This is a story of Isaac who is a man in the depths of suffering and despair. The book begins with Isaac contemplating suicide until he hears a scream in the woods, so he wanders in to find the source if the scream and finds an egg.
I won’t say too much more about the egg as I don't want to give anything away, but it really is the centre of the story. In all honesty, it took me a while to get into the book and the egg storyline. I found the first half of the book very descriptive but quite slow going.
Isaac takes the egg home and a story of intense grief develops. Only a small number of other characters pop up throughout the book offering love and support to Isaac and it’s difficult to say too much more without spoilers, but although I found the book slow paced and took a while to get into it, by the end I felt like I needed to read it again as I’ll understand it better and probably take more from it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book made me cry. 5 stars for doing that . A story so beautifully told a tale of loss. The characters are amazing in it . A must for fans of Patrick Ness.

The day Isaac and the Egg popped up on my twitter feed I knew straightaway that I had to take a closer look at the pair of them. The premise of the book was intriguingly bizarre and that meant that it had the potential to join the pantheon of my favourite if rather surreal books of last year, which included Piranesi and The Porpoise. I am delighted to say that Isaac and the Egg have lived up to their potential.
The story starts with almost an ending as Isaac Addy hovers over the parapet of a bridge, readying himself to jump to his death. He gives one last, gut-wrenching and harrowing cry of pain – and is answered by one of equal, gut-wrenching and harrowing quality. And so Isaac and Egg find each other, or rather Isaac finds the egg.
This is a surreal tale, just about tittering on the edge of reality, but that does not detract from its raw emotional authenticity. Both Isaac and Egg are lost and confused, frightened and grieving the loss of what each used to consider their whole world. Their friendship is built on their mutual need for each other and their joint discovery of what lies beyond bereavement, because there is always something out there to live for.
I don’t know what tragedies life has thrown at the young author to drive him to write this book, but, by golly, he knows what he’s talking about. Isaac is palpably throbbing with emotions and Egg is like a big, fluffy plaster to cover the open wounds and make their ragged edges come together in the end.
But what a crazy journey it is before that ending arrives! I wept, I gasped, I sniffled, and I laughed, too. Yes, you will laugh too because as much as this book is poignant and vivid in its description of loneliness and pain, it is also incredibly funny. The gentle humour makes it all so much better for the reader, for trust me, you as a reader will need your heart rescuing by the book’s subtle comedic quality.

Torn between giving this a 4 or a 5, I haven't read anything else quite like it, and I don't really know how to talk about it without giving spoilers! I opted for a 4 in the end, only because initially I found the style of the writing a little uncomfortable, or perhaps unexpected is a better word. It wasn't the easiest to read. And the subject matter is very dark and difficult. But in spite of that, this book is absolutely chock-full of hope and love and even, at times, humour. I read the last 40% all in one go, sitting in a John Lewis cafe, and as I got closer to the end I was pretty sure I was going to start ugly crying and I had to take a lot of really deep breaths to keep it together. The end was wonderful, and the whole thing was a really engaging rollercoaster emotional ride. I suspect it will be a marmite book, but I really, really enjoyed it, and I will be looking out for what Bobby Palmer writes next.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s so well written and the grief Isaac is going through is beautifully described. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

This was a really interesting book and one of the most unique books that I've read in a while. The story focuses on Isaac, who discovers a wonderful Egg in the woods. Except, Isaac's life is utterly falling apart and he clings to this Egg in the hopes that he can use it as a life raft. Except life doesn't really work out this way. Saying more would ruin the book, but in the description it talks about grief, and I think this is one of the most beautifully told stories of grief that I've read. But it's still a heavy subject, and at times it was hard to read this book, and I definitely cried and at times I laughed. And I felt every step of Isaac's journey.

This book was unexpected, in that I didn't think it would be as heavy as it was, but it was as joyful as I expected at times too. Life is full of stories, and it's the ones we tell ourselves to get through the tough times that matter.

