Tag: Bobby Palmer

Small Hours by Bobby Palmer

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I was lucky enough to hear Bobby Palmer speak at last year’s The Book Taster Live (after having read ‘Isaac and the Egg’), so I have been really looking forward to reading ‘Small Hours’, as I was sure it was going to be another good read…and it was.

‘Small Hours’ is the story of a father and son, and their rather dysfunctional relationship. Jack returns home after a call stating that his mother seems to have disappeared, but his father Gerry does not seem to be worried. However, Gerry seems even more distant than he has ever been before, being more of a fan of animals, and something is not quite right. Yet, Jack has saved a Fox who now seems keen to try and save Jack’s relationship with his father.

This is a beautiful book, which I could not put down. It explores a father and son relationship, the importance of communication to allow for understanding and how a little bit of faith can get you a long way. We visit the past and the present in this book to allow us to understand why the relationship may be as it is, and could all of this be a little bit of a misunderstanding between the two of how the past has led to this present – did they both need to take some time to understand each other?

I am finding it quite hard to write about this book, as I think it is a story that is going to have to be read to be fully appreciated. However, I loved the fox as it reminded me of the fox in ‘The Little Prince’: there to provide some guidance to someone who may be a little lost. And we all need a little guidance sometimes, and sometimes it comes from the most surprising place.

I think it is safe to say that Bobby Palmer has achieved that second novel – this is an excellent book to follow his debut novel of ‘Isaac and the Egg’. A beautifully constructed story, full of emotion, humour and charm that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I feel I have been very lucky so far this year, as I have read some absolutely stunning books. And many of those have been thanks to recommendations. ‘Isaac and the Egg’ is exactly one of those books.

It will be no surprise to any of you that I did not read the blurb before picking this book up – I had just seen that so many bookstagrammers I admire had enjoyed it, so I needed to give it a go. Isaac is a man suffering in grief: his wife has died and he is struggling to come to terms with it (as any man would) – in fact, he is probably in the darkest place he could be when we meet him at the start of the book. However, he meets Egg (a bit like Elliot meets ET, in ‘ET’), and caring for Egg gives Isaac some purpose. Slowly, Issac tackles some of those things he has avoided, and seems to reconnect with those who care for him – but then Egg forces him to deal with the most important thing he has been avoiding.

I absolutely can not spoil this for anyone who may be considering reading it – you have to pick it up and immerse yourself in it, because I think, for different people, this book will mean different things. For me, it was a story about tackling grief, and understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with this.

Do not let this make you think that this is a book that is depressing to read – because it’s a story of hope, and of Isaac rediscovering love for himself and for those around him. I can’t promise you will not have your heartstrings well and truly pulled on by the final chapters, and that maybe the odd tear won’t be shed, if only for the happy ending.

For this to be Bobby Palmer’s debut novel, he has set himself a very high bar. I would expect this to come from the pen of a very experienced writer, well into their career. I absolutely can’t wait to see what Bobby Palmer does next, as he has definitely secured me as a fan.