Beautiful, poignant and life-affirming story of grief, loss and hope. Imaginative, quirky and surreal with a great narrator.

Isaac is going through a very difficult time when he makes a strange discovery in the woods. In turn this helps him come to terms with the traumatic events he is dealing with.

What a breath of fresh air that I didn't know I needed.

The narrator is so crisp and amazing as Isacc and in particular the Egg.

Whilst it's sad and weird, the Story is gripping and funny.

Honestly, this book is just the Tonic I needed today.

The Egg is just amazing.

This was the most beautiful, wholesome, and life-affirming book I've ever read. I had no idea what to expect when I requested the audiobook, other than it sounded like a nice story. It absolutely exceeded every expectation and is one I'll be recommending/gifting to everyone.

Isaac has been feeling lost recently. His large memory gaps are fuelled by lack of sleep, drunkenness, and an aching hole in his heart. He feels like throwing himself off the bridge he suddenly finds himself perched on the edge of. Until he hears a distant wailing. Stumbling through the forest, he discovers a clearing. And in that clearing lies a huge, white egg. Confused, Isaac decides the best course of action is to take the egg home with him. And what entails is a story of profound loss, unlikely friendships, and hope in a world where the darkness has swallowed you whole.

Firstly, Johnny Flynn does an excellent job of narrating this one. His soft Scottish accent mingled with Isaac's jumbling mess of thoughts is perfectly executed. He brings the story to life in every way it deserves.

Secondly, the story itself is so pure and poignant. It's like nothing I've ever read before and explores grief from an original and unique perspective. Isaac's feelings and actions are raw, relatable, and all too real. It was truly mesmerizing and one I believe should be added to every school curriculum. A true masterpiece.

Thank you to Headline Audio and NetGalley for the complimentary audio copy of Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer.

This is one of the most beautiful stories I've listened (read).

We meet Isaac on the worst day of his life, and by his own admission, has never really lost anyone close to him. We discover his wife has died, and on that day he discovers an egg in the forest. Egg becomes his support structure when he cannot deal with anything around him. I have a great deal of compassion for Isaac who suddenly feels very alone, very isolated and probably very lost at the news of his beloved wife's death. I've also learnt to have a great deal of fondness for Egg, even if I know he isn't real, but he helps Isaac deal with the traumatic event.

Towards the end of the book we discover that Isaac and Mary had a son, and that he was currently in ICU.

This is such a beautiful tale of great sorrow, loss and yet amidst all of the sadness, hope. It's not always easy to have hope in light of life changing events such as Isaac's, but it is possible.

I think that this book will touch everyone in a different way depending on our own circumstances and experiences.

Issac has gone through some major life trauma and is not coping at all, then he meets an egg. Its a sad read and for anyone who has gone through the grieving process it will open up some wounds for sure. The writing is very very engaging and i wish i had read rather than listened to this one, the narrator was quite bland and maybe he had to be to convey the grief and sorrow. The book is very emotional and although the egg character is a bit obsercre when you feel like Issac there are no rules so go with it. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

I think this is the best audiobook I've listened to this year. Bobby Palmer has written a beautiful book about mourning and how the long painful road to life afterwards is ultimately worth walking.

Isaac finds a sentient egg creature in the woods. It is never clear how "real" Egg is. Is the strange creature a byproduct of Issac's increasing fractured mental health or is it a being from another planet?

Palmer's articulates powerfully how isolating losing a loved one can be and how hard it is to see any light in the desolation. This is book brimming with humour and humanity.

The team that produce the audiobook did a stellar job. The light touch special effects of changing Flynn's voice on phonecalls and the music to open and close the book are fab choices.

Flynn's performance is magnificent. He brings the text to life brilliantly. I especially enjoyed the voice he gave to Egg. It is a tricky book to get right with sections going from absurdly silly slapstick of Egg making breakfast to searingly painful parts where Issac describes finding out about his wife's death. Flynn nails it balances quizzical aloofnes and endearing earnestness.

One of the books of the year. Please read or listen to it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A very sweet story that was definitely easy to listen to, so much so it made me feel sleepy which was both good and bad! I think we can all relate in some way to Isaac and his grief. It’s not necessarily gripping but if you’re looking for soothing and sweet this is the audiobook for you.

I really didn’t know what to expect when I started listening to this audiobook as I’d not read the blurb. These characters accompanied me on a long journey with @johnnyflynnmusic narrating perfectly.

This is is a very very sweet, kind of heart rendering, kind of heartwarming book about a man deep in grief. In that grief Isaac finds egg. What is egg? Is he a funny little alien? Is he funny little animal? Or is egg actually a figment of Isaac’s imagination?

We first meet Isaac & he is literally on the edge. We find him atop a bridge & he really is contemplating whether this is the place to end it all. He is disturbed by a noise which breaks his reverie & makes him consider.

This is a curious story. It’s kooky & feels a little sparkled in fairy dust. If it wasn’t for the central tenet of grief at times this reads like a YA book.

However, as you journey with this pair through the strange pathways of their interactions together & with others, via the peculiar blackouts suffered by Isaac, you’ll find yourself down the rabbit hole. As a journeyman partner I think you’ll be gripped to get to the end …. where things will become clear to you.

