I looked right back at her and said, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”

Chris, "the drama queen that he is", is at a vulnerable time in life, feeling a bit lost on a brink of real adulthood, about to finish college but unsure what to do with his life, living with parents because of financial reasons, fixated on a broken relationship by drinking himself senseless and obsessively looking for the Perfect Woman (which Amelia, by the virtue of being a tenth-grader, cannot be for him, understandably - to quote Chris, "Because you are fifteen and I’m twenty-two, we have nothing in common socially and are at completely different stages in our lives."), feeling cripplingly insecure and lonely, underachieving and inadequate, and envious of those who seem to have their lives all figured out while he's stuck in limbo of Woolworths grocery store - or, as he calls it, the Land of Broken Dreams.

"Bottom line is — I can’t run my own race. I’m constantly checking what’s happening in the other lanes."

The aforementioned "Land of Broken Dreams", ladies and gentlemen.

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The unexpected friendship between Amelia and Chris brings along conversations about books (Dickens, Fitzgerald, Plath), unhappy family lives (the sad unfulfillment in Amelia's parents' lives is depressingly realistic) and social issues.

My favorite parts (not unexpectedly) were the pages that unexpectedly (for a young adult book!) and very appropriately tackled serious ideas of misunderstanding feminism and deeply ingrained gender roles within families - and does it in a way that is likely to ring true for most readers.

Why is it that women are STILL expected to work AND do all the housework AND raise children? When did 'having it all' turn into 'doing it all' - and in such subtle little ways that few noticed it? And why do we often blame feminism for it - like Amelia does initially - before we stop to think where it's coming from? And why does it take us so long to notice who would *normally* clean the refrigerator?

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So, let's sum up:

Dedicated "to absent friends", this book is a story about real friendships, the kind that we miss years and decades later - both with people who touch our lives in unexpected ways and disappear (like Chris) and those who quietly stay by your side through the heartaches (like Penny).

It's the story of adolescence and youth that is far from perfect and yet quite real - filled with disappointments, realistic family troubles, looking for acceptance and belonging, stupid choices, smart choices, idealizing so many things, misunderstanding serious concepts, moments of sheer idiocy, discussing 'The Great Gatsby' and Dickens with your best friend who is also your heart-stopping hopeless crush - all told in a self-deprecating, at times very funny and sometimes touchingly sad way.

And it's a story about growing up, crossing the thin but crucial border between childhood and adulthood - the one that spans years and happiness and disappointments alike.

I loved this book for all the "real" feeling it has, for the slight sadness and unexpected nerdy coolness and the deeper issues it so unexpectedly easily touches on. I loved that it underscores that not getting something you dearly want may still be good for you. I loved it for its ending - the only possible one, and the one that makes me want to hug Amelia and offer to be her big sister. My future hypothetical adolescent daughter will someday see this book on her future hypothetical bookshelf.
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4 stars - despite it poking fun at the Dire Straits 'Romeo and Juliet' song which - don't judge me! - I quietly love.

"It was a pretty poor showing all the way through, but when I got to the bit where I was writing out the lyrics from the Dire Straits “Romeo and Juliet” song, I had to rip that out. But then, I really want to be more honest in this diary than I have been in past ones, so everything else stays in. It’s bad enough that I present such a heavily edited version of myself to my friends and family; if I start editing my diary, it will reinforce my already overwhelming tendency to be gutless. But let us never speak of it.

For the record, she really did cry when we made love and said she loved me like the stars above and would love me until she died. But, you know, people say shit in the moment."

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Aug 25, 2011 Tatiana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Melina Marchetta fans

Recommended to Tatiana by: Lisa O.

Shelves: aus-nz, 2011, favorites, ya, b

As seen on The Readventurer

This book spoke to me like only very few do. It fit me like a perfect glove.

From the opening scenes when 15-year old Amelia is totally in love with and obsesses over her too-old-for-her co-worker Chris (oh, those simultaneously horrifying and sweet K-Mart check-out flashbacks of Justin, cold sweat, mumbling and crimson cheeks); to the humor, in equal parts witty, deprecating and pain-filled (Chris buys a sixpack of beer on the way to Rino’s. James Squire something-or-...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Flannery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya-is-the-cats-meow, read-in-2011, young-adult-teen, reviewed-2011, read-on-tour, wishlist-for-books-to-keep

Amelia Hayes works at the “Land of Dreams,” also known as Woolworth’s. (which isn’t American Woolworth’s but instead a Australian grocery store. Who knew? I just read about it on Wikipedia) For a large part of this book I was picturing them working in a Rite Aid/CVS type deal and I couldn’t figure out how they could have so many registers. *facepalm* Also, they wear bow ties? Anyway, she works there a few times a week to earn money while she finishes up high school. Most of her co-workers are va...more Amelia Hayes works at the “Land of Dreams,” also known as Woolworth’s. (which isn’t American Woolworth’s but instead a Australian grocery store. Who knew? I just read about it on Wikipedia) For a large part of this book I was picturing them working in a Rite Aid/CVS type deal and I couldn’t figure out how they could have so many registers. *facepalm* Also, they wear bow ties? Anyway, she works there a few times a week to earn money while she finishes up high school. Most of her co-workers are vacuous drones but she develops a crush on the 21-year old who trains her. Chris, who is 6 years her senior, chats books with her (and we all know what a turn-on that is. This is Goodreads—book lover central!) and they discuss issues while the rest of their coworkers are gossiping.

There was only one singlet sighting in this one. I’m always on the lookout since I started my Aussie YA binge. For those of you who are not hopelessly addicted to Australian YA books, a singlet is a cami or tank top. And the title of this book is a reference to an Aussie slang saying that means “useful information.” So, I’mma give you the good oil on this book…

It’s worth the read. It flips back and forth between Amelia’s point of view and Chris’s journal. I actually really enjoyed the change back and forth because it was rather large chunks of time and pages. The author will play a month or two through with Amelia and then give you Chris’s half of the same time period. I know most people reading this would probably reconnect with their memories of being a lovestruck 15-year old girl but I really identified with Chris’s point of view. He’s almost finished with uni but has no clue what he is up to. Just add on a few more years to his age and change him into a girl and he could’ve been talking about me. I especially enjoyed hearing his take on what other people are up to. I’ve mailed the book off but thankfully the lovely Arlene kept the quote I wanted to include: “I can’t run my own race. I’m constantly checking what’s happening in the other lanes.” Luckily, most of the people running in the other lanes in my life aren’t reading my reviews on Goodreads.:) It is depressing, though, to not have a clue.

