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mybestfriendsarefictional's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
novelshire's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Death of parent, Car accident, and Panic attacks/disorders
basil_touche's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I ended up being sold on this book after reading the first page. It's bizarre premise and absurd sense of humor really appeal to my own sensiblities when it comes to fiction, while also having an emotional core that holds no barred to it's subject. The style of the writing was clear and kept my attention and the fun quirks with the typography where words move or even form the shape of an egg really added to the experience.
Egg was probably my favourite character, I kept imaginging him as being a puppet from the Jim Henson Company and the erratic wiggling of his absurdly long arms made for quite the humourous image. But, he's also essential to the darker subject matter in helping Issac acknowledge and remember the full extent of his wife's death. It's a fine balance that I think the book does with flying colours. Whether Egg was real or a memory of Mary's last book project is left for the reader to decide. I like to think it's a little of both.
I do think that the big reveal near the end of the book was obvious and that it felt a tad rushed at the end, but I still found the conclusion to be an emotional and satsifying one (I even got a little teary eyed). Really glad I read this one
I do think that the big reveal near the end of the book was obvious and that it felt a tad rushed at the end, but I still found the conclusion to be an emotional and satsifying one (I even got a little teary eyed). Really glad I read this one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Alcoholism, and Car accident
foxo_cube's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I have started recommending this book to basically anyone who will listen. It was great, and to think I impulse-bought it without really expecting much in particular!
It does one of my favourite things that a story can do, which is to wrap sad, serious issues in absurdism in just the right way to emphasise the message. Isaac, our protagonist, is going through some terrible mental health issues after becoming a widower at a young age. I felt that the depiction of the depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, etc. was sympathetic and pretty accurate to my experience, at the very least. In general, I think he responds to the situations he finds himself in pretty much how you'd expect, really. I loved when he found the egg in the forest and is panicking while driving home because, aside from the fact he'd been drinking, which was bad enough, what if he's arrested for... having a large unidentified egg in his car? what if the egg is secretly full of drugs or something? Isaac would definitely be the sort of guy to hate taking toilet paper home from the supermarket because he's sure everyone is looking at him and going "Ha, look at that idiot, I bet he shits".
I think the pace at which we learn about the egg and see the development of its relationship with Isaac is brilliant. They are mysteries to each other (and, although the egg <i>seems</i> like far more of a mystery to us as the reader than Isaac does, that's not as true as it appears), and seeing them try to work each other out - both when they succeed and when they don't - is wonderful. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes sad, sometimes sweet. Along with that, we get a bit more insight into Isaac's relationship with his wife and where he was in life before her death kind of threw him into stasis. I really want to go into significantly more detail here but the way that all of these things are hinted at and foreshadowed, and how it all comes together, is almost certainly far better to experience when you have as little idea where the story is going as possible.
Basically, read this book. I cannot stress this enough.
It does one of my favourite things that a story can do, which is to wrap sad, serious issues in absurdism in just the right way to emphasise the message. Isaac, our protagonist, is going through some terrible mental health issues after becoming a widower at a young age. I felt that the depiction of the depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, etc. was sympathetic and pretty accurate to my experience, at the very least. In general, I think he responds to the situations he finds himself in pretty much how you'd expect, really. I loved when he found the egg in the forest and is panicking while driving home because, aside from the fact he'd been drinking, which was bad enough, what if he's arrested for... having a large unidentified egg in his car? what if the egg is secretly full of drugs or something? Isaac would definitely be the sort of guy to hate taking toilet paper home from the supermarket because he's sure everyone is looking at him and going "Ha, look at that idiot, I bet he shits".
I think the pace at which we learn about the egg and see the development of its relationship with Isaac is brilliant. They are mysteries to each other (and, although the egg <i>seems</i> like far more of a mystery to us as the reader than Isaac does, that's not as true as it appears), and seeing them try to work each other out - both when they succeed and when they don't - is wonderful. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes sad, sometimes sweet. Along with that, we get a bit more insight into Isaac's relationship with his wife and where he was in life before her death kind of threw him into stasis. I really want to go into significantly more detail here but the way that all of these things are hinted at and foreshadowed, and how it all comes together, is almost certainly far better to experience when you have as little idea where the story is going as possible.
