Nothing to See Here: A Novel

A New York Times Bestseller - A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, People, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, TIME, The A.V. Club, Buzzfeed, and PopSugar

"I can't believe how good this book is.... It's wholly original. It's also perfect.... Wilson writes with such a light touch.... The brilliance of the novel [is] that it distracts you with these weirdo characters and mesmerizing and funny sentences and then hits you in a way you didn't see coming. You're laughing so hard you don't even realize that you've suddenly caught fire." --Taffy Brodesser-Akner, author of Fleishman is in Trouble, New York Times Book Review

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Family Fang, a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with a remarkable ability.

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.

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288 pages

Average rating: 7.46

491 RATINGS

22 REVIEWS

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hideTurtle

Dec 21, 2024

9/10 stars

“I packed the essentials: a fire extinguisher, a change of clothes, and a half bottle of wine. The fire extinguisher felt practical. The wine felt inevitable.” While away at boarding school, priviledged Madison breaks the rules and scholarship-dependent Lillian takes the fall and is expelled. Years later, Madison is in crisis again and turns to her former room mate for help with her twin step-children. Lillian, herself awkward, brash, unpolished, and incapable of being anything or anyone else, takes on the role of governess to the two ten-year-olds. Nothing unusual. Only thing is (totally, like, whatever) these kids literally catch on fire when they're upset or stressed or scared. Meh. Nothing to see here. "Shit. I mean, shoot." I don't know what I was expecting, but what I got was treatment of trauma, loss, and isolation with the most outrageous ludacris brand of humour. The care and sensitivity given to the children's absolutely off-th-wall combustiveness as well as Lilian's feelings about not quite fitting in and being somewhat of a nuisance to her mother was a complete surprise to me. I really enjoyed Lilian's instant bonding with the twins and her frantic attempts to make the whole scenario okay for them. "They didn't want to set the world on fire. They just wanted to be less alone in it." This story is for all the kids out there who are "weird", "unlovable", or highly flamable.

gigireadshorror

Nov 26, 2024

8/10 stars

Really cute. Thoroughly enjoyed.

blewballoon

Nov 21, 2024

10/10 stars

This book got me. I love books that take a fantastical concept and make it feel perfectly grounded in reality. This one manages to also be hilarious and touching. This is the best possible way I could have imagined a book with this premise to go.

LTC

Nov 20, 2024

Book #45: Laura M's pick, Laura C hosted!

Anonymous

Jun 18, 2024

8/10 stars

Not too bad. I liked the writing, and the unique twist to the story. Unfortunately, it was a bit too much telling vs showing, but the story was intriguing enough for me to keep going til the end, which was sadly predictable. For that, I would have given only three stars, but I really liked 90% of the characters so four it is.