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The Overthinkers

By Lisa Portolan and Ben Cheong
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Overthinkers by Lisa Portolan and Ben Cheong is a contemporary exploration of love, identity, and the complexities of the human mind. The story follows Julia, who, amidst the bustle of Sydney, wrestles with her spiralling thoughts and the tricky dance of relationships. As she navigates friendship, romance, and personal growth, the narrative offers a glimpse into the intricacies of overthinking and self-discovery.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this captivating general fiction if you appreciate stories that delve into the complexities of modern life and explore the intricacies of human thought and behaviour. The narrative intricately weaves together themes of self-discovery and the challenges of dealing with the overwhelming nature of overthinking. It could appeal to readers who relish character-driven stories full of insights into how our minds navigate the chaos of everyday decisions.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Four people, figuring out sex, love, and how to ‘adult.’ Sydney - one of those places that just consumes you. A private school boy, a tortured drug dealer, a starving writer, and a gay outcast try to do their best as they navigate through the unspoken rules that govern the fast-paced, status-obsessed harbour city.

Benji: desperate to stand on his own, and be perceived as separate from his status-driven family.

Francesca: plotting her remarkable and glamorous future.

Leo: the confident gay-sian, but despite the pretence, lacks a sense of identity and self-worth.

Hamish: fell into drugs to distinguish himself.

Four stories interlaced together. Anxiety masked as confidence. Ambitions as arrogance. Insecurities which fester … until the cracks appear in the perfect façade.

"I laughed. I cried. Sometimes at the same time!" - Tim Ferguson.

"Portolan and Cheong’s voices stitch seamlessly together to lay out a funny, honest and extremely relatable story, so clearly born of the 2020s. I couldn’t get enough of it!" - Marlee Silva.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922488176

Publisher: Big Sky Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 July 2021

Country: Australia

Imprint: Big Sky Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 230.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 294

Collections

Ben Cheong Fiction General Fiction LGBTQ+ Lisa Portolan Literary Fiction

About the Author

Lisa Portolan is an author and researcher from Sydney. Her PhD relates to digital intimacies, in particular dating apps and modern romance. She has three books published, including best-selling, Happy As, and cult queer-lit hit, The Overthinkers. She writes regularly for The Conversation, in relation to love, intimacy and dating, and is featured on day-time television and radio. Her work through Western Sydney University focuses on the concept of high-maintenance women, the notion of the Aussie Bloke, and other narratives, and cultural and social idioms invoked in modern dating and romance. She is also the host of the Slow Love podcast series (top ten in 2020).  Ben is a PR consultant and accidental first-time author of The Overthinkers. An openly-gay, cis man, and son of first-generation Chinese Malay immigrants, Ben grew up in suburbia as an outlier in both the ‘Aussie’ and Chinese communities. Instead, Ben attempted to make connections in a very closeted, young LGBT+ community. As a young adult, Ben felt embarrassed when talking about mental health issues, and heard similar stories from his close friends, which drove him to write his debut novel with Lisa Portolan.

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