6,539 books
—
719 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Nothing to See Here” as Want to Read:
Nothing to See Here
by
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 the ...more
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 the ...more
ebook, 288 pages
Published
October 29th 2019
by Ecco
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Nothing to See Here,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Monica Garcia
The narrator has a potty-mouth, and frankly this is just one thing that I liked about her.
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Nothing to See Here

edit: it’s been days and i can’t stop thinking about her so i guess it got to me more than i thought,,2am kat didn’t know shit
quirky and wholesome story about loneliness, family, and some kids who catch fire (literally)(the cover is not a metaphor) idk if i don’t have much else to say bc this didn’t leave an impact on me or if it’s more bc it’s currently 2 am, but i have no other substantial thoughts about this book.
it was cute lol i don’t know
i need to go to bed
quirky and wholesome story about loneliness, family, and some kids who catch fire (literally)(the cover is not a metaphor) idk if i don’t have much else to say bc this didn’t leave an impact on me or if it’s more bc it’s currently 2 am, but i have no other substantial thoughts about this book.
it was cute lol i don’t know
i need to go to bed

Quirky and Heartwarming
Nothing to See Here is about two small children who have the power to spontaneously combust. Yup. Sounds crazy, but Kevin Wilson pulls it off!
The premise is a little odd, but it lured me in and works to examine an undercurrent of themes, including class divisions, the dynamics of friendship, otherness, loneliness, and the power of love.
I love the tone of Nothing to See Here--narrated by Lillian (the caregiver of the fire children), it's dark, emotional, and filled with hu ...more
Nothing to See Here is about two small children who have the power to spontaneously combust. Yup. Sounds crazy, but Kevin Wilson pulls it off!
The premise is a little odd, but it lured me in and works to examine an undercurrent of themes, including class divisions, the dynamics of friendship, otherness, loneliness, and the power of love.
I love the tone of Nothing to See Here--narrated by Lillian (the caregiver of the fire children), it's dark, emotional, and filled with hu ...more

“This is weird, Madison. You want me to raise your husband’s fire children.”
i won this through the gr giveaways but i didn’t read it right away—choosing instead to read ARCs of books that were coming out before this one, then delaying it further for my horror-only october bookplan. i thought i had plenty of time before it pubbed because i saw this on the side of the ARC:

and misunderstood it to mean it was pubbing on the 19th of november instead of in november 2019. which i now realize is a monda ...more
i won this through the gr giveaways but i didn’t read it right away—choosing instead to read ARCs of books that were coming out before this one, then delaying it further for my horror-only october bookplan. i thought i had plenty of time before it pubbed because i saw this on the side of the ARC:

and misunderstood it to mean it was pubbing on the 19th of november instead of in november 2019. which i now realize is a monda ...more

Surprising, entertaining, emotional, original!
Dysfunctional family dynamics, political ambitions, fire-starter kids seem like little Drew Barrymore’s incarnations, not reciprocated, quirky best friend a.k.a nanny’s surprising connection with them, finding her new life purpose.
This book is definitely different fiction you’ve lately read. Lillian doesn’t come from money. She needs to work so hard to deserve a place and prove her value in the society.
She has no father and a problematic, selfish mo ...more
Dysfunctional family dynamics, political ambitions, fire-starter kids seem like little Drew Barrymore’s incarnations, not reciprocated, quirky best friend a.k.a nanny’s surprising connection with them, finding her new life purpose.
This book is definitely different fiction you’ve lately read. Lillian doesn’t come from money. She needs to work so hard to deserve a place and prove her value in the society.
She has no father and a problematic, selfish mo ...more

Do you need your heart-strings pulled but you REALLY want them pulled in the weirdest way? Then Nothing to See Here is the book for you.
It is a story of friendship.
It is a story of family.
It is a story of politics.
It is a story of abandonment.
It is a story of growing up.
It is a story of self-discovery.
It is a story of karma.
It is a story of kids who catch on fire.
*sings* One of these things is not like the other . . .
So, how does that last item on this list fit in with all the others. I ca ...more
It is a story of friendship.
It is a story of family.
It is a story of politics.
It is a story of abandonment.
It is a story of growing up.
It is a story of self-discovery.
It is a story of karma.
It is a story of kids who catch on fire.
*sings* One of these things is not like the other . . .
So, how does that last item on this list fit in with all the others. I ca ...more

Nov 11, 2020
MarilynW
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio,
hoopla-overdrive
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (Author), Marin Ireland (Narrator)
It was a bit hard to get my head around this book because it's about ten year old twins that will burst into flames when they are stressed. Since they aren't harmed when this happens, it can be sort of funny to think about this situation and how adults can make it work, make combustible children fit into everyday life. And that's the sad part...that the wealthy father of these children dealt with them by paying to have them ke ...more
It was a bit hard to get my head around this book because it's about ten year old twins that will burst into flames when they are stressed. Since they aren't harmed when this happens, it can be sort of funny to think about this situation and how adults can make it work, make combustible children fit into everyday life. And that's the sad part...that the wealthy father of these children dealt with them by paying to have them ke ...more