Like every other Aussie book I’ve read, I definitely recommend this one. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the queen of YA’s books or another recent read (Pink) but it is solid. It is funny and fast-paced but I just wanted a bit more from it.

3.5 stars.
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Aug 12, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lisa O. by: readalong with Maja

Shelves: australian, ya-lit

It is always pleasant when you approach a book with certain expectations and then, after reading it, you realize these expectations were widely exceeded.

That's exactly what happened to me with Good Oil. I knew the book is Australian (always a good sign), that it is YA and I thought it would all be about fluff - this theory supported also by the cover that reminded me of a billboard for a Kate Hudson movie. Doesn't the girl there remind you of her?
I also suspected that this would be a coming-of-a...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Emily May by: Tatiana

Shelves: ya-na, 2011, contemporary

Another great aussie novel, only this time I got warm fuzzies instead of gut-wrenching depression. Good Oil is light, funny, occasionally sad, and discusses some important issues in well-written conversations that are as hilarious as they are thought-provoking. It's told from two different perspectives and I think it's the only novel I've read that hasn't bored me when going over the same events from an alternative point of view; it's also probably the only multi-perspective novel where I can't...more

Another great aussie novel, only this time I got warm fuzzies instead of gut-wrenching depression. Good Oil is light, funny, occasionally sad, and discusses some important issues in well-written conversations that are as hilarious as they are thought-provoking. It's told from two different perspectives and I think it's the only novel I've read that hasn't bored me when going over the same events from an alternative point of view; it's also probably the only multi-perspective novel where I can't make my mind up which POV I preferred.

On one hand, you have Amelia. She is so many things that I have been at some point in my life: bookish, introverted, naive, and completely obsessively in love with her older co-worker. I think I enjoyed the book all the more because I'd read all the novels she talked about and compared to aspects of her reality; I've had most of the same thoughts, and I went through a similar stage where I first started to learn about feminism and it made me rather unpleasant and angry at the world. I really, really got this girl.

As for Chris, the co-worker and object of Amelia's obsession, he is my personal definition of the perfect boyfriend. I don't care much for these beautiful, charmless boys that have taken over the young adult genre, I've never wanted a guy with super-strength or magical powers, and I've never wanted a vampire (okay, there was that one time...). But I like that he is funny, charismatic and believable. Yeah, that's it, he's so real. I think this is an aussie thing, creating wonderful but realistic characters, I've seen it quite a bit lately. Well, Chris likes to go out and get drunk, he wants to get laid, he's sensitive but he hides it from most people... and I would have fallen for him too.

I thought the ending was handled very well and I liked how we left both Amelia and Chris. I was bracing myself for sadness but it was just the right amount of everything. I mean, throughout I was torn. I desperately wanted Amelia to be happy - the kind of happy she would have found with Chris - but I was aware of the age complications: 15 and 22 is nicht gut. I kept wondering how the author would resolve the situation, the answer is: brilliantly.
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Dec 08, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, contemporary

Previously released in Australia under the name Good Oil, Love and Other Perishable Items is one of those reads that are one hundred percent refreshing. You sit, you read, you enjoy the time you spend with it, and then you move on. Nothing profound happens, nothing even that exciting happens. Actually, nothing really happens at all other than an average year in an average teenage girl's life. This is what initially sent me into indecision about how to rate this book after I turned the last page....more Previously released in Australia under the name Good Oil, Love and Other Perishable Items is one of those reads that are one hundred percent refreshing. You sit, you read, you enjoy the time you spend with it, and then you move on. Nothing profound happens, nothing even that exciting happens. Actually, nothing really happens at all other than an average year in an average teenage girl's life. This is what initially sent me into indecision about how to rate this book after I turned the last page. I liked it, I really did. It's short, it has fantastic characters, but it is really a story about nothing.

Some may say life is about nothing, and perhaps this is the angle Laura is going for. This story is undoubtedly realistic. We don't always get the things we want, or end up with a happy ending--or a bad one. Sometimes, life is just life. On one hand, I read books to escape from mundane life happenings, I want sparks and excitement, a book that brings surprises and guilty pleasures, but on the other hand, I appreciate the authenticity of this book, the "true to life" factor. At any rate, I was surprisingly wrapped up in Amelia's story. Her being such a memorable character turned this uneventful tale into something kind of wonderful. Who knew the dynamics of a supermarket crew could become so tangled?

Amelia is a girl with a crush. A crush that makes your heart flutter along with hers. But unfortunately, their age difference is a big obstacle in their path which makes it a viciously bittersweet love story. It makes you savor every moment. Amelia's naive young mind is endearing throughout this story. Her best quality, though, is her intelligence; she's smart and cultured, she cares deeply about things way beyond her years, like feminism. This trait creates some witty and fascinating dialogue that even supplies food for thought. These interactions were my favourite parts of this novel. What is also a pleasure is how, at first, we see everything through Amelia's eyes, but then, we rewind and go through it all again in Chris's perspective. You'd think this would get monotonous, but it doesn't. Seeing how Chris perceives things differently, or getting to understand his rationalizations, gives it this extra flair to help you connect with these people and their situation even more.

This novel may as well be called "A Year in the Life of An Average Teenage Girl With a Crush, When Nothing Happens", however I couldn't help but find it inexplicably charming. Can a book be both uneventful and addicting? This book is a warm sunny day where you don't have to do more than sit and relish in it.

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An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Aug 11, 2011 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, amazing-writing, contemporary-fiction, favorites, my-flat-army, male-pov, readalong, role-models, wonders-from-down-under, reviewed-in-2011

Actual rating: 4.5 stars!
Lately I’ve been lucky enough to add a few books to my all-time-favorites list, all of them Australian. Raw Blue, for example, left me with this feeling of beauty and despair that just won’t go away. I realize that I’ve been going on and on about Aussie authors and that I’d even threatened to move there at one point, but I see no reason to stop. Good Oil is just another proof of how special and engrossing their writing style usually is.

