Plastic Budgie (Olivia De Zilva, Pink Shorts Press)

Olivia De Zilva’s autofiction debut Plastic Budgie is a sharply funny, sad and sentimental reflection on the people, places and cultural forces that shape us as we grow up. In the novel, De Zilva recounts her sometimes traumatic, sometimes joyful experiences of growing up in Adelaide with her parents and Chinese immigrant grandparents. From being bullied and not speaking for an entire year, to losing the pet bird her grandfather bought her, to heartbreak at a school disco, she weaves together anecdotes from childhood and adolescence into an unapologetically humorous narrative that explores serious issues with sensitivity and grace. Bursting with early 2000s pop-culture references, De Zilva’s writing is laced with dark wit and is emotionally devastating in equal measure; she has a voice that is bold, bright and steeped in complicated nostalgia. Her distinctive tone lends levity to heavy themes such as racism, bullying and sexual assault without ever diminishing their emotional weight or significance. At its core, Plastic Budgie speaks to the migrancy experience and the challenges faced by the generations that follow. It explores family dynamics through grief and hope and will appeal to readers of Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart and Melanie Cheng’s The Burrow. De Zilva’s humour and unflinching honesty make the book compulsively readable, perfect for anyone who grew up feeling a little out of place.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Gabby Spina is an emerging writer and bookseller based in Meanjin/Brisbane. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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