This is probably the most incredible book I have ever read. It is beautiful, heartbreaking, tragic, but overall, just unbelievably, poignantly, sadly, beautiful.
When Isaac discovers the egg in the woods, it doesn't take long to realise that the egg is to help Isaac face his unbearable despair following his wife's death. Nonetheless, I still flipped between wondering just how real the egg was, or whether it was entirely created in Isaac's mind as his way of dealing with his grief. The twists kept coming as we learn that the egg was created not by Isaac but by his dead wife, and that it's not just his wife who is missing from his home throughout the story. The depiction of moving through the earliest weeks of grief is written in such an intense, real, understanding way that I can only presume the author has experienced this kind of devastation in his own life. I really can't say too much about this - partly because of not giving spoilers, but more because my brain is still processing it. In the acknowledgments, Bobby Palmer mentions that his brother confessed to crying in the bath on reading this; well, me too. In a bath that had long-gone cold. I cannot recommend this highly enough, will read it again and again, and talk about it to everyone. It should become an instant classic and be on every doctor's shelf, every teacher's shelf, every library shelf, every counsellor's shelf, and really, every bookshelf everywhere. Oh, and did I say, it's just beautiful. Truly beautiful. I'll be buying a proper copy!
I predict it soon won't just be trending as #ThatEggBook, but also as #ThatBookAboutGrief

I had heard so many good things about this book that it was almost inevitable that it would be a disappointment. While this was readable enough, I thought the trope of ‘grieving man goes to pieces until he gets something to care for’ has been rather overdone. I guessed the ending and only carried on reading to see if i was right. I also found the writing to be a bit overblown.

We meet Isaac on a bridge, close to committing suicide, having recently lost his wife in tragic circumstances. What stops him is the discovery of a strange kind of egg, which turns out to be a creature that Isaac feels compelled to take home and care for. What follows is the daily struggle of Issac to come to terms with what has happened while trying to care for Egg (who keeps getting into all kinds of scrapes).

This is a very charming book, and Egg is just adorable. However, it is also very raw. The grief is palpable and as someone going through the grieving process currently, I found certain passages extremely hard to read. However, the warmth of Isaac’s relationship with Egg kept me going, and I’m glad I read this book. A very promising debut, I would happily read more by this author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

Isaac Addy, at his lowest point and leaning over a bridge considering his options, hears a noise in some nearby woods and goes to investigate. Upon finding a large egg, seemingly abandoned, he takes it upon himself to rescue it and whatever may be inside, putting it in his car and taking it to his house. As we learn more about the egg, we also learn more about Isaac and his journey through grief.

‘Isaac and the Egg’ is an unexpected joy. I spent the early part of novel thinking, ‘What on earth is going on?!’ before leaning into the plot and finding the middle section both amusing and touching. The climax of the novel is delivered at a much higher pace and is even more affecting.

The author has created a novel that is both so funny and also such an astute observation of a person living with grief, loss and loneliness. There is also an added element of mystery, which I quite enjoyed. I can’t say too much more but, as the novel progresses, more is revealed and the things we learn start to come together and make sense.

I’ve given a review of four stars because I did struggle a bit at the beginning, wondering if this book was going to be right for me, but I’m really glad I threw myself into it. I also correctly guessed what the mystery element was relatively early on. But, overall, a really lovely, heartfelt book and a remarkable debut from the author.

This review is based on an advance copy, generously provided by the publishers through NetGalley.

I went into this book not knowing much about it and was so pleased the I did. The story is so unexpected and such a wonderful slow reveal that I think knowing too much or seeing spoilers or even general storylines would take away some of its magic. It’s enough said that this book is about grief and love, friendship and redemption and is beautifully told. I laughed and I cried and my heart went out to Issac and the Egg. A book I will certainly recommend to my friends and a fabulous debut. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and not least the author for allowing me to read the ARC of the novel in return for an honest review.

What a lovely book! This is totally, not what I expected, a fast read, but a thoroughly absorbing one too. It's a wonderful debut novel, quirky, emotional and thoughtful. I really enjoyed it.