This story is about 15-year-old Am...more Actual rating: 4.5 stars!
Lately I’ve been lucky enough to add a few books to my all-time-favorites list, all of them Australian. Raw Blue, for example, left me with this feeling of beauty and despair that just won’t go away. I realize that I’ve been going on and on about Aussie authors and that I’d even threatened to move there at one point, but I see no reason to stop. Good Oil is just another proof of how special and engrossing their writing style usually is.

This story is about 15-year-old Amelia, 21-year-old Chris and a group of young people working at Woolworths grocery store in Sydney. The narration is equally divided between Chris and Amelia, and although I definitely preferred Chris’ point of view, I felt that both their voices were captured really well.

Amelia is the girl that doesn’t really fit anywhere. Her family life is a mess and, as a rule, she isn’t getting enough attention from her parents or other people. Chris, on the other hand, gets too much attention. He is one of those people who fill the room with their presence. Loud, very intelligent, completely messed up, extroverted and fun, he’s everyone’s favorite guy. He draws Amelia to him like a magnet and they spend a lot of time talking about books and feminism.

She's amusing - all frizzy-haired and fiery. I suspect she can, like, construct sentences and read books.

This is a book you will need to think about. My rating was all over the place while I was reading. At first I thought it will end up being a 4-star book. Then, after reading the last page, I felt very confused and tempted to go with 3 stars, but now, not a day after, I’ve decided to make it 4.5. Processing a book that doesn’t distance itself from reality is always harder than dealing with something you know in your heart is fiction. It’s strange for someone who claims to be such huge fan of realism to have problems with very realistic novels, but that’s me - a walking contradiction.

Usually when I read a book I know exactly how I’d like it to end. I was at a loss this time because no matter how much they have in common intellectually, at the end of the day, Amelia is a kid, and Chris is… not. I was very curious to see how Laura Buzo would handle that particular mess, and I have to admit that I was very impressed, regardless of my initial (conflicted) feelings.

I could go on and on about this book because, unlike most of my friends, I find it much easier to write about books I loved, but I see no point. I loved it. That's all you need to know.
I’m asking you all to read this. I promise you won’t be sorry.
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Mar 07, 2011 Alexa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed, young-adult, 2011-reads, aussie, tour, new-adult

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

Good Oil is told from the perspective of 15-year-old Amelia Hayes. It's about her life. From school to her family and to her job at the local supermarket. But it's mostly about Chris Harvey, Amelia's 21-year-old co-worker. Chris is funny and friendly, and even though there's a six year age difference between them, he's the guy Amelia is in love with.

The story also includes diary entries written by Chris. There's more to him than just the funny,...more
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

Good Oil is told from the perspective of 15-year-old Amelia Hayes. It's about her life. From school to her family and to her job at the local supermarket. But it's mostly about Chris Harvey, Amelia's 21-year-old co-worker. Chris is funny and friendly, and even though there's a six year age difference between them, he's the guy Amelia is in love with.

The story also includes diary entries written by Chris. There's more to him than just the funny, easy-going guy. He's not happy with his life at the moment. He doesn't particularly like his job at the supermarket. (view spoiler) And he's living with his parents in his last year of uni and doesn't have a clue as to what he plans to do next.

I think we all can easily relate to Amelia. We've all had crushes on someone who seemed like the perfect person for us. But our feelings usually disappeared after we really got to know that person. Or maybe not. That's why I liked Amelia. She still liked Chris even with his flaws. Because, although I liked Chris's character, I'm not sure I could have continued to like Chris as more than a friend after finding out some of the personal things about him. (view spoiler)

Like Amelia, Chris is a character I think some of us can relate to. A lot of teenagers and young adults get to a point in their lives where they're not sure which direction to go. Choices need to be made soon or time will continue to pass by with nothing ever being accomplished. I'm pretty happy with the decision Chris makes at the end. I think it was the right one.

As for Amelia and Chris's relationship, I admit I felt a bit lost during some of the conversations they had about certain literature because I'm not familiar with those books. But I liked their interaction. They got along well. They both were comfortable around each other and seemed to enjoy the discussions they shared with each other. I even forgot there was a six year age difference between them, and it just made me want them together even more.

Good Oil is a quick read, and the ending of the book doesn't give complete closure, but I'm satisfied with the way it ended. It's a coming-of-age story about two people who are in different stages of their life, and I would recommend it to those who aren't necessarily looking for a perfect resolution.(less)

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Nov 30, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2012

I kind of loved this one!

This book reminded me of a mixture of CK Kelly Martin's contemporary reads with Lia Hills's "The Beginner's Guide to Living." This isn't a typical YA novel, in that it features a character who is 21-then-22 in the story along side the 15-then-16 year old. Both Chris and Amelia have fantastic and distinct voices.

Amelia takes a job at Coles, a local grocery store, and that's where she meets and falls for Chris, the much-older-than-her boy. They develop a relationship, but...more I kind of loved this one!

This book reminded me of a mixture of CK Kelly Martin's contemporary reads with Lia Hills's "The Beginner's Guide to Living." This isn't a typical YA novel, in that it features a character who is 21-then-22 in the story along side the 15-then-16 year old. Both Chris and Amelia have fantastic and distinct voices.

Amelia takes a job at Coles, a local grocery store, and that's where she meets and falls for Chris, the much-older-than-her boy. They develop a relationship, but while she wants it to be more romantic, he wants it to be much more a friendship than a romance. Where Amelia struggles to understand those first feelings of love, Chris is much more experienced and wants instead to find companionship and solace because he's lost the true feelings of first love on a girl who used him. While they're struggling privately with these feelings, they share incredible conversations about life, growing up, feminism, literature, and much more. Getting these conversations from both sides -- the teen side and the not-so-teen side -- made them dynamic and thoughtful. They really provided great character development in a way that the story required.

What struck me as particularly good about this novel was that neither Amelia nor Chris are having any huge crises in their lives. Their struggles are really typical of their ages. But Buzo does a great job respecting their ages and their moments in time, which infuses their daily struggles with meaning. These aren't boring characters nor boring situations.

