“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.”

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

This wild story begins with two friends from very different backgrounds. Lillian is a middle class girl while Madison is a blue blood rich kid.  They become close friends in school.  When Madison gets caught with drugs, her family pays off Lillian to take the blame.  She is expelled from school.

Jump ahead a few years and Lilian, who stays in touch with Madison, hears from Her that she once again needs a favour.  Madison is married to the Senator from Tennessee. 

In a prior marriage the Senator fathered twins, a boy and a girl named Bessie and Rowland.  Their father is being considered for Secretary of State and due to the sudden death of their mother, the children are now going to end up with Dad and his new family, which includes a son he has with Madison.  They need someone to be a Nanny to the twins and she wants Lillian to do it.    There is only one small problem.  When the children are stressed or angered they combust into flame.

So begins the meat of the novel.  Lillian relationship with the twins is thoroughly explored and soon becomes the focal point of the story.  There will be twists to the story that came to me as a surprise and while the plot sounds crazy , it really isn’t   This superb book is such a good read, so much more than I expected.  So well written and thought out, I consider this book a must read.   One of the top books from 2019.

 

Reviewed by:

Richard Franco

Added 13th March

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Richard Franco