Nothing to See Here

Nothing to See Here tells the story of unusual characters whose various idiosyncrasies make it difficult to fit comfortably into society. By finding out they are not alone in their oddities, these characters are able to be seen, accepted, and loved for their true selves. Wilson’s characters find camaraderie with each other, and those moments of recognition provide the novel with much of both its comedy and drama.

When Lillian meets Madison, their connection is instantaneous, and they spend the school term forming what will be a lifelong bond. Initially they seem like a mismatched pair, especially given Madison’s cool girl persona outside her dorm room. Even Lillian’s mother is perplexed by what she feels is Madison’s “unnecessary kindness” to her daughter (27). In actuality, Lillian is Madison’s truest friend because she is the only person Madison has ever been able to reveal her own weirdness to. Her mother sought to stifle that part of her, and one slipup with her friends at Iron Mountain resulted in the tattletale act of revenge that nearly got her expelled. Finding Lillian is therefore as much a refuge for Madison as finding her was to Lillian. She learns the value of this acceptance and models her relationship with her oddball son on this ethic rather than perpetuating her mother’s cruelty.