At times, both Chris and Amelia are irritating and selfish and needy. Using the dual perspective allows the readers to draw these conclusions, since neither character calls one another out on this. It was great that neither got to know the whole story behind the other, but the reader gets the opportunity to do that. It felt like being let in on secrets.

I really appreciated, too, how Buzo wasn't afraid to go there in this story. She pushes the envelope with drug use and with sex; these are real and honest parts of these characters' lives, and shying away from them would be a disservice to them and to the reader. (view spoiler) I also found the Penny subplot strong and important to Amelia's development and growth.

Even though the characters don't have a true "resolution" at the end, I walked away completely satisfied. This book made me happy.

Also, this song is going to be permanently attached to this book for me: http://youtu.be/mxfjSnMN88U

Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/11/l... (less)

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Mar 22, 2011 Nomes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternating-m-f-pov, aussie-ya, i-own, rainy-day-comfort-reads, 2010, faves-of-2010, absolute-favourite-favourites, 2011, books-that-linger, i-had-no-idea-i-would-love-this-so, my-most-most-fave-boys, older-ya-protag, you-broke-my-heart, you-make-me-smile, covers-i-love, kindle

4.5 stars :)

Funny and true and sophisticated and charming and brilliantly Australian. Reading this book just felt like a breath of fresh air. I completely fell in love with it, it struck a chord with me and I know this book will resonate for a long time. In fact, I already can't wait to re-visit it.

It's told from Amelia and Chris's POV - but not in alternating chapters - more in chunks - first from Amelia, and then from Chris. When it swivels to Chris's POV it rewinds in time which was brilliant...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Ceecee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, 5-star, exceeded-expectations, adorable-couples, coming-of-age, great-endings, need-to-own, slice-of-life, favorites

A 15-year old and a 21-year old? How will that ever work out?

But somehow, Laura Buzo managed to pull off telling a story about a 15 year old girl who falls for her 21 year old coworker, in this novel about first love, growing up, and moving on.

Sometimes I think, I really must be a 15-year old trapped in a 23 year old body. I was able to relate with Amelia maybe because I'm in a certain point in my life like her, and I loved her narrations. You're in love with a guy but you don't know what to do...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Shirley Marr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya

The Good Oil is an example of what is absolutely right with comtemporary Aussie YA fiction! Did I have massive expectations coming into this book with all the rave reviews and the shortlisting for the 2011 Prime Minister's Awards and the fact that the blurb on the back made me think I would love this? Of course I did. And the fact that it melted my heart at the end and made me give it four stars despite the risk of me over-hyping it is testament to that.

I loved 15 year old Amelia, who to me read...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-in-2012

4.5 stars
I don't read contemporary YA that often, but when I do, I almost always go for Australian. There's just something about the complex subtlety of their prose that pulls me right in each and every time. I first read Good Oil (title of Aussie edition) almost two years ago and it remans, to this day, one of my favorite contemporary books. It is, after all, yet another proof of how special and engrossing their writing style usually is. There must be something in the water!

This story is about...more 4.5 stars
I don't read contemporary YA that often, but when I do, I almost always go for Australian. There's just something about the complex subtlety of their prose that pulls me right in each and every time. I first read Good Oil (title of Aussie edition) almost two years ago and it remans, to this day, one of my favorite contemporary books. It is, after all, yet another proof of how special and engrossing their writing style usually is. There must be something in the water!

This story is about 15-year-old Amelia, 21-year-old Chris and a group of young people working at a grocery store in Sydney. The narration is equally divided between Chris and Amelia, and although I definitely preferred Chris’ point of view, I felt that both their voices were captured really well.

Amelia is the girl that doesn’t really fit anywhere. Her family life is a mess and, as a rule, she isn’t getting enough attention from her parents. Chris, on the other hand, gets too much attention. He is one of those people who fill the room with their presence. Loud, very intelligent, completely messed up, extroverted and fun, he’s everyone’s favorite guy. He draws Amelia to him like a magnet and they spend a lot of time talking about books and feminism.

She's amusing - all frizzy-haired and fiery. I suspect she can, like, construct sentences and read books.

For me, processing a book that doesn’t distance itself from reality is always harder than dealing with something you know in your heart is fiction. I remember how utterly confused and conflicted I was when I first read this. I recognized its brilliance right away, of course, but it still hit too close to home in more ways then I can count.

Usually when I read a book I know exactly how I’d like it to end. I was at a loss this time because no matter how much they have in common intellectually, at the end of the day, Amelia is a kid, and Chris is… not. I was very curious to see how Laura Buzo would handle that particular mess, and I have to admit that I was very impressed, regardless of my initial (conflicted) feelings.

I could go on and on about this book because I find it much easier to write about books that I loved, but I see no point. I loved it. That's all you need to know.
I’m asking you all to read this. I promise you won’t be sorry.

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Mar 22, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love the cover. Amelia looks absolutely ecstatic, and like a good friend of mine, I found myself wondering, What the hell is she laughing about? That’s just one of the reasons I went out and got this. It seems I am having a love/hate thing going for Australian YA. I have loved every single book that I have managed to get my hands on. But HATE the fact that it’s almost IMPOSSIBLE to find them over here.

I need more books just like this one.

Amelia is a fifteen year old in love with a 21 year old...more I love the cover. Amelia looks absolutely ecstatic, and like a good friend of mine, I found myself wondering, What the hell is she laughing about? That’s just one of the reasons I went out and got this. It seems I am having a love/hate thing going for Australian YA. I have loved every single book that I have managed to get my hands on. But HATE the fact that it’s almost IMPOSSIBLE to find them over here.

I need more books just like this one.

Amelia is a fifteen year old in love with a 21 year old. I know it kind of, sort of sounds pervy, but if you think about it.. Dimitri and Rose were not that different age wise (If I remember correctly.) Ignoring that particular reference to VA, Good Oil is nothing like it. It is instead YA Contemporary the way I like it:

It’s a smoothly told story of how a fifteen year old pines over an almost 22 year old Chris. It is also interspersed journal entries from said guy. Honestly, without hearts in my eyes or anything? This is my kind of book… bitter and sweet all at once.

