What an incredible, moving, funny, kind-hearted and beautiful story this was. Completely original, it captivated me from the very start and I have been pressing it into the hands of everyone around me ever since.

I’m sorry to say, this one is most definitely not for me. I started it and quite quickly decided that it’s just too strange for my reading tastes.

Wonderful read about grief and the ways we come to terms with it. It was easy to fall into the story and feel for the character.s.

It is very difficult to talk about this book and not let slip the intriguing twists and turns that are buried in the narrative. Isaac Addy is a man bereft, his wife, dead and his world collapsed. We meet him, drunk and despairing, considering suicide when he is awakened by a scream replying to one of his own. Such is his first encounter with the egg - an almost cartoon like character resembling one of the Mr Men.

The narrative then take us on a journey saturated with despair and yet brushed with humour as Isaac and the egg become acquainted. Apart from unanswered phone calls from his mother in law, unasked for visits from his sister Joy and very much unwanted trips to a therapist Isaac and the egg are alone in their travels through the process of grief. The book is both harrowing and yet hauntingly beautiful. The unpacking of the twist to the tale, so unexpected, adds yet another layer.

This is a really accomplished debut novel and I cannot wait to see what comes next from the pen of Bobby Palmer.

Genuine one of the most incredible, beautiful, tender, funny (ALL of the things) novels I've ever read and also unlike any book I've ever read. A must read.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Headline, Headline Review and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book!!! This book!! It was just beautiful and painful and adorable!!

Isaac and the Egg is exactly what it is the story of Isaac and an egg he finds abandoned which turns out to be a creature that speaks a weird language belonging to some other world. It's a story of healing, love, pain and acceptance.

To be honest, I cannot explain this story in anyway without giving away anything. Its completely mindboggling at first and you absolutely struggle to pinpoint what's going on and as the story progresses bits and pieces fall into place and you get the wider picture, which means you need to stay hooked till the end.

I feel like this is a hit or miss book, like you will either absolutely love it or you won't bother to finish it. One of the funny things for me with this story was how I would keep on picturing Isaac as an old man of 60's when in reality he is only in his late twenties, which was weird and I had to keep on reminding myself...nop...not an old guy now!

TW: Grief, Suicidal intentions, death, depression, anxiety

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my e arc.

A heartbreaking, beautifully written story. Worth a read. Some important topics and deals with grief.

Wow what a heart wrenching beautiful book this was. A lesson for us all is within these pages. This book made me cry and filled me with joy in equal measure. Even though it deals with grief I found hope, love and an appreciation for the small things that make us happy.

At first, I was a little unsure what I was reading. But as I read on, and gained a deeper understanding of both Isaac and egg, I started to really enjoy it and couldn't put it down.
It's a story full of humour, as well as a story that explores grief and isolation, with some beautiful writing in there too.
The second half of the book was where things started to make sense and where the story became more emotional, it was the part i enjoyed the most.

This book follows the titular Isaac, his battle with grief following the death of his wife, and his discovery of the mysterious Egg.

The story slowly reveals itself to us, as we find out what has happened and what secrets Isaac is keeping from us, and from himself.

To say that this is a book that deals so heavily with grief, it is also full of hope and humour. I loved it and will be looking out for what the author does next.

This is a very emotional and cleverly written book that explores the different stages of grief, and how a man, Isaac, faces up to the new situation he finds himself in. There's a real sense in the writing style of treading the perfect line of showing the despair alongside the little glimpses of hope, that allow someone to navigate those harder times of our lives.

We first meet Isaac when he's at his lowest, and all ready to end it. But then the first chink of light appears when he spots an egg in a clearing nearby - his inquisitive nature draws him over to see what it really is, and distracts him from that low point he was at.

And then we follow Isaac on that grief journey that he's been through as he gives in astonishing detail of how he's coped, or hasn't, with all the emotions since he heard the devastating news that shook him to the core and changed his life. It makes your heart break for the pain he goes through, but then adds in splashes of humour to lift the mood and just the art of caring for this 'egg' now in his life gives him back that routine and structure that is often stripped away following a loss.

I loved the way the whole subject of loneliness and grief was approached by the author and he created 2 standout characters in Isaac and Egg - going through the grief process myself at the time of reading really made me connect with how he felt. A special book and characters!

This book has stuck with me since I read it, the writing is beautiful, and gives an incredibly thought provoking insight into the way the brain learns to deal with trauma.
The story begins with a Isaac Addy finding the most frustrating egg in a wood, which he takes home and tries to teach the egg how to speak and cook, with interesting results. Along the way, we watch him avoid his family, attend therapy, not attend therapy, fail at avoiding his family, and thinks about a biscuit tin he owns.
I won't give away too much more as so much of the beauty of the story is the clever trail of information Bobby Palmer leads the reader along as you learn about how the egg ended up in the forest and how Isaac was on a bridge hearing it scream.

