Love and Other Perishable Items

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 show more 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. show less

Buzo excels at capturing the feelings of a hopeless crush. With simple, everyday details, she gives us a clear understanding of relationships and characters, showing us who they are and what they feel. Amelia's first person narration is juxtaposed with Chris's diary entries, revealing her misperceptions and limited perspective, as well as the difference in their stages in life. But the friendship and affection between them is genuine, which makes for messiness. Alcohol and the occasional drug make for questionable decisions and even a sordid encounter or two.

When Love and Other Perishable Items came out, there were a lot of reviews that said they really didn’t get the point of it, since it’s not got much of a plot. It was very character-driven, they said. Of course, this made me want the book, even if many others were seriously whelmed by its contents. It was one of those times where reviews that actually weren’t highly positive totally reeled me in and convinced me it might be a book for me. Plus, I’ve heard so much about Aussie YA and Melina Marchetta totally panned out, so why not Laura Buzo? And yet. Here I am, a bit surprised not to have loved this one.

Love and Other Perishable Items does a lot well. There are two POVs and they’re very distinct. Amelia and Chris do not sound show more remotely similar and I think she effectively set up their timelines. They’re talking about the same things, but their views of them are so different. I would always look forward to seeing things from Chris’ side, after seeing Amelia’s interpretations.

Amelia, fifteen and seriously infatuated for the very first time, suffers from a pretty standard teenage problem: insecurity. Her lack of self-worth is exacerbated by her parents’ inattention. They’re present, but lost in their own worlds. Amelia thinks of herself one way, but through Chris’ eyes it’s obvious that her view of herself is flawed. It’s a reminder that what we see isn’t necessarily what others see looking at us, a very important lesson in life.

What I think I liked best in Love and Other Perishable Items was watching Amelia learn through fiction. She’s reading book primarily for school but she really takes the time to think about what they say and to try to apply their lessons to her own life. I wish I could say that I thought that much about everything I read as a teen. This, too, is how Amelia bonds with Chris, her crush. He’s in college, 22, and he enjoys talking with the intellectually curious youngster who works with him at the grocery store. In these moments, I was able to take Amelia’s crush seriously and to see where the two might really get along. It’s also the only time I found Chris likable.

That said, the romance in the book did not work for me, such as it is. Chris annoyed me to no end. He’s constantly whinging about the manic pixie dream girl of his past, a girl he failed to understand and who treated him like shit but whom he continues to feel is the one for him. Meanwhile, he seeks out the “perfect girl” even though he already met his perfect girl and she dumped him hard. I’m a fan of drinking, sure, but Chris worries me. He drinks like he wants to die. Plus, he does other drugs and makes just terrible life choices all around.

The ending has me side-eyeing this book. I feel like it all ties into the discussion of Great Expectations that Chris and Amelia have. Let’s just say I’m skeptical like Amelia about things. On a side-note, the discussions of feminism in this book are really interesting. It’s all about the different ways people have defined it and misinterpretations. Amelia actually hates feminism because she doesn’t really get what it is. Nothing’s really settled with regards to that, but I think it’s a book to make people think if they’ve never really considered those issues.

Did I like Love and Other Perishable Items? Well, kind of. I’d say it’s a good book and I liked it more than I didn’t, but it also never really coalesced for me. Authentic though their voices are, neither Amelia nor Chris really leapt off the page and felt real to me the way the best characters do. show less

This book resonated with me on so many levels. Amelia, with all of her social awkwardness and insecurity, reminded me so much of my younger self, which often resulted in me cringing as I read, because I knew from first hand experience that some of her choices were not going to end well. There were times I wished I could have transported myself into the book just to give her a shoulder to cry on and tell her that it will get better, to be that older female presence in her life that she so desperately needed.

Chris, on the other hand, is just like my present self, minus the drunkenness and occasional use of illicit substances (please, I tried to drink some white wine last night as I made risotto, and that stuff was nasty. I don't think I show more could possibly drink to excess if it involved that taste all the time). He's in this holding period, caught somewhere between childhood and adulthood, watching all his friends move on with their lives, while he's stuck in his parent's house about to graduate with a degree that may or may not result in lucrative employment. I can understand his loneliness and desperation, his desire for independence at whatever cost because I'm there right now.

And then there is the burgeoning attraction between Chris and Amelia, despite the rather large gap in their ages. If only she was older, 'but she ain't,' rues Chris and I could tell it cost him to admit that. Folks who like happily-ever-after, tied up in a neat little bow endings might be dissatisfied with the way this novel concludes, but I thought it fitting, given the parallels in their relationship with that of the characters from the literature the pair of them discussed during their down-time at Coles.

If you like books that run you through the gamut of emotions, don't hesitate to give Love and Other Perishable Items a go. show less

Originally reviewed at: http://www.flyleafreview.com/2013/01/book-review-love-and-other-perishable.html

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, several of which compared her to my favorite author from that country, Melina Marchetta. Needless to say, Love and Other Perishable Items ranked quite high on my 2012 TBR list.