He calls her youngster. And she is that. You can tell by how she regards feminism. Anyway, I could very well be her. Well, I could very well have been her a couple of years ago. She’s so passionate about everything. What was it about her that had him thinking of her more towards the end of the book? He says, ‘She made him think.’ For me, it was that was she was honest - in a no holds barred fashion; telling it all.. at least until something related to him came up. BUT the thing is, she is young. She is Pip. Everything she complained about in Pip… those were her issues too, IMO. This was obvious to her as well.

And what pray tell does a fifteen year old see in a twenty plus year old guy? First, I love a guy who keeps a journal. It seems so... sensitive. SEEMS being the key word.. Because honestly (again) he is just too wrapped up in his own problems. That is until later, when he starts to see her in a different fashion.

As to that ending? THAT ending?! Well, I expect a great follow up.

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Nov 22, 2011 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya, lovey-mushy-stuff, realistic-fiction, i-own-a-copy, disappointed-me, not-that-great

2.5 - 3 stars.

Okay. I'm just going to get straight to the point - this book was a pretty epic disappointment for me.

Why? It had so much going for it! I loved Amelia, Chris (through Amelia's eyes) made me swoon - but what the hell happened?! It was like... build up, build up, change POV, go back in time, catch up, change POV, climax, sadness, boring talk, the end.

Perhaps the male jerkiness aspect just shirted me off, or the fact that Amelia was so wrapped up with Chris, or the way things panned...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Milly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary-fiction, aussie, favorite-ya, wish-there-was-a-sequel, made-me-cry, coming-of-age, alternating-pov, teen-romance, book-tour, aussie-reading-challenge

The tears did it for me! I have to give it 5 stars!

Good Oil = Australian slang for useful information, the truth, a good idea. Courtesy of the http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian.... I have to thank my Booker friend Arlene, who shared this very helpful website to get me through the slang in this book, which were numerous IMO. But that just adds to the authenticity of this book, which I enjoyed and appreciated!

Now, let us see if I have any Good Oil to give.

This book might just appear to be anot...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Megan by: Tatiana

Shelves: young-adult, e-book, favorites

It really must be something in the water down there. Laura Buzo has that Melina Marchetta quality to her writing. Good Oil was all consuming while I was reading it, but when everything was said and done it is hard to place what is so special about this book. That is, the uniqueness of the book seems to stem from such well-rounded characters and true to life scenarios... which shouldn't be such a great feat from writers. But apparently it is.

Good Oil is the story of a fifteen year old girl with...more It really must be something in the water down there. Laura Buzo has that Melina Marchetta quality to her writing. Good Oil was all consuming while I was reading it, but when everything was said and done it is hard to place what is so special about this book. That is, the uniqueness of the book seems to stem from such well-rounded characters and true to life scenarios... which shouldn't be such a great feat from writers. But apparently it is.

Good Oil is the story of a fifteen year old girl with a crush on an older co-worker. Hers is the most painful sort of crush because these two do have a fair amount of chemistry between them and genuinely like each other as friends. Because of their age differences and their lifestyle and personality dissimilarities, you know the odds are stacked against them. But that tricky coworker situation forces them to face each other and their feelings on a regular basis. Buzo manages to capture all of the conflicting emotions of such a relationship so very well. This story is told from the point of view of both Amelia and Chris. Normally a multiple POV one of my least favorite literary choices, but it works amazingly well here. We see just how very different Amelia and Chris are. And because they are actually telling quite different stories, there is no boring rehashing of the same events over and over.

As an adult reader of YA I often find myself lamenting that I didn’t read this book or that book as an actual teen. So many times I realize that a story or character or whatnot would have had a much greater impact on me when I was younger. Although I am certain I would have loved Good Oil just as much as a teen, reading it as an adult has its own advantages. I can’t help but wonder if Buzo based Chris on one of her former boyfriends or crushes? While I couldn’t help falling a little in love with him, it was so easy to see the sort of person he is, and to guess what his actions would be. As a teen, I don’t think I would have been so quick to notice his flaws. (Hell, as a girl who is just as introverted and socially awkward as Amelia I fell for more than my share of guys like Chris. ) The further along I read, the more I felt happy little butterflies in my stomach along with Amelia. Yet the ~~cynical~~ experienced adult inside of me couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety and sorrow (view spoiler).

At the end of this book, I loved it so much but I still wanted more. More of this characters, more of Laura Buzo’s story telling (view spoiler) I can’t wait for another book from this author, and hopefully for her works to become available in the United States.
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Dec 11, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, feminism, thinker, ya

4.5 stars

This book is about two things: a teenage crush and becoming a “grown-up.” Unfortunately, these subjects are never distant from clichés and they are often presented in a shallow, stereotypical way. In Love and Other Perishable Items, however, Buzo writes about these two universal experiences with exceptional depth and feeling.

Buzo somehow manages to weave together two disparate realms of experience: the high school feeling when you suddenly become giddily aware of the complexity of the...more 4.5 stars

This book is about two things: a teenage crush and becoming a “grown-up.” Unfortunately, these subjects are never distant from clichés and they are often presented in a shallow, stereotypical way. In Love and Other Perishable Items, however, Buzo writes about these two universal experiences with exceptional depth and feeling.

Buzo somehow manages to weave together two disparate realms of experience: the high school feeling when you suddenly become giddily aware of the complexity of the world around you, making you feel more “adult,” as evinced in Amelia, our 15 year old protagonist, and the early 20s feeling of uncertainty as you become an unequivocal adult with legitimate responsibilities, a period captured through the struggles of Chris, a college senior who serves as the second POV character in this novel. So whether you’re on the younger or older side of Young Adult, there are ideas here for any reader to attach onto, ideas that will recall the reader’s own personal experience. As a result, both characters, though deeply flawed, are loveable, because it is difficult not to project our own tribulations of adolescence and early adulthood upon them. To me, this personability of the characters, this ability to see ourselves in them, is one of the novel’s greatest strengths.

