Member Reviews
Isaac, grieving the death of his wife, stands alone on the edge of a bridge and screams. From the woods beyond, something screams back. Further investigation reveals a large egg, abandoned in a clearing. Isaac decides to take the egg home, and so begins an extraordinary friendship which helps him come to terms with his loss and rediscover life.
Isaac and the Egg is a wildly imaginative exploration of grief and emotional trauma. I loved the relationship between Isaac and Egg – it felt really organic and, with his current state of mind, I could totally understand Isaac’s acceptance of this strange creature in his life. This story is a beautifully written rollercoaster that dives into mental breakdown and repressed memory, and rises back out into recovery and hope.
It’s wacky, funny, heartbreaking and truly unique. Brilliant.
Isaac is at rock bottom, when the egg comes into his life.
This is described as a “feel-good” book - it took a while to feel good, so stick with it! I found it mostly sad, and confusing, and sometimes distressing.
This book really puts you through the wringer! It really goes from sad and devasting to joyful and hilarious. The book was so enjoyable because it was so different from anything I'd read before. A beautiful, well-written book about loss and finding your way.
This is the story of Isaac and the egg, a remarkable story about a young man trying to navigate grief and his unexpected new friend. Prepare to have your heart broken and then put back together again.
I'm going to be fully honest and say I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book or absolutely hate it, I'd heard it was pretty original and that always makes me fearful. I'm a creature of habit and I don't always like books that are dubbed as original.
I'm happy to report I adored this book! It's tender, it's poignant and for somebody again who finds humor in books difficult (I know I'm annoying) often laugh out loud funny.
I fell completely unabashedly in love with Isaac and I can't remember the last time I wanted to reach inside the pages and hug someone the way I did him. Despite the uniqueness of this story, the portrayal of grief is so well written, the topic of therapy is so well written. Its just beautiful. Yes its unique but in a way that doesn't detract from the story. The ending broke me to the point my children were calling me strange as I put it down with tears streaming down my face. Just honestly magical
Loved this book! It is so unique and original it's hard to describe, but everything starts when Isaac finds a big egg in the woods. An egg with fur and eyes... Maybe it's really a monkey? Or an alien! Because Isaac is a fan of pop culture, and E.T. immediately springs to mind.
But no matter what Egg is - Isaac is suffering and his new roomate is here to help. To yell. To set toasters on fire. To make us smile and cry, and smile again and cry again.
This book is impossible to pitch. It's about life, and a bad moment in life, and a strange relationship that might help you go through it. It's not science-fiction, it's not magical realism. It's something new, something I hadn't realized I needed before I read this book.
It's something great.
This one was ok but it wasn’t really my cup of tea. I struggled making sense of it at times and the whole monster thing didn’t interest me.
Unfortunately I did not enjoy this read at all, I would have dnfed if I hadn't received it as an arc. I found the writing distanced me from the main character to the point of me not caring and I really didn't like Egg. I understand the point, but for me it didn't work. It was also very repetitive with not much happening at all for most of the book, but it was very obvious to me where it was all going in the end, it just took what seemed like a long time to get there.
I heard of this book MONTHS before it has been published. BELIEVE THE HYPE!! I was sucked in by ISAAC AND THE EGG. A truly breath of fresh air in fiction.
Took me a long time to read this book. Sorry to say i did not enjoy it. Nothing against the authour, its just not my thing.
We meet Isaac Addy one cold morning on a bridge, ready to throw himself off it after his wife Mary has died.
He’s as fragile as an egg, disassociated the world around him, an alien. Precisely at this critical point moment, out of the woods an egg-shaped psychagogue appears…
With its moving depiction of loss, grief, despair and loneliness, this should be an utterly depressive book, but it is so not.
A book to be sipped, not gulped.
A difficult one to review as I thought it was a good idea but didn't quite get there in places. The middle section dragged a bit for me.
Whilst being vague to not to do spoilers, a lot of the humour around the egg is very visual and I can see it working better as a TV mini series than a book.
Once everything was revealed I was confused about the time line and how long Isaac had been egging around. I hadn't really warmed to Isaac (I know, I feel bad but I don't get on great with man child type characters) and this didn't help.
A good idea though and I can see why it's getting love.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Can't believe this is a debut! Such a different book dealing with grief and sadness but with hope at the core. It will stay with me for a long time.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.
Isaac is alone, standing on a bridge, and screams. Something screams back at him...
'Isaac and the Egg' is a highly imaginative way to show how someone goes through extreme grief. Well written with beautiful scenes, it is thought-provoking and deals with love, loss and mental health issues.
I found the first half quite slow going and struggled, but eventually, I warmed to the book and enjoyed the heartwarming ending. It is amazing to see Isaac develop as the story develops, with the help of Egg.
It is one of those books I feel you need to read again to truly 'get it', but a great debut that I am sure will do well.
Beautiful, magical, funny and sad. I loved this book about grief and friendship. Very moving and imaginative.
A really interesting and thought provoking ready. Very emotional and made you think long after finishing. a must read.
Beautifully written novel that addresses some very dark themes. Full review appears in my newspaper column.
I loved this unusual book.
When Isaac finds an egg in the woods at the lowest point of his life, he takes it home, which starts a whole series of curious events.
The story on the face of it is highly improbable, alien creature meets man but in actual fact this is a beautiful love story. It’s a story about grief and hope.
I actually cried at the end! But there were also plenty of giggles to be had too.
Told empathetically, I would thoroughly recommend this novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this brilliant read in exchange for my honest review.
Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer Narrated by: Johnny Flynn what a strange book this was! but beautifully written. This is the story of Isaac and the Egg, who is a grieving young man and his unforgettable new friend, who meet at exactly the right time.
As, Isaac stands alone on a bridge and screams as he is is contemplating suicide.....But,
Something screams back. But, who screams back at him?
Who is it and what is it?
Isaac follows the noise, he then stumbles upon a 2 foot high white egg in the forest. Isaac decides to take it home. Then, their unexpected journey begins of Isaac and his strange companion, whom he decides to name ‘Egg’.
Isaac and the Egg is about so many things - grief, Suicide hope, friendship and love. It was an easy to read book with a lot of meanings throughout.
Big Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review
When I started reading this book I was not prepared for the rollercoaster of emotions it sent me on.
Isaac pain I could feel and relate to and I started to wish I could have a buddy like Egg. The book although very heartbreaking as you read and realise what has happened the Egg brings in a little light relief. It is beautifully written and I couldn’t put it down. I would highly recommend this book to everyone as we have all experienced this type of pain in our life and this book shows you even in your darkest times your never alone.
If you like E. T. Wall. E and other stories of that ilk, you will love Isaac and the Egg.
Wracked with grief, despair and guilt, Isaac is on the edge of a bridge. He screams. And something screams back. Meet Egg. Furry ovoid with wiggly arms and black eyes, he is an odd saviour, but a saviour nonetheless.
Isaac takes Egg home and so begins a journey through grief. In learning to care for another, Isaac begins to feel again. Visceral with pain, this is at times, dark. But it's also light, and cute and inspiring.
Truly memorable and truly beautiful.