And, surprise, surprise, I was show more NOT disappointed. Those Aussie's are so bloody clever when it comes to writing authentic YA fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed Love and Other Perishable Items just as much as I hoped to. High five for meeting all my expectations, Laura Buzo!

Here is something I didn't know when I started reading: Love and Other Perishable Items is a dual narrative, told from both 15 year old Amelia and 21 year old Chris's POV. And though we hear from Amelia in 1st person, Chris's are written epistolary style, through journal entries. Guys, having Chris offer up his perspective in this fashion was really, really awesome. And smart on the part of the author. There comes a part of the story where Amelia herself gets to read these entries, and that, was my favorite apart of the entire book. What if you had an unrequited crush on someone when you were a young adult (and come on, we have all been there haven't we?) and then that person, who you have always wondered if they have even a fraction of the feelings that you harbor, let you read his private thoughts. Who wouldn't like to get into the mind of their first love?

Amelia is 15, and totally endearing. She's bright, she's funny, she's serious and she's a bit awkward. And she is head over heels in love with Chris. She obsesses and fantasizes about him. He is the center of her world and in her every thought. He is everything she wants in a guy: cute, funny, smart and most importantly, he takes Amelia seriously.

"The yawning six year chasm between my age and Chris's is not the only fly in the proverbial ointment of this "loving Chris" business. I'm not even sure what "getting" Chris would involve; all I know is I want him. I want to be enfolded by him somehow, and to possess him. To have unfettered and exclusive access to him all the time. To feel how I feel around him all the time. To know that he loves being around me too. To feel more of his skin on my skin."

And Chris doesn't really treat her like a kid. He listens to her. They have amazing conversations about things she doesn't talk to anyone else about. Not her parents, or her friends, and certainly not the boys her age.

"Each conversation with Chris seemed to prompt an exhausting mix of excitement an forehead-slapping embarrassment at my inability to keep up with the references and in-jokes. Real or perceived. I go to an all-girls school where people are bent on studying. I wasn't used to talking to boys at all, let alone grown-up ones with university essays to write and incredible charisma. So, so far out of my depth."

Chris is 21, and completely charming in a self absorbed, slacker kind of way. Chris has sort of been on autopilot ever since his break-up with his first, true love, Michaela. He still lives at home even though all his mates are getting their own places. He has the very definition of a dead end job with graduation and "the real world" looming just over the horizon. And he longs to find the perfect woman. One he can really talk to and laugh with and build, perhaps, some kind of future-something with. Oh, and have sex with. Because he and Michaela had amazing sex. In short, he is, in many ways your typical 21 year old, soon to be college graduate. He parties with his mates, works and studies just enough to get by, and is prone lately to moping around, feeling sorry for himself, and waiting for something "life changing" to happen to him.

And of all the people working with him at The Land of Dreams (Chris's nickname for the local grocery store he and Amelia work at) Amelia, the "Youngster", is by far his favorite to talk to. Unlike stoner Ed, or she's-big-she's-blonde-she-works-in-the-deli Georgia , or Street Cred Donna (yes, those are Chris's apt descriptions of some of their co-workers,) Amelia is smart. She's got serious, passionate opinions about all kinds of things, from classic literature to feminism. She's pretty mature and has a lot of good advice to give on certain subjects (like his screwed up love life.) Basically Amelia is the ideal woman that he is looking for. If only she was a few years older...

"I really like talking to her. I like how she turns everything over and over in her mind, and that she doesn't censor herself. Being with her is easy. I seem to laugh...

...If she were even just two years older, she'd be leading the field....

...But she ain't."

Guys, never has there been a more perfect example of meeting the right person at the wrong time. And you know what is also pretty cool about this book? Even though the age difference between Amelia and Chris is VAST (there is a world of difference between a 15 year old and 21 year old in terms of life experience, am I right?), Laura Buzo has written a book that makes you REALLY wish they could work it out somehow, some way (even though you know that it won't because that would be kind of GROSS, not to mention highly illegal) because the two of them have so much in common. There is MORE than a little potential between them romantically speaking. I guarantee you will find yourself kind of rooting for them even though you know you really shouldn't.

What I really love about this book is that it takes a realistic look at two young adults at very different stages of their lives. As an adult I have survived both stages. I have been that 15 year old girl crushing something fierce on an older guy I have no hope in hell of ever landing. I've been that girl who daydreams about love and finding that sensitive, yet hot, guy that TOTALLY gets me, like no one else does.

And I have been that college kid, staring down my last semester of college and wondering "what in the heck am I going to do next?" and "how I am I going to find a job to pay off all my student loans?" and "how will I make my mark on this world?"

