Good Oil

Title: Good Oil 

Author Laura Buzo 

First Published: August 2010 by Allen & Unwin

Having loved Laura Buzo's new book Holier Than Thou I decided to read her other book Good Oil. I've always seen Good Oil in libraries and bookshop and the cover and title caught my eye, but i never liked the sound of the plot, i thought Amelia would be a silly, whiny, bimbo who has no thoughts except about some jerky guy. Well, i am pleased to say this is not the case.

Amelia is an angsty, clever 15 year old who's just got a part time job at her local Woolworths, which her charming 22-year-old co-worker calls the land of dreams. From her first shift with Chris she's sunk, can't get him out of her head. And how could she? he's clever, cute, he listens to her like she's an adult, they discuss everything from school, to parents, to feminism.

Chris is almost 22, single, still living at home and about to finish a degree in sociology with no job prospects other than the beloved Land of Dreams. His friends are buying houses, starting careers and getting engaged. He is searching for the perfect woman, and the perfect candidate has abandoned him and moved back to Perth.

Quick Review 

A lovely, realistic story more about friendship, family, and growing up than love. Don't worry, this is not the stereotypical story of a girl falling for an older boy and whinging about how she can't have him for 200 pages. it's a sweet, slightly quirky book which was actually very intelligent.

Oh, and you'll just love Amelia.

Favourite Quotes 

“She even takes the goings-on of fictitious characters personally.” 

Rambling Review 

My favourite thing about this book was Amelia. I just LOVED her, she was so frank and clever. In fact, she reminded me of myself a little, i think we'd get on well. She's constantly reading, thinking and turning things over in her mind. I never quite new what was going to come out of her mouth next. She was just such a gutsy character. I found it really true to life how she could be so clever and confident, and yet so self-doubting at the same time, sure in some areas, completely lost in others. 

I can also see why she liked Chris so much, he was positively charming, and Buzo captured him perfectly from both points of view. I know EXACTLY what was meant about his smile each time it was described. 

The story being told from both Amelia and Chris' point of view was a surprise, but it worked really well, it added the extra depth which really makes his novel shine. I liked how similar the characters seemed from both point of views, they saw their co-workers in a similar way. This also applies the the protagonists, I'd have hated if Chris or Amelia weren't as awesome from the other's point of view. once i realised it was multi-POV i had one major concern, and that was that Buzo would make Chris hate Amelia, it would be a completely one-sided relationship, all in Amelia's head. I was relieved to find he really liked her. it would have ruined the story if he found her a pain. Because it became a story about friendship, between the two of them, and other characters like Amelia and her mother, Amelia and Penny, and Chris and his sister.          

i also enjoyed all the literary allusions, especially when i had read the texts they were talking about, which wasn't too often. instead of seeming like the author or characters were showing off, they really added to the book. In fact, it's a great advertisement for teenagers to read classics, much better than adults going 'it's better than that junk you read'. BUT, would someone please explain to me why Amelia ans Chris said Gatsby killed himself? did i miss something when i was reading that chapter of Good Oil? 

The ending was realistic, and while not opened ended in the way Holier Than Thou is, still was left rather open. I was expecting a more dramatic ending, the book seemed to be building, but the ending did work well, and it has grown on me. I'm now glad Buzo ended it the way she did. 

All, in All a gorgeous book, rich with detail and typical Australian and teenagey things. i Loved reading it. 

in Nomes from Ink chrush's review she said 

"I think some of the best contemporary novels are the ones that don't strive to be LOUD and edgy and OMG all the time but that have the confidence to quietly bleed emotion and genuine characters on to the page."  

this is the Perfect summary. Like other Australian YA, Markus Zusak, Melina Marchetta, Randa Abdel-Fattah, Bill Condon etc, the book seems to bleed truth and emotion, but in this case in a quiet, gentle way.

Holier Than Thou

Title: Holier Than Thou
 Author: Laura Buzo
 Published: Allen & Unwin may 2012

 Holly is a young social worker who's life should be falling into place. she's just moved in with her gift-from-God boyfriend Tim, a great group of friends from high school, and a job where she gets to help change the world. the Layer of steel around her heart is beginning to tarnish. she's being drawn back to the dream boy who could have been and memories of her father, just as she's grasping for the future.

  Quick Review A brilliantly written novel, loaded with sadness, pain, and beautiful moments. it has those little touches and the humour which really make a book unforgettable. it's also very true to life. not a sweet book, some parts a quite gritty, definitely for an older YA audience. also not great for those who don't like open endings. Good for Fans of the Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta, Deadline by Chris Crutcher and My Candlelight Novel by Joanne Horniman.

  Quotes "A nurse and social worker took fifteen minutes out of their shitty thankless jobs in the roughest corner of town, sat on a couple of milk crates drinking coffee, flopped their real selves out on the cement and both liked what they saw"

"I knew that in my darker moments he wanted to reach out and soothe me somehow. He Wanted to protect me, to bathe my wounds. He's such a nurse that way. And my darker moments, my darker preoccupations we're okay with him.

 " 'what are your legs?' he asked 'steel springs' i said"

  Ramble Review
this book absorbed me from the very beginning. the writing had a certain gentle quality that worked well with the rough topics and characters. it really is quite a disillusioned book, i was realistic. there was no unbelievable happy ending, nor no massive change character in Holly. The ending was left quite open, it almost seemed to have just trailed away without giving you the last piece, but it grew on me, the more I've though about it the more i like it.

 the characters were great. they didn't seem overdone which was nice. I grew to really love Holly, in all her cynical glory. Nick was so sweet, but in a good way. it wasn't too sweet. in the same way, Tim wasn't portrayed as the typical, too perfect boyfriend. the way the characters were flawed, how you could see their mistakes and how they were changing, how you could see the relationships changing before their eyes was almost painful. it was so well done.

 Holier Than Thou is so true to life, there are moments when you wish they would give the characters a fantasy ending. But the bitter edge makes the beauty of parts all the more stunning, very much like real life. My only real complaint is that i wish i knew what happened next! grrrr :)