Heart-warming tale of grief and hope

Isaacandthe EggbyBobby Palmer ReviewedbyLouise Ward, WardiniBooks

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This is anovel of grief: but bear with me, as it’s somuchmore than that. Isaac is 29 years old. Whenwefirst meet him, he emerges from a blackout to find himself teetering on the edge of a bridge in the rainy night, his car dinging with its lights on, doors open, a sense of outrage hovering nearby. Suddenly filled with a primeval urge to live, he howls into the night. Something howls back: a sound neither animal nor human, but filled with loneliness.

This ishowIsaac meets the egg. Later, at home, Egg (as Isaac imaginatively namesit) will turn out to be brighter, fluffier andmore mobile than an actual egg. Egg becomes Isaac’s companion, as they tentatively explore the stages of grief together. Through Egg, welearn the causes of Isaac’s distress; his black-outs continue, and Egg observes with interest, trying to figure out where Isaac goeswhenhe’s not at home; what’s in the office; what’s behind the lockedroomon the top floor. The story plays out delicately, and its plot is best left for the reader to discover alongside detective Egg as they try to care for Isaac, feedinghimsome semblance of beans on toast for every meal and watching old movies together.

This story is incredible. Atale so beautiful and funny and heartwarming, yet filled with the most evocative descriptions of grief I’ve ever read. It takessomeauthorly skill to have a character so bereaved that theirmindbreaks apart in thesame chapter as ahilarious scene of aman and a creature playing baseball with the contents of the fridge.

Isaac and the Egg is an unforgettable tale of a youngmandealing with extraordinary life events in the most creativewayhis brain can fathom. It’s a testament to hope and resilience, and the beauty of a young mind. It contains lessons for us all.