Isaac and the Egg is a very unusual book. A very distressed man walks into the woods and his life changes immediately. I cannot offer an insight to this story because it is so different from any book I have ever read. This book is a delight and it made me laugh and cry. You must read it and find out for yourself. 09/10

Thank you Netgalley and Headline Eternal for an arc of this book.

Wow, I loved this book. I went into this book pretty blind and didn’t really know what to expect and I’m glad I did. Issac and the Egg is a beautifully written book about grief, love and moving forward. The relationship and character building between Issac and the egg is well done and provides an element of fun and entertainment to a serious subject.
The subtle hints of a plot twist and the twist itself were cleverly woven in the book and executed in a effective and sensitive manner which I really enjoyed.
Despite the sad topic of the story there is an uplifting and hopeful feeling to this book.
This a short, easy read that tackles some difficult subjects in a sensitive and beautiful way. Highly recommend.

Isaac Addy has found an egg – a two-foot tall egg which is surprisingly lightweight and soft, as if it’s been hard-boiled and peeled. The egg’s appearance has distracted him from a bewildering, empty-hearted, last-ditch attempt to end his life, and instead he resolves to take the egg home and care for it. Isaac is newly grief-stricken, ragged with emotion at the recent sudden loss of his wife Mary, and questions his own sanity even further when the now-warm egg sprouts arms, feet and a face, and begins to totter around his house, exploring – and in some cases, eating – the remnants of the couple’s life. The duo slowly tackle the logistical challenges of returning to life after death, forming a sort of sweet double act to tick off the tasks required to reset the house and Isaac’s heart. A comically surreal yet totally sympathetic and heart-wrenching exploration of the insanity felt when you lose a loved one, and a reminder of the cruel fragility of reality: all it takes is a gentle tap to break its shell.

Sad, funny and incredibly touching. Imagine “It’s a Wonderful Life”, but with an egg! It is a sensitive portrayal of loss and grief, with an absurdist twist.

The book references "Mary Poppins", "ET", as well as the previously mentioned "It's a Wonderful Life" within its pages. The resulting book feels like a mashup of all of those stories, combined with the author's own magic, to create a modern day fairytale.

I absolutely loved this book. It's completely different to what I would usually read, and (luckily for me) I've not directly experienced the type of grief dealt with in the story, so I can't speak to the real experience.

However, the writing style is so beautiful, I really got swept up in this strange and moving story. It deals with guilt, grief and moving on, in a humourous, tender and bizarre way. I found a few parts repetitive, mainly the many different descriptions of grief and the feelings Isaac was working through, but overall I was really moved by his story.

I saw a couple of the "twists" coming, but I'm usually pretty intuitive with that anyway, and the plot itself was cleverly put together with some very surprising moments.

It definitely needs a content warning at the start for the number of difficult subjects it covers (apologies if that's there and I missed it), and the formatting for kindle didn't work super well, but I don't include that in my rating as the ARCs are usually still WIPs anyway - just one to be aware of. I did love the inclusion of the handwritten pieces in relation to the story.

Isaac and the Egg really got me thinking about my own life and relationships, and brought me to tears more than once. It's not a long read and definitely needs to be fully read through to understand, so I would take the DNF reviews with that in mind.

An excellent and unusual story that I'll definitely recommend to the right people :) a social media review will follow this

An absolute gem! Completely addicted, will definitely read more of Bobby Palmer!
So powerful, I laughed out loud, cried a lot out loud too!
Gorgeous exploration of grief through the meeting of an “egg-like” character from a different world, who will try to help Isaac work through his loss and bring him back out to the real world.
Fabulous!

This was beautiful. I'd recommend it to everyone - poignant and heartbreaking, but uplifting and comforting at the same time. For me it goes up there with Grief is A Thing With Feathers for understanding dealing with loss through an other worldly being.

CW: Starts with suicidal ideation, death of partner

I absolutely adored this book. It's such a sensitive and thoughtful take on grief and love, full of beauty and humour, and it really did make me both laugh and cry. I'm recommending it to everybody I know.