A story about children that spontaneously catch on fire is not one that I usually go for, but I have been seeing Nothing to See Here around Instagram, ever since it was a Book of the Month choice. I figured I would give the audiobook a go and found it pretty entertaining when I have been going on my lunchtime walks.
Lilian does not have much to show for herself. She works a dead end job at a local grocery store in rural Tennessee and lives in her mother's attic. Her best friend from high school, Madison, went off to marry a wealthy man who is a State Senator and lives in a beautiful mansion. Lilian and Madison keep in touch, but have not seen each other since college. Their lives could not be more different. Out of the blue, Madison asks Lilian to visit her. She has a strange job offer for her. Madison asks Lilian to nanny her step children, Bessie and Roland, who have a strange, unexplained affliction. If they are upset, they spontaneously catch on fire. The fire does not hurt them, but Madison wants the kids out of the way while her husband (their father) campaigns to be the Secretary of State. Lilian reluctantly accepts, because well, she has nothing better going on and it sounds better than eating mac and cheese in her mother's attic.
My thoughts: I enjoyed the story, but was let down by the end.
Worth reading? Yes, but I recommend the audio because the narrator really brings these characters to life. (Her Tennessee accent is perfection.) I loved how Lilian, Bessie, and Roland were each flawed characters and found each other in such an odd and beautiful way. I loved hearing their stories develop and the bond between them grow.
Overall, a 3.5/5 for me. This book would have been a solid 4/5, but the ending did not do it for me. I wanted more and felt like I was left with unanswered questions and minimal closure.
If you are in the mood for an audiobook that is a fictional, entertaining story, this one is for you. There is magical realism-hello, children that catch on fire when they are upset, but are completely unharmed? But the character development is done well and the narrator does a fabulous job differentiating between each one.
Happy reading (or listening!)
Mel
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