And I have been that broken person, the one that has just been sucker punched by the person I thought loved me most, the person I thought got me. I've been that person who who wants nothing more then to move on, and in the same instant, wants nothing more than to go back.

So I both smiled and cringed at some of things that Amelia says and does. I've been there, remember? And I sighed and I ranted, and I shook my head sadly at some of the things Chris says and does. Again, been there. Done all of that.

That is the power of this quiet book. The power to relate to these simple and common life experiences. It is a true coming of age story in that it examines those pivotal moments we all face as we move from childhood to adulthood. There aren't any major dramas to be found in Love and Other Perishable Items. No one dies. No one goes to jail. No one has abusive families. That's not to say that those everyday, common moments don't seem big at the time. While you are living them they feel monumental. And Love and Other Perishable Items captures all of those moments that feel so monumental just beautifully.

And another plus, Laura Buzo doesn't cast off the other relationships in the lives of young Amelia and Chris as she tells their story. Chris's close knit family is represented. As is Amelia's strained relationship with her best friend Penny, and her life at home with her parents and baby sister. An interesting little side story concerning Amelia's parents, and the differences that each shoulder in regards to domestic responsibilities, is also examined. That tangent did tend to swerve off a little from the main story at hand, but I really liked that it was another topic of discussion between Amelia and Chris and further fleshed out each of their character's personal philosophies. Besides, any time an author can insert some relevant social issues (like division of labor on the domestic front) into a book targeted for a young adult audience I say, BRAVA.

So, how does it all end? Do they find a way to work out the age difference? Or do they just remain friends? Does Chris find a way to move on and mend his broken heart? Or does he break Amelia's heart in the end? I won't give any of it away but I will say that I personally loved the ending. It was absolutely pitch perfect and had it ended any other way I don't think I would have liked this book as much as I did. That is not to say that I would turn my nose up at a future sequel featuring Amelia and Chris... :) I'll say no more on that note (but if you have read the book and want to talk further about YOUR thoughts on the ending or a possible sequel, I'd be happy to elaborate on mine:)

In summary, I found Love and Other Perishable Items to be a funny and touching look at those everyday moments in life that we all experience: falling in love, having your heart broken, and figuring out who you are as a person outside of your family, school and work. Once again, I'm blown away by yet another contemporary Australian author. I'm planning on picking up Buzo's sophomore effort Holier Than Thou as soon as I can. show less

Fifteen-year-old Amelia had no idea that when she started work at her local supermarket that she would fall head over heels for Chris, the funny, hot, awesome University student who trains her. Amelia knows it’s stupid to think Chris would ever want someone like her. She’s very average in comparison to a lot of the other, older and slightly more edgy girls that work with them, plus Chris is twenty-one. It would be stupid of her to think that he could ever be interested in her, but that doesn’t stop her from dreaming, and wishing that one day, Chris will feel the same.

Told in alternating viewpoints with narrative from Amelia and peppered with journal entries from Chris, Love & Other Perishable Items was a refreshing little show more contemporary romance that I enjoyed very much.

The story is pretty simple and not very complicated. There are no gimmicks here, just a straight-forward story of a love-struck fifteen-year-old crushing on the charming, funny, cute, older boy she works with. I loved Amelia’s voice. She’s witty, hopeful, and a little awkward. She didn’t feel totally original, but she wasn’t an all out cliché either. It was fun getting to know her, and I really felt for her.

Adding in Chris’ self-deprecating journal entries from his “purple notebook” was a nice touch. It really gives the reader a chance to get to know the object of Amelia’s affections by giving us a glimpse into his deepest thoughts in a different sort of way. Chris is going through a lot personally, mainly a recent breakup with the love of his life, and he’s dealing with it in rather unhealthy ways. He’s a bit of a slacker, a pretty big partier and deals with it all by being a bit crass and quite the smart ass. I actually found myself wanting to read more from his POV.

What was really nice was that we would see a scene where Chris does something that makes Amelia think he might actually like her, and then a bit later we read an entry from Chris “purple notebook” and find out what he was actually thinking or what his real intentions were.

The writing is very fluid, and the story is very fun. Do Chris and Amelia defy societies rules, and end up together? I’ll never tell, but I would encourage you to read it and find out. You’ll have a lot of fun doing so. show less

This was a very emotionally satisfying book that I read in one go.

There's something about unrequited love in books--I always want it to end up in a happily ever after, but the two main characters of this book have an unavoidable age gap that makes this book unpredictable and kept me interested throughout. I felt very invested in the world Buzo had created and wanted to see where all the other people Amelia worked with ended up.

Seeing Chris through Amelia's perspective, and then seeing him through his own eyes, commenting on what matters to him, is exceedingly intriguing. This book was really well-written and both characters had very succinct voices that held true to the age and personality differences.

This book provided a beautiful look show more at how two different people see themselves, each other, and the world around them. show less