4.5
It takes a lot of skill for an author to write a book about children bursting into flames and do it in a way that makes it not only believable, but endearing. I absolutely loved this quirky, funny, and sweet story.
Lillian hears from Madison, her old friend and roommate, asking for a favor. The two have a checkered history, with Madison being blessed with beauty and wealth, while Lillian, having neither, does Madison’s bidding, getting nothing in return. This time the favor is asking Lillia ...more
It takes a lot of skill for an author to write a book about children bursting into flames and do it in a way that makes it not only believable, but endearing. I absolutely loved this quirky, funny, and sweet story.
Lillian hears from Madison, her old friend and roommate, asking for a favor. The two have a checkered history, with Madison being blessed with beauty and wealth, while Lillian, having neither, does Madison’s bidding, getting nothing in return. This time the favor is asking Lillia ...more

This book was a freaking balm on my soul. You have to understand, I have been completely SWAMPED in the waters of Moby Dick and the meandering ramblings of Midnight's Children - I know... WHAT WAS I THINKING?? But this book, folks, this book is short, (darkly) funny, and easily holds your interest. There are no dissertations on whaling to be found here, or a dizzyingly long character list. Never, at any point, did a hopelessness descend on me, or existential questions assault me (will I ever fin
...more

Every once in a while, I come across a book that seems to be exactly what I enjoy and everyone else loves it, but for some reason, I just don't connect with it. And unfortunately, Nothing to See Here falls squarely in that camp.
When Lillian's best friend from her school days calls on her for help, she immediately jumps at the chance. When she arrives at Madison's house, she learns that her friend wants her to take care of her two stepchildren, who have the unfortunate ability to burst into flame ...more
When Lillian's best friend from her school days calls on her for help, she immediately jumps at the chance. When she arrives at Madison's house, she learns that her friend wants her to take care of her two stepchildren, who have the unfortunate ability to burst into flame ...more

A quirky story about two kids who once agitated light on fire; burst into flames. Nothing happens to the kids, they are unharmed when it happens. This book has a gentle pressure that pulls you through the text and keeps you turning the pages. I did not think I would like it but, ended up enjoying it a great deal. Its more about relationships, old and new. How Lilian melds with the two children almost like an Old Yeller kind of story (that’s a bad example but that’s what it felt like). I laughed
...more

Why have I waited so long to read this???
This may have been one of the cutest stories I have ever read. 🥰
Lillian is asked by her best friend Madison to become the "governess" to her two 10 year old twin step kids, Bessie and Roland. Their mother has just passed away so they will be coming to live with them and she could really use the help. However there is a catch. The kids spontaneously combust when ever they become upset and let me tell you that hilarity ensues from here. Oh, my heart, how I ...more
This may have been one of the cutest stories I have ever read. 🥰
Lillian is asked by her best friend Madison to become the "governess" to her two 10 year old twin step kids, Bessie and Roland. Their mother has just passed away so they will be coming to live with them and she could really use the help. However there is a catch. The kids spontaneously combust when ever they become upset and let me tell you that hilarity ensues from here. Oh, my heart, how I ...more

Great flaming balls of fire!! Kids that catch on fire! No, nothing to see here!
You can't get anymore original than this quirky, sweet, mesmerizing funny and touching story that uniquely explores what is normal and the power of compassion. It left me thinking we can normalize almost anything if we have compassion for each other.
I loved our main character here, Lillian, whose's job is to keep fireballs Bessie and Roland calm while keeping her own cool. These adorable twins who I wanted to give a ...more
You can't get anymore original than this quirky, sweet, mesmerizing funny and touching story that uniquely explores what is normal and the power of compassion. It left me thinking we can normalize almost anything if we have compassion for each other.
I loved our main character here, Lillian, whose's job is to keep fireballs Bessie and Roland calm while keeping her own cool. These adorable twins who I wanted to give a ...more

This is truly an odd, funny, poignant book about finding a place and people with whom you belong, and how family can spring from the strangest of situations.
"How did people protect themselves? How did anyone keep this world from ruining them?"
Lillian has always accepted that she won’t accomplish much in life. For a brief moment in her teenage years, however, she attended a private high school and befriended Madison, a beautiful but quirky rich girl, and Lillian started to believe she had potenti ...more
"How did people protect themselves? How did anyone keep this world from ruining them?"
Lillian has always accepted that she won’t accomplish much in life. For a brief moment in her teenage years, however, she attended a private high school and befriended Madison, a beautiful but quirky rich girl, and Lillian started to believe she had potenti ...more

