The Nimbus

by Robert P. Baird

A dazzling debut novel about a child whose literal enlightenment sets the stage for an exuberant tragicomedy of marriage, religion, and parenthood.

On an otherwise ordinary fall day on a university campus in Chicago, the toddler son of an ambitious divinity school professor named Adrian Bennett mysteriously starts to glow. The nimbus, as the strange, soft light comes to be known, offers no clues to its origin and frustrates every attempt at rational explanation.

Though the nimbus appears only intermittently, and not to everyone, the otherworldly glow quickly upends the lives of all those who encounter it, including Paul Harkin, Adrian’s broke and feckless graduate student, who likes being a graduate student a little too much for his own good; Renata Bennett, Adrian’s omnicompetent wife, who can’t see her son glowing even though the nimbus is turning her life upside down; and Warren Kayita, a down-on-his-luck librarian and aging divinity school alumnus on the run from a violent criminal. As news about the nimbus spreads around the university and beyond, Adrian, Paul, Renata, and Warren are set on a collision course that will threaten their lives and put their deepest convictions to the test.

At once a rollicking intellectual satire, a searing portrait of a family in crisis, and a thrilling metaphysical page-turner, The Nimbus offers a comic and profound examination of the persistence of spiritual belief in a secular age and humanity’s timeless search for meaning.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Religion, Audiobook, Humor, Family

352 pages, Hardcover

Published June 10, 2025

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

oh to be a toddler who develops an otherworldly glow...

in spite of the fact that this is a book about a baby who is suddenly bathed with otherworldly light, it's not that unique. the plot is more about academia, religion, success, and family, and i didn't find any of the ideas it had about any of those to be particularly new.

get back to the small child surrounded by a halo, i wanted to say to each of our approximately 6 alternating perspectives. tell me more about the tyke with the golden aura.

but alas, the luminous youngster in question was besides the point to everyone but me. 

(and if you're getting annoyed by the number of ways i'm saying the same thing, this is not the book for you.)

bottom line: a synopsis too good to be true.

(thanks to the publisher for the arc)

[Brittany’sBoundByBloodBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ A glowing debut that really shines, even when it blinds.✨

Robert P. Baird’s The Nimbus is a novel that dares to ask: what if your toddler started glowing… and not just with joy? With its mix of theological deep dives, glowing skin, and glowingly bad decisions, this book is part satire, part spiritual odyssey, and part family drama, with a warm, flickering light at its center.



The plot kicks off with an unexplained phenomenon: a child literally begins to emit a soft, mysterious glow, soon dubbed “the nimbus.” What follows is not your average tale of divine intervention. Instead, Baird gives us a tragicomedy that playfully skewers academia, spiritual dogma, and the ever-tense terrain of modern marriage. While the concept sounds bonkers (and it kind of is), it's precisely that strangeness that makes The Nimbus feel like a breath of fresh, illuminated air.

I found myself especially drawn to the ensemble of richly-developed characters. Adrian, the uptight divinity professor, grapples with professional ambition and spiritual confusion. Renata, his wife, is sharp, capable, and heartbreakingly unable to see her own son’s glow. And Paul, the terminally-enrolled grad student, is equal parts ridiculous and relatable, your classic “man-boy theologian.” Then there’s Warren, the library haunter with a complicated past and a surprisingly moving arc. Every one of them reacts to the nimbus differently, and those reactions reveal more about their humanity than any sermon ever could.

Yes, some sections do veer into dense theological terrain, like a lecture on esoteric beliefs. There are deep dives into spiritual history, ancient texts, and religious traditions across faiths. For readers who love their fiction peppered with metaphysical musing, it’s a feast. For those less inclined to ponder the evolution of mysticism over a bowl of popcorn, it may feel like a bit of a slog.

That said, I’m not particularly religious, and I still found it fascinating. The writing is stellar, witty, thought-provoking, and often laugh-out-loud funny in its absurdity. Baird somehow juggles comic timing with philosophical heft without dropping the baby (who, yes, is glowing in the corner).

Rating: 4 out of 5 ✨✨✨✨
glowing stars for the mysterious, glowing Nimbus.

A radiant, wildly original read that won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy thoughtful fiction that straddles the sacred and the absurd, this one might just be your next literary lightbulb moment.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nimbus has such an intriguing premise—a child who suddenly starts to glow, though not everyone can see it at first, including his mother. The story kicks off with a bang, pulling me in right away… but the momentum didn’t quite hold for me through the entire book. I still found the concept fascinating though!

Thank you to Henry Holt for the early copy I won in a Goodreads giveaway!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A two year old boy, Luca, spontaneously begins to glow. It is a soft glow, translucent, framing him in light and is wispy, rustling around him. This is the Nimbus. Normally this premise would be right up my alley so I was excited to start reading. Although I ultimately enjoyed the novel I found it arduous to get through it. There is quite a bit of religious history from different faiths. I don’t mind that so much as I am a Christian and enjoy religious history. What was cumbersome was the language. Many of the religious references were so obscure that I had to spend time looking them up if I wanted to understand the context. In addition to that the author has an extensive vocabulary. So extensive that