Basically, read this book. I cannot stress this enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
kim_lommaert's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Car accident, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Panic attacks/disorders
emilylouisa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Car accident, and Addiction
nyree42's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
...wow. I'm devastated.
I really want Egg to be real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Car accident
madamelacy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This story is variously heart wrenching and gently funny as it follows the main character’s journey through grief, helped by the presence of Egg. For much of the book it’s unclear what Egg is, but whatever he is he’s an endearing character. I thought Egg’s attempts at making baked beans on toast were hilarious.
I really enjoyed the story overall, although I did find the plot predictable.
I loved the playfulness of the formatting and font within the book, especially the word search with the stages of grief and the cascade of questions.
I would suggest looking at trigger warnings though because it’s potentially more harrowing than it would first appear.
I really enjoyed the story overall, although I did find the plot predictable.
I loved the playfulness of the formatting and font within the book, especially the word search with the stages of grief and the cascade of questions.
I would suggest looking at trigger warnings though because it’s potentially more harrowing than it would first appear.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Car accident
tysuckz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!!!!
Absolutely beautiful. In my top 5 of books I have ever read.
I didn't think I was going to cry until the end, and I just lost it. So heartbreaking but wholesome?? I can't even explain all the emotions this book conjures up, honestly.
I love the different ways that Palmer explored rhe presentation, I mean integrating the wordsearch with the 5 stages of grief in it was an amazing addition, especially since I don't think many people would've taken the time to recognise that they are all in there.
I love Egg. He's wonderfully funny, so sweet and so cute. I love the impact he had on Isaacs life, despite the reality of him, it didn't really matter. I'd say it's effectively a given than Egg didn't exist, and wasn't real but the idea of him being there like Nanny McPhee (lol) was wonderful. When you need me but do not want me I must stay, but when you want me but no longer need me, I must go!! That's Egg! Had me hysterical at the end.
Devastating and uplifting and heartbreaking and every other emotion you could ever feel.
Would like to read this from another perspective that isn't Isaac. Like how would it seem from the perspective of simply observing Isaac and his life?
Absolutely beautiful. In my top 5 of books I have ever read.
I didn't think I was going to cry until the end, and I just lost it. So heartbreaking but wholesome?? I can't even explain all the emotions this book conjures up, honestly.
I love the different ways that Palmer explored rhe presentation, I mean integrating the wordsearch with the 5 stages of grief in it was an amazing addition, especially since I don't think many people would've taken the time to recognise that they are all in there.
I love Egg. He's wonderfully funny, so sweet and so cute. I love the impact he had on Isaacs life, despite the reality of him, it didn't really matter. I'd say it's effectively a given than Egg didn't exist, and wasn't real but the idea of him being there like Nanny McPhee (lol) was wonderful. When you need me but do not want me I must stay, but when you want me but no longer need me, I must go!! That's Egg! Had me hysterical at the end.
Devastating and uplifting and heartbreaking and every other emotion you could ever feel.
Would like to read this from another perspective that isn't Isaac. Like how would it seem from the perspective of simply observing Isaac and his life?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
stabilesero's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Honestly, this book is STUNNING.
Such a well written tale about Isaac going through the stages of grief with the help of Egg. Egg is an egg, all be it, a fuzzy and heartwarming egg that I absolutely adored.
Never did I think a term like "Wawoo" would warm my heart. Thank you Palmer for this exceptional little gem.
Such a well written tale about Isaac going through the stages of grief with the help of Egg. Egg is an egg, all be it, a fuzzy and heartwarming egg that I absolutely adored.
Never did I think a term like "Wawoo" would warm my heart. Thank you Palmer for this exceptional little gem.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Suicide attempt, Car accident, and Panic attacks/disorders