An equally strong point is the novel’s focus on social justice. I read that author Laura Buzo works as a social worker in addition to writing, and her career experience clearly shines through the novel. I was enraptured by Chris and Amelia’s intelligent (but never pretentious!) discussions about the role of feminism in the 21st century, the unsatisfying conclusions to classic novels such as The Great Gatsby and Great Expectations, and the failure to recognize conditions of poverty in our own backyards. At its core, Love and Other Perishable Items is a book about romance, but it is much more smart and thoughtful than typical romantic fare yet it manages to maintain a (mostly) lighthearted tone. It’s totally approachable for all readers; some will adore the love story, others will enjoy the realistic depiction of these distinctly tumultuous life stages, and others will appreciate the sociological criticism within these pages.

Of course, I loved Love and Perishable Items for all of these reasons, as I expect most readers will. Highly recommended for anyone desiring a bit of young adult nostalgia in the form of a book that is both melancholy and hopeful.
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Feb 07, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: faves, 2012, ya

Good Oil is the perfect read for woman-kind as I imagine it will speak to us all in distinctive ways. My reading of Good Oil took me on a trip through memory lane, yet many of these character's frustrations haunt me still. Womanhood/adulthood is a juggling act after all.

[Book:Good Oil] introduces us to Amelia, a fifteen year old store clerk navigating her love/obsession for her 22 year old Co-worker Chris, while trying to cope with the injustices inflicted upon teenagers everywhere. With her sha...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, december-2012, e-book

Originally reviewed at: http://www.flyleafreview.com/2013/01/...

Well, it is no secret that I am a RAGING fan of contemporary Australian young adult fiction. I read as much as I can, even though some of it is notoriously hard to get a hold of here in the States. So when I heard that Laura Buzo's Good Oil, was picked up by Knopf BYR and being repackaged as Love and Other Perishable Items for an American audience, I was BESIDE myself. I had already read many raving Aussie reviews of Buzo's book, se...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Carla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya

WOOLWORTHS ILY!

So our girl Amelia is completely, well and truly, omg my heart won't stop thumping because you are super duper hot ahhhhhhhhhhhh hardcore crushing her co-worker Chris. Who is fab! Except Amelia is 15 and Chris is 21. But he is so funny!! And she luuuurves him! But he is tooooooooo old!!! Srsly this is complete End of The World kind of shit. But they get on so well!! But she is total jail bait! But he is SO HOT. AHHHH ANGST.

BUZO! You torturous mistress you. WHY YOU GOTS TO DO THIS...more WOOLWORTHS ILY!

So our girl Amelia is completely, well and truly, omg my heart won't stop thumping because you are super duper hot ahhhhhhhhhhhh hardcore crushing her co-worker Chris. Who is fab! Except Amelia is 15 and Chris is 21. But he is so funny!! And she luuuurves him! But he is tooooooooo old!!! Srsly this is complete End of The World kind of shit. But they get on so well!! But she is total jail bait! But he is SO HOT. AHHHH ANGST.

BUZO! You torturous mistress you. WHY YOU GOTS TO DO THIS TO US.

Srsly, Australians? Do you have some kind of secret underground sect going on where all you writers get together and plot how to tear out our hearts with your spot on characterisation and authenticity? DO YOU? You can totally tell me!! I promise I won't tell a soul! But only if you let me join! who am I kidding! I’d tell everyone BUT PLEASE STILL TELL ME PLZ.

Amelia is a rather fucking incredible girl. She's smart and awkward and soooooo not cool and she doesn't know how to act sometimes and she can't seem to slot into this thing called teenage life and she doesn't realise that we ALL feel that way at that age. That it's normal to want and to need and to hope and that sometimes things don't happen how we want them to and that sometimes even if they do it's not how we imagine it to be. AHHHH Amelia. I want to hug her and tell her to just enjoy being young and also we could talk about how hot Chris is and maybe I could convince her to set up a meet-cute because I’m old enough to do the rude-ies!

Chris you guys. He basically just needs to stop being all emo and shit and philosophical and take of his shirt. And his pants. DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! this is a no judging pants optional zone. He is the kind of dude I would've been crushing HARD on when I was a teenager, but now I’m older, well who wants to date a dude with daddy issues who works at a supermarket and has a hard case of the heartbreak heart. NOT ME. That doesn't mean I wouldn't have sexytimes with him, because I think we already established that he is hot. And he is so well written! He can be witty and adorable, then self loathing and soooooo emo I expected him to pull out a black notebook and to start writing sad poetry about "darkness seeping in" or something to that effect. Like he has potential, he just needs to man the fuck up and stop being a dick face. But then, so do a LOT of guys.

Buzo captures everything she writes in that easy way of writing she has and that was just a nice ride to be on, it wasn't forceful, it is unassuming and just NICE and it makes the story that much more than if it was a riot every second in yo face kind of book. Her writing is a breeze guys. A BREEZE! Loookkkkkkkkk

"'Miss Amelia Hayes, welcome to the Land of Dreams!' The boy grinned at me and motioned me into the same tiny room I’d been interviewed in. 'I'll leave you to it then' said the manager, and she closed the door. The boy and I regarded each other for a moment, I judged him to be about twenty. His features were unremarkable, but his face was open, immediately warm and engaging; he seemed to twinkle. 'I,' he said, 'am Chris, your friendly staff trainer. You'll be with me for three four-hour shifts. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei, and I will give you the good oil. Right?' 'Okay' I smiled. It was hard not to." OH I KNOW AMELIA. LET HIM GIVE YOU THE GOOD OIL. (Okay, that came out TOTALLY different that it sounded in my head bahhhhahahahaha)

"Bianca is having a select few over to her house this Saturday night - her parents are overseas again. There'll be a lot of alcohol directly sponsored by Bianca's parents, and most likely a lot of white powdered substances indirectly sponsored also by Bianca's parents. I have to say, I do like the idea of doing a line of speed on their $7000 granite coffee table, looking out over the harbor the city lights blinking on the skyline" And I will be your date Chris, because I like free beer and city lights. You can keep the drugs but not the shirt.

This isn't just a story about crushing hard on a boy though, as awesome as that is; it has a LOT of themes that come from being in a certain situation - from Amelia who was at that age where everything seemed so so hopeful and that naive feeling you have where you don't worry how you are going to get "there" just that you do, To Chris who was in that suspended state of unknowing how to move forward with his life. You know that feeling you get in your early twenties when you think fuck I’m a grown up now, what the shit am I doing with my LIFE!! AHHH I NEED A BEER.