Lillian had "a desire to be superlative...a sterling representative of this backward county"... when she won a scholarship to prestigious Iron Mountain Girls Preparatory School. Lillian and her roommate Madison became fast friends despite the fact that upper crust Madison "...had been raised since birth to recognize importance. [Lillian] was not that." However, Lillian and Madison needed each other. They strived to "tamp down their weirdness." Madison acknowledged that rich people "... had to be
...more

[4.5] The idea of a plot involving two kids who spontaneously ignite when they get anxious didn't sound appealing to me. But I was wrong. I loved the main character, Lillian, an outsider who is stuck in her life until an old friend calls for her help. I loved the way Wilson portrayed the two very likable kids - who have been unfairly treated by their family because of their unusual ability (or disability).
I was pulled into this novel from the first pages and got up for air only to help prepare d ...more
I was pulled into this novel from the first pages and got up for air only to help prepare d ...more

When I was an actress in my 20s, I took voice lessons with an old German man named Mr. Jacobi. I was a terrible singer, but it was okay. I wasn't learning to sing. I was learning to use my voice to its full potential. I knew this because one of Mr. Jacobi's favorite things to say after he sat down at the piano and leaned on the first chord was, "We accept here." That meant that no matter what sound I made, it was fine with both of us.
"We accept here." That could be the philosophy expressed by th ...more
"We accept here." That could be the philosophy expressed by th ...more

A sarcastic girl from the wrong side of the tracks finds herself nannying two children who catch fire whenever they're agitated. A brief and slyly-observed novel on parenthood and privilege.
...more

May 25, 2020
Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill
rated it
liked it
Recommended to Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill by:
Dita
Shelves:
botm
Sooo if my college roommate contacted me to be a nanny I would have to politely decline. If she added that it is no biggie that the kids have this little condition- that they spontaneously combust on occasion...yeah that answer would be hells to the no! I really was hesitate to pick up this little quirky book but the raving reviews got to me.
I am not going to lie this book was entertaining but I don't know why. I simply can't put my finger on it. The plot was pretty much non existent. The charac ...more
I am not going to lie this book was entertaining but I don't know why. I simply can't put my finger on it. The plot was pretty much non existent. The charac ...more

This book gives a whole new meaning to the word hot-flash! 🔥
Once I learned what the story-line for this book was, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
It involves twin kids that spontaneously burst into flames. It now had my un-divided attention. See, growing up, this was actually my greatest fear – that I would spontaneously combust! (Thanks to my big brother). It’s something we still laugh about to this day. And now after foolishly sharing that little fact with my husband, he constantly ...more
Once I learned what the story-line for this book was, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
It involves twin kids that spontaneously burst into flames. It now had my un-divided attention. See, growing up, this was actually my greatest fear – that I would spontaneously combust! (Thanks to my big brother). It’s something we still laugh about to this day. And now after foolishly sharing that little fact with my husband, he constantly ...more

!! NOW AVAILABLE !!
Originally I came across this book when I was reading the excerpts in the Buzz Books 2019 Fall / Winter collection of the best stories to look out for in the coming months. It sounded promising, but it took me a while to request this since this is an author I wasn’t familiar with. I’m glad that I did, even more so when I saw the author’s Dedication – ”For Ann Patchett and Julie Barer” having recently spent time in another world courtesy of Ann Patchett.
Madison is the daughter ...more
Originally I came across this book when I was reading the excerpts in the Buzz Books 2019 Fall / Winter collection of the best stories to look out for in the coming months. It sounded promising, but it took me a while to request this since this is an author I wasn’t familiar with. I’m glad that I did, even more so when I saw the author’s Dedication – ”For Ann Patchett and Julie Barer” having recently spent time in another world courtesy of Ann Patchett.
Madison is the daughter ...more

Told in first person, our main character and narrator Lillian travels to see her friend, Madison, who has a job offer for her. It isn't until after she accepts the job as governess to Madison's step-children that Madison tells her the kids burst into flames when they feel angry or frustrated.
The fire children do not make an appearance until 26% (on a Kindle). The first 1-7% is the foundation of Lillian and Madison's relationship. This includes how the met, their school-girl-days, and their curre ...more
The fire children do not make an appearance until 26% (on a Kindle). The first 1-7% is the foundation of Lillian and Madison's relationship. This includes how the met, their school-girl-days, and their curre ...more

10 yr old twins Bessie and Roland have some kind of medical problem that when they get angry or upset.. they spontaneously combust..yes, literally go up in 🔥
They were pushed out of their wealthy father’s ancestral mansion along with their mother when they were five years old because he found a new young and beautiful wife.
Now their mother has died and they have to return to their fathers estate and will be cared for by Lillian.. a longtime but distant friend of their stepmothers.
These two poor ...more
They were pushed out of their wealthy father’s ancestral mansion along with their mother when they were five years old because he found a new young and beautiful wife.
Now their mother has died and they have to return to their fathers estate and will be cared for by Lillian.. a longtime but distant friend of their stepmothers.
These two poor ...more

