melaniewiggins's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What a surprising 5 star! Quirky, heartwarming, bizarre. I was surprised by how much I loved it, especially on audio!
kaleefuller's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
arianacevedo's review against another edition
5.0
This book is surprisingly funny, wholly educational, utterly moving, and so so original! Not only was the plot engaging, but it never ceased to surprise me, which is something I truly didn't expect about this story. At first glance it just seems like a quirky and fun, light-read, but this was so much more...
Wilson's writing is brilliant, bringing to life this very dysfunctional family dynamics that somehow felt completely realistic. Every single character in this novel had depth to them, yes, even the toddler who barely speaks had a distinctive personality. I really really loved the twins, I didn't think I'd care for them as much as I did. Having these complex characters really drew in the emotional punch Wilson was looking for and its what makes this book a fantastic read.
The magical realism used in the book is original, executed perfectly and really elevates the story as a whole. I mean, kids who just spontaneously combust?! Have you ever heard of such a thing? And yet, it all made perfect sense somehow. At no point did anything seem out of place, rather the opposite.
Nothing to See Here is a truly great read and I highly recommend it!
Wilson's writing is brilliant, bringing to life this very dysfunctional family dynamics that somehow felt completely realistic. Every single character in this novel had depth to them, yes, even the toddler who barely speaks had a distinctive personality. I really really loved the twins, I didn't think I'd care for them as much as I did. Having these complex characters really drew in the emotional punch Wilson was looking for and its what makes this book a fantastic read.
The magical realism used in the book is original, executed perfectly and really elevates the story as a whole. I mean, kids who just spontaneously combust?! Have you ever heard of such a thing? And yet, it all made perfect sense somehow. At no point did anything seem out of place, rather the opposite.
Nothing to See Here is a truly great read and I highly recommend it!
ps2's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
samantasas's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
laurenash's review
5.0
This was a solid 4.5 stars. Man, what a good story. The humor was spot on for me. I loved Lillian and the kids, and even grew a soft spot for Carl. Wasn’t disappointed with the ending, but I was certainly worried it was going to go a different way.
relearning2read's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this book all in one sitting and absolutely couldn't put it down. This book has an absolutely bonkers premise - children who spontaneously combust! - but it's much more about learning who you are at what you value through caring about other people and the ways that love means opening yourself up to harm and embracing the wildness in yourself. It's also about messy relationships and how power and wealth and the pursuit of those things make them messier and skew our perspectives on others and on ourselves. I will definitely be thinking about this for a while and highly recommend it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Child abuse
mkesten's review
3.0
I found this book a wry parable about the vanishing American landscape for innocence, sincerity, and the disintegration of the family unit. Oddly, it seemed to have a fractured fairy-tale type happy ending, a kind of booby-hatch for the displaced.
It reminded me of the extreme satire of Fay Weldon novels. And I love Fay Weldon novels.
It reminded me of the extreme satire of Fay Weldon novels. And I love Fay Weldon novels.