Sick Note

‘Patient is seeking support for work-related stress and has engaged employee support. She is exhibiting delusions of grandeur (proclaiming to be the Jennifer Lawrence of the office) and experiencing major fatigue (using paid lunch breaks to aura farm at the vending machine).’

Is this book:

a) An ode to the G10 bus line and Li-Shang from Mulan?

b) A lament on employment, capitalism and chronic health issues?

c) A precise, hilarious and original collection of poetry from Olivia De Zilva, author of Plastic Budgie and Eggshell?

d) All of the above?

‘De Zilva has the native talent of the true writer.’ Declan Fry, ABC Best Books of 2025

‘An impressive new voice.’ Hellai Gul, Meanjin

‘Achingly funny and cleverly inventive.’ The Australian Women’s Weekly

‘Bold, bright and steeped in complicated nostalgia.’ Books+Publishing

Olivia De Zilva is the author of Plastic Budgie and Eggshell. Her work has been published in The Guardian, Westerly, Liminal, SBS, Cordite Poetry Review, Mascara Literary Review and Australian Poetry Journal, among others. Olivia graduated with a Master of Philosophy from the University of Queensland; her thesis explored the representation of Asian-diasporic identity in contemporary Australian publishing. She is based on Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide, Australia.

If you enjoyed Sick Note, we suggest:

• Immersing yourself in of-the-moment poetry collections like The Rot by Evelyn Araluen and Juvenilia by Hera Lindsay Bird

• Embracing the unbridled joys of working culture in Stinkbug by Sinead Stubbins and The Office as a Boat by Moya Costello

• Looking to the stars with Famesick by Lena Dunham, Dua Lipa’s book club recommendations and, of course, Plastic Budgie by Olivia De Zilva

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