I loved it. Even when Chris drove me up the wall. Even when Amelia needed to buck her ideas. Because it made me all tingly and happy inside. And it will probably do that to you too.
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Feb 18, 2011 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Arlene by: Gift from Albie ((HUGS Thank you!)) TBR Reduction Challenge #4 - Nomes

Shelves: ya-contemporary, read-2011, reviews-with-music, aussie-books, gifted-to-me, young-adult

I am Chris, your friendly staff trainer. You’ll be with me for three hour shifts. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei. And I will give you the good oil. Right?

I don’t even know where to begin with this book. I loved it...let’s start with that. It made me think about a lot of things...there’s another point to offer. But, there’s just so much that makes up this story and to try and dissect it would just be criminal. I had no clue what to expect with Good Oil. Heck, I didn’t eve...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Four Stars: A contemplative read that shares with us the difficulties of love in those awkward teenage years.
Amelia is mature for fifteen. She takes on a part time job after school to help with financial expenses and escape her despairing home life. Life at home isn't terrible, but her mother is in a constant state of despair, her father is working and absent a great deal of the time, and her older sister just went away to school. Leaving Amelia and her three year old sister at home. Her mother...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Maree ♫ Light's Shadow ♪ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a really sweet little book, and very honest in its portrayal. I loved Amelia - she is socially awkward, just at that stage where girls and boys start to mix groups. She relies on literature to inform her about love, having barely experienced it herself, aside from when it comes to her huge crush on Chris, one of the older guys she works with. I love their playful relationship and how much they enjoy a good discussion together. But she's only 15 and he's 21 - Chris carefully considers he...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Savindi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Savindi by: Keertana

Shelves: young-adult

Cover Gushing Worthiness: The cover for Love and Other Perishable Items is probably one of my favourite covers of the year. It’s quite adorable and the cover makes sense as you read the book. I do think the Australian Cover

is also a good one. Sure it is a bit corny, but it’s not corny to the point where I wouldn't pick it up.

Review:I first heard about LaOPI from my friend Keertana over at Ivy Book Bindings who read the Australian version Good Oil. According Koalanet.com Good Oil is Australia...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: boy-crush, down-under, gorgeous-prose, good-grief, ya, you-got-a-friend-in-me

"I can’t run my own race. I’m constantly checking what’s happening in the other lanes"

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
YES, AMELIA, YES. *nods in approval*.

High Points.
Amelia. Check-out girls. Intellectuals. Aimless drifters. Wanderlust. Literature. Drunken house parties. Blushes, butterflies and tingly toes. Late night phone calls. Swapping letters. ~~Grey’s Anatomy.~~ Phew.. that was close. *shifty look* Half-off flowers. Plenty.

Low Points.
Hmmm, I go into my minimal problems in my heroine/hero secti...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic, young-adult

Completely adored this book! I wish there was an epilogue...

I felt that this could have been a great Jane Eyre re-working...but I may be stretching things a little. I thought Amelia was a perfect portrayal of a mature fifteen year old girl, and I like how Laura Buzo handled that whole situation. I liked how Chris had the immaturity of a six year old and how he had to grow up.

SPOILER: So don't look at this if you haven't read it. I mean seriously! Kathy Virus. Classic! I loved the fact that Chris...more Completely adored this book! I wish there was an epilogue...

I felt that this could have been a great Jane Eyre re-working...but I may be stretching things a little. I thought Amelia was a perfect portrayal of a mature fifteen year old girl, and I like how Laura Buzo handled that whole situation. I liked how Chris had the immaturity of a six year old and how he had to grow up.

SPOILER: So don't look at this if you haven't read it. I mean seriously! Kathy Virus. Classic! I loved the fact that Chris had this "I'm going to turn her into the "Perfect Woman." I felt he was a great influence on her in developing her mind not just in literary aspects, but in views of relationships, marriage, and feminism. I loved how Buzo takes us into a look of how different marriages operates and how sometimes we don't even fully, can't fully understand how our parents "love." The tension between father/daughter was nice for a change. I liked how Amelia wanted to seem mature by reading and knowing everything that she didn't know because she was too young.

OKAY BUT MY GRIPE IS...I ALMOST GAVE IT 4 STARS!! WHAT IS UP WITH THE NO ENDING. I hate open endings. I mean I love that the reader can decide if they'll "ever" meet again...or that fact that he was this sweet crush or first love, or whatever tragic expiration date he had in her life... but ugh...i wanted them to meet years later. I also tried to tell my boyfriend (whose 6 years older) how this could've been our story if I had met him like eons ago... and he was a little freaked out. :) Well a lot freaked out...I probably would've even known how to deal as much as 'Amelia' tried... I give her props for the "no guts no glory" take she did to try to win Chris over. Siggghhh. I wonder what type of psychological impact that would be on her dating relationship?

I think this should be a series. I know it isn't...but I still think it should be. OR A MOVIE. Since books to movies are all the rage...this would be a great one...WITH AN ALTERNATIVE ENDING. ANNNND...because I finished listening to Grafitti Moon after this...I read it in an Australian accent. So Yes, I did sob. I cried like a baby...I shouldn't have. You know what you're getting into...but I can't help it! (less)

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Jul 01, 2011 Margot rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: perfect-aussie-ya

I don't know how to start this review, or how many stars I should give it.

It's been two months since I finished this book and I still can't say if I loved it or hated it. Amelia is a smart girl, so you'll not be bored by the vapid ramblings of a 15 year old girl who happens to be in love with a 21 year old boy. Au contraire. He's smart, too, so she's absolutely fascinated with everything he does. And so is he, because throughout the book you can tell he likes her--or at least likes to spend time...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Ariana rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternating-pov, ya-contemporary, annoyed-me, aussie

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can't review it without spoiling it for you (so DON'T READ THIS if you don't want to know anything about the book, the characters, the ending), but if I could give it negative rating I would. I gave it one star just because it means "I didn't like it"

What's the point of this book?
Nothing happens (for like 7/8 of this book..) and in the precise moment when something is about to happen and I am like "ok, maybe it wasn't that pointless", then everything goes down .. end of story.

