Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Pages: 288
Published by Ecco
Publication Date October 29, 2019
Goodreads
Kevin Wilson’s best book yet—a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with remarkable and disturbing abilities
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.
Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.
Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?
With white-hot wit and a big, tender heart, Kevin Wilson has written his best book yet—a most unusual story of parental love.
You would think that a book about children spontanously combusting into flame would lead to a unique and quirky story. Unfortunately, Nothing to See Here failed to deliver. Instead it had a lack of character development, with a repetitive plot and was just kind of dull.
Lillian, is hired by a former prep-school friend to watch her step-children, Bessie and Roland who are hidden away as they are not “safe” for the general population. The majority of the book centers around Lillian devising ways to keep the kids from bursting into flame. This brainstorming really could have been used to the author’s creative advantage but instead, the author settled on something similar to a hazmat suit which was reminiscent of the ending of E.T. minus the emotion and Reese’s Pieces.
Sadly, Nothing to See Here fell short and and was a slow burn of disappointment.
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