The responsible adults in charge needed to come up with a plan.....
....the fire children’s mother died.
*Fire* children - you ask?
YEP!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
An ***AUDIOBOOK-FAVORITE***.....
read by the ‘outstanding’ Marin Ireland.
Marin Ireland, made this book come ‘alive’!!!!
The ranges in her voice sounded completely different for each character.
She was fantastic with the children’s voices.
The children, ( twins Bessie & Rolan), & Lillian ( unique governess), stole my heart.
Quirky and moving!!!
You’d have ...more
....the fire children’s mother died.
*Fire* children - you ask?
YEP!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
An ***AUDIOBOOK-FAVORITE***.....
read by the ‘outstanding’ Marin Ireland.
Marin Ireland, made this book come ‘alive’!!!!
The ranges in her voice sounded completely different for each character.
She was fantastic with the children’s voices.
The children, ( twins Bessie & Rolan), & Lillian ( unique governess), stole my heart.
Quirky and moving!!!
You’d have ...more

This is the easiest read I’ve encountered in a long time, a perfect tale to lift anyone from a reading slump. A story ultimately of motherhood, wrapped in a quirky tale between two loner friends and how they try to contain the strange fact that two children’s bodies catch and cause fire when emotionally wrought. The children’s safety is at risk, the destruction of all matter around them is at risk, and the reputation of a high-profile couple is at risk. Full of whimsy, narcissism, and rage, the
...more

This is another one of those stories where she could have had it all, but got shafted and her life went down the tube thereafter. Lillian is raised by a single mother who barely scraped by and what little money she made was blown on booze or gambling. She sure didn’t spend it on Lillian.
When Lillian proved to be an exceptional student her teachers encouraged her to apply for a scholarship place in a top tier boarding school. Her mother was not impressed when she got accepted and wouldn’t even s ...more
When Lillian proved to be an exceptional student her teachers encouraged her to apply for a scholarship place in a top tier boarding school. Her mother was not impressed when she got accepted and wouldn’t even s ...more

This book is a really interesting story about this girl who becomes a nanny for these kids who catch on fire when they get upset. This premise is super unique and I’ve never read anything quite like it. I enjoyed this story and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just not particularly memorable for me. Here’s some thoughts I jotted down after finishing it:
-This book was interesting and sweet but kind of forgettable
-I love that the main character is so sarcastic and awkward, whene ...more
-This book was interesting and sweet but kind of forgettable
-I love that the main character is so sarcastic and awkward, whene ...more

This book was so good, but it was weird. I did not think I was going to like this book, but I loved it. This book is about a woman paying her best friend to watch her step children. The children are not normal children. The children catches on fire when they get mad or upset. The fire does not hurt the kids, but it burn the clothes they are wearing and hurts people near them. The book is written very good. I cannot say how much I loved this book. If you like different or little weird books you s
...more

Endearing and Wholly Entertaining!
“Nothing to See Here” is one wild novel that will capture your heart from the get go.
Lillian is a gal who has always felt like she was an outcast. Unfortunately for her, life did not exactly turn out the way she imagined.
The day her dear old friend Madison calls in a favor, Lillian can’t say no, even though it’s the most absurd thing Lillian has EVER heard.
Madison is in need of a governess for her two stepchildren, Bessie and Roland, who just recently lost t ...more
“Nothing to See Here” is one wild novel that will capture your heart from the get go.
Lillian is a gal who has always felt like she was an outcast. Unfortunately for her, life did not exactly turn out the way she imagined.
The day her dear old friend Madison calls in a favor, Lillian can’t say no, even though it’s the most absurd thing Lillian has EVER heard.
Madison is in need of a governess for her two stepchildren, Bessie and Roland, who just recently lost t ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Play Book Tag: Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson - 4 stars | 4 | 16 | Feb 11, 2021 04:52AM |
Kevin Wilson was born, raised, and still lives in Tennessee. His writing has appeared in Ploughshares, One Story, Greensboro Review, The Oxford American, Carolina Quarterly and elsewhere. His work has twice been included in the New Stories from the South: The Year’s Best anthology (2005, 2006). He has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the KHN Center for the Arts. A graduat
...more
Articles featuring this book
There's something great about a paperback book: They're perfect book club choices, you can throw them in your bag and go, and they've been out in...
61 likes · 19 comments
2 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“A lot of times when I think I’m being self-sufficient, I’m really just learning to live without the things that I need.”
—
64 likes
“Because I kept fucking up, because it seemed so hard to not fuck up, I lived a life where I had less than what I desired. So instead of wanting more, sometimes I just made myself want even less. Sometimes I made myself believe that I wanted nothing.”
—
36 likes
More quotes…