Audiobook review narrated by Johnny Flynn.
This book was made for audio, and made for the narrator.
I cannot describe my enjoyment of this. Although maybe enjoyment is the wrong word- there are scenes that will break your heart, but scenes that will mend it.
The Egg is a weird character, there's no doubt. but he is superb. Johnny Flynn captures the humour and warmth perfectly, and his 'egg noises' were the best part. Even my fiance said, 'this is the best audiobook you've ever listened to', and he hadn't even heard a lot of it!
The warmth comes with pain though, and there are depictions of grief that literally took my breath away with their accuracy. I just want to be able to listen to this audiobook when my own grief becomes overwhelming.
It is outstanding.

This is an unusual book which is difficult to review without giving away too much of the plot. Isaac is mourning the death of his wife and is in a deep depression when he encounters the ‘Egg’ of the story and takes it home. What follows is a piece of writing that genuinely seems to polarize readers. Based on other reviews I’ve read it is a classic love it or hate it novel. However, I seem to be somewhere in the middle, there were times when I was reading this that I felt like I could put it down and not bother finishing it as nothing seemed to be happening. But I persevered and must say that I was pleased I did.
A debut novel from Bobby Palmer which I’m sure will be a great hit.

Not my usual type of book but the description drew me in and overall I was not disappointed! It is quite a strange read and the manifestation of Isaac’s grief coming in the form of an Egg being the most peculiar part. But it is a beautiful and well written read on the realities of grief.

After losing his wife, Isaac stands on a bridge and contemplates jumping. Until something screams. Upon investigation, Isaac discovers the scream has come from a large, odd-looking egg which lies abandoned in the woods. What to do? Isaac takes the egg home.

Is Egg an alien? A being created by Isaac’s grief-stricken mind? Or is he a metaphor? It never really becomes clear, but Isaac and Egg’s friendship and growth render the question entirely purposeless. As they get used to living together, trying to understand each other, and both wondering what comes next, we’re given a beautiful portrayal of a relationship built on emotion, loneliness, and hope.

Egg is a gorgeous character. Despite the slapstick moments, and the frustration at him being quite unable to accustom himself to our culture or language, he’s a sweet wee soul who provides a warm spot in an otherwise tumultuous life.

The way Palmer shows us Isaac’s actions and emotions whilst dealing with grief is one of the most raw and realistic depictions I’ve ever read. It’s so human; despite how ridiculous it seems, and how we know we all deal with things differently, it was so real, heart-wrenching yet beautiful in its way. Recognising these behaviours made me feel closer to the novel; it was wonderfully done, and horrible in its stark familiarity.

Such a strange little novel, yet worthwhile in its message. Palmer has written something very special here, and I’ll remember Egg for a long while.

This is a beautifully written book about grief. This story is so sensitively written and somehow manages to be both raw and real but sensitive and heartwarming at the same time. Upon reflection it is also sad but also happy and hopeful. This book really should be much more difficult to read but it is actually a really easy and lovely read.

Isaac and the Egg is one of those peculiar books that I enjoyed without knowing why I enjoyed it. It very much reminded me of Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto or Grief is a Thing with Feathers, with the overarching theme being grief and depression.

I'll admit, the style of writing for me made it a little difficult to 'get into' but the storyline itself had me wanting to keep reading, even if only to make sure that Isaac was okay.

Its a light read at just over 200 pages long yet I still felt connected to Isaac and invested after about 40 pages. I use the word 'light' lightly however as it really took me on a journey of emotions.

Loved this story, nice easy read loved the characters....i got into the story pretty quickly, loved how the characters came togetehr throughout the book and how they each told their story in the book as well

This book wasn't what I had expected but I really enjoyed it.

Isaac Addy really isn’t coping with life, and we meet him as he contemplates jumping from a bridge.

We soon learn that the love of his life, Mary has died quite suddenly and he's falling apart.

As he's literally on the edge he hears a scream and discovers a huge, strange egg in the forest and decides to take it home with him.

I won't share any spoilers, but we get to see Isaac and Egg become friends and Isaac starts to piece together what has happened and what he needs to do to start living rather than existing post-Mary's tragic death,

A beautifully written debut novel, that would melt a heart of stone.

There were moments I laughed out loud (wow the Egg really does like beans) and some heart wrenching tender moments too.

Is Isaac losing his mind or is Egg really there to help him back to where he needs to be?