A review by sharada_mohan
Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer

5.0

Rating 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

Thought-provoking and profound with intense philosophical impact!

Synopsis –

Isaac is drowning in grief. With an unimaginable kind of loneliness and hopelessness clinging to his very being, he stands near a bridge and screams. But something screams back. It’s an Egg, an otherworldly being - is it extra-terrestrial or celestial? Or something else? When Isaac decides to take it home, he never thought he would gain a lifelong friend in this “Egg”? Can this “Egg” save him from himself?

Review –

I listened to this on audio thanks to the courtesy of NetGalley and Headline Audio. I don’t think it could’ve been better in any other format.

The general mood of the book is melancholic and somber. The narrator did a wonderful job with his voice adapted to convey this forlorn tone of the book. He also deserves an applause for mimicking the various sounds of the “Egg” and its attempts at speaking.

The story of Isaac is not an easy one. It’s immersed in sadness, heartache and gut-wrenching sorrow. I’d say you need the right mindset to read this book, else you would struggle to connect with him.

However, just as every cloud comes with a silver lining, Isaac is blessed with one such too. The Egg. Once Egg comes into his life, although not immediately, Isaac begins to change in ways he cannot comprehend.

I just loved how interaction blooms between Isaac and Egg. Gradually they strike a kind of friendship that helps with Isaac’s loneliness, giving him a routine, a purpose, finally returning him to his normal humanly existence. This unique friendship is what makes this book so special. What a brilliant and ingenious idea behind the Egg!

What I absolutely adored was Egg’s voice on audio! Oh, I think I was laughing and crying at the same time, with some of Egg’s antics and attempts of communication with Isaac. It was truly a joy to see Egg becoming Isaac’s companion for life!

Palmer‘s writing is exquisite - adorned with some beautiful wordings and quotes, that they made me wonder about the very crux of life, destiny’s cruelties and how it renders us utterly helpless.

Isaac's tale is not only about grief and loss, but also about hope, finding a friend for life and a "home".

This is a story that would stay with me forever.