For lovers of Max Porter books or the films It’s A Wonderful Life, & ET. This book is also for you if you are seeking a visceral & moving portrayal of grief, mental health & pain. It’s actually funny too.

From other reviewers I’ve learned the book has a beautifully, illuminating typography. I’m looking forward to that. Highly recommend.

This was a quirky book that delves into the all consuming experience of grief.

I found some of the passages touching and they made me think, but on the whole I wasn’t completely convinced about the relationship between Isaac and the Egg.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

A central mystery that intrigued in a bleak story about loss, the use of an ‘alien’ egg like character provides a balance of humour to the blanket sadness of grief, ending with a curious almost fairytale full of pathos.

My thanks to NetGalley and Headline review for the pleasure of listening to the ARC audible of this touching journey of loss and grief.
It has moments of joy,and humour tinged with sadness and resolution..
I recommend this thought provoking book.

Isaac is grieving for his love and wife, Mary. He's taken himself to a bridge, where he sits, lost in grief. Then, out of nowhere, he hears a strange sound...
What follows is Isaac and the Egg and it's a beautiful, heartbreaking tale of grief, redemption, love and hope and I loved it.

Yes, it's a sad story of Isaac's loss and mental anguish, but, due to Egg, there's beauty and laughs too.

A stunning, unique, extraordinary debut.

I was fortunate enough to be granted the audio version, read beautifully by Johnny Flynn. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Headline audio for the privilege of previewing this beautiful book.

Isaac, an incredibly broken man, stands on a bridge one night screaming. When something screams back. The scream captures Isaacs attention and he goes to find what has made it, only to find a large egg. And so he takes the egg home and begins to share life with him.

I can’t tell you what the egg is or why it’s there.

I also can’t put this into a genre.

Isaac and the egg is strange, beautiful, heartbreaking and humerous.
It confused me. It made me cry. It made me smile. And above all it gave me hope.

I instantly warmed to Isaac, despite being so broken and desperate he is a genuinely good man. I instantly fell in love with the egg.

The book is beautifully written and I love how the story unfolds bit by bit. The blending between present and past is brilliantly done and leads to the culmination of the storyline really well.

The ending is just perfect for both the characters and the book.

I really enjoyed listening to Isaac and the Egg as an audiobook, the narrator has a great voice that keeps your attention. And he speaks “Egg” way better than I could even try!

Just absolutely beautiful. The story and the way it was written (and the way it was read in my audio book version) just took me in and captivated me from the start. Love and grief are so perfectly portrayed. A sensational book that I won't be forgetting for a long time and will be recommending to everyone I meet, along with some tissues! I think I will always keep egg in my heart as a symbol of hope and strength for tough times.

This book is special in so many ways because most people can relate to Isaac at some level and everyone needs an egg like the one Isaac has found. This unique novel takes the reader on Isaac's journey of self-discovery, self-forgiveness and self-redemption in a way that is both startling and beautiful.

I enjoyed the book of Isaac and the Egg which I read prior to listening to the audiobook.
The audiobook was a more enjoyable and enriching experience and I was able to better relate to Isaac’s dilemma and enjoyed revisiting his experiences on a second encounter.
Great narration.

I had no idea what I was walking into when I requested this book - much like Isaac walking into the woods. For the first 10% of the book I was wondering where on Earth it was heading, although really enjoying the writing style and the narration.

By about 20% I was fully invested, and listened to it at every given opportunity. My heart broke for Isaac as more and more of his story was revealed, and I completely and utterly feel in love with Egg. We should all have an egg in our lives.

I guessed Isaac's 'secret' fairly early on in the book but it didn't affect my enjoyment of it at all. I laughed out loud at Egg and tears came to my eyes more than once towards the end.

I found it an incisive and heartwarming depiction of how the mind deals with extremely traumatic incidents and processes difficult memories, filled with understanding and dark comedy.

I can't say too much without giving spoilers, but everyone should read this book!

This was really a sweet and lovely story about love and loss and finding ways to carry on with a bereavement. I devoured it in one day. Highly recommended.

I listened to Isaac and The Egg on audio courtesy of Netgalley and Headline books so thank you very much for the early copy to review!

The story follows Isaac, a man at his lowest ebb, as he meets a strange egg creature and takes him home. Cue strange and funny situations as the egg crashes around his house attempting to make beans on toast and Isaac tries to hide him from his sister Joy.

Strange egg creature aside, this is a book about grief. Isaac has lost his wife Mary and is right in the lowest point in his grieving for her. Having the egg to focus on, Isaac slowly finds himself moving forward and taking small steps to get his life back together.

This book has had so many good reviews but personally I just couldn't get into it. I think this is one I would have preferred as a physical book where I could have become more absorbed in it but also I just found the egg a bit freaky and it threw me off the story. I loved the ending where it all came together, although it was a bit ambiguous, but there were some really touching, heartwarming moments that, had I been more invested in it, would have definitely made me cry!

What an amazingly original story. The narrator was great at bringing this story to life. Isaac is about to commit suicide following the death of his wife when he finds the egg. Egg helps Isaac through his grief in a marvellously touching way leading to a tear jerking ending. Loved it.