Am I the only on...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Romy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, romance, realistic-contemporary-fiction, australian, books-i-read-in-2011

The Quickie Review

Laura Buzo has woven a beautiful story of first love and growing up all set around the aptly named Land of Dreams (Chris’ name for Woolworths or Woolies as it’s so fondly named by the Aussie public, which is a large supermarket chain in Australia for all you non Aussies reading this). It’s a story of one who is just entering young adulthood and another who is leaving it but both are trying to understand and find their place in the world.

Good Oil engross you from page one with...more The Quickie Review

Laura Buzo has woven a beautiful story of first love and growing up all set around the aptly named Land of Dreams (Chris’ name for Woolworths or Woolies as it’s so fondly named by the Aussie public, which is a large supermarket chain in Australia for all you non Aussies reading this). It’s a story of one who is just entering young adulthood and another who is leaving it but both are trying to understand and find their place in the world.

Good Oil engross you from page one with two utterly complex yet relatable characters, the shy, smart Amelia and the boisterous, fun loving Chris, both of who I adored. It’s cute, it’s bittersweet and it’s a 'little bit heartbreaking' but it’s also beautifully honest and well worth reading. Laura Buzo has made a definite impact on me and, fingers crossed, the Aussie YA literary world as well, I hope she has many more books to come.

The Full Blown Review

15 year old Amelia works at Woolworths or as her favourite fellow worker Chris calls it ‘The Land of Dreams’ and it is indeed ‘The Land of Dreams’ for Amelia who soon develops an first all consuming crush on her 21 year old co-worker which quickly and unexpectedly turns into her first love (her realization or ‘ah-ha’ moment that she’s in love with Chris happens sitting on the couch watching TV with her little sister). Unfortunately for Amelia Chris, at first, doesn’t even remotely think of Amelia that way. Both Amelia and Chris see something in each other and their friendship develops over the course of the novel, however will Chris ever be able to overcome the 6 year age gap between them to see Amelia as she wants to be seen in his eyes?

Good Oil is told in dual narratives between 15 year old Amelia and 21 year old Chris through his diary entries, I loved how we got both of their perspectives about their relationship and also what each one was feeling and how they interpreted each other at the time. I guess what amazed me with this book was that the Amelia and Chris were so well developed and real that I could relate to both of them, which often isn’t the case in many novels, I mean one sure but both, not usually.

I loved Amelia she had this childish innocence to her that we all used to have, some more than others. Reading through Amelia’s narrative gave me flash backs to my teen years, trying to navigate through the murky waters of high school whilst also trying to understand where you fit into the overall picture world. Heck I was Amelia, I was frustrated with my parents on many an occasion, just like Amelia I hated my mothers smoking with a passion always making a point that it annoyed the crap out of me and yet she still continued with it, I was dealing with pushy and loud school boys going to and from school (only I got this privilege not only on a bus but a tram and train as well), I went to a girls school that had defined social hierarchies and it’s safe to say I was not in the ‘popular’ group, the only teenage boy contact I had was with my brother who it must be said barely tolerated me, one of my best friends abruptly (like literally overnight) went gaga for boys and suddenly I was in this place feeling alone and left out of it all, ah yes the teen years, lot of angst, I remember it well.

I also understood where Chris was coming from, he’s in his last year of an arts degree and what the heck is he going to do? I could totally understood his reasons for doing an honours year because that was me 2 years ago, I mean for me finishing uni and finding a job was just too unthinkable, especially because I did a degree with not too many great job prospects so what did I go and do? A masters degree, problem solved, but this didn’t really solve anything as I finish this year and once again I’m at the crossroads Chris was at, what am I going to do when I finish? Which BTW, just like Chris, annoys the crap out of me when people ask me that question, I don’t know what I’m going to do but it will come to me eventually people! Sorry about that little rant anyway where was I oh yes Chris. What I also really love was how whilst he at first appears to the reader as this really chipper, happy go lucky guy from Amelia’s observations we learn from Chris perspective that he feels like he’s alone, just like Amelia, and his life is a mess. It appears to Chris that everyone seems to be moving on with their lives post uni whilst he’s stuck in the same place doing the same things watching everyone passing him bye. He’s also trying to deal with his growing feelings for ‘the youngster’ which he sees as inappropriate because of their age gap even though Chris can really talk to Amelia and she makes him really think and question his previous notions of whatever subject they’re talking about. Chris also made some mistakes that annoyed me no end, there was one particular incident, why Chris, why I was asking myself but that’s what people do, they make mistakes and that’s what makes a character real. So I guess what I loved about Chris was how Laura so clearly conveyed his feelings of despair and hopelessness he had for his life, it was so clearly conveyed and well written that I really understood where he was coming from because I’ve been there and what do you know I seem to be back there again, eek!

It is also evident Laura knows her literature with sprinklings of references from The Great Gatsby to Great Expectations and The Catcher in the Rye. Pop cultural references also abound, my personal favourite was when Chris was describing having his heart ripped out à la Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I love that these literary and pop cultural references are written so effortlessly throughout the book it makes for some really funny and engaging conversations between Amelia and Chris.

I knew throughout the book that logically there was only one possible ending and whilst both Amelia and Chris did connect intellectually the age gap between the two was simply too big, Amelia still has a lot of growing up to do and more to experience of the world, Chris on the other hand also has a lot of growing up to do but his is different from Amelia’s because they are in completely different stages in their lives. I’ve read the word bittersweet to describe the ending and I’m of the same opinion, it is bittersweet but there is the eternal flame of hope left for the two which for me is hopefully *crosses fingers and toes* a follow up to this book, I would sell my soul for a sequel, dramatic much, me?

To be quite frank I have fallen head over heels for this book, just like Amelia did for Chris!
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Seriously confused. What is the title of this book: "Love and Other Perishables" or "Good Oil"?	3	9	May 20, 2013 05:45pm
Goodreads Librari...: differences between editions	4	74	Jul 25, 2012 10:33am

title link	preview: Good Oil
avg rating	preview: Good Oil Goodreads rating: 3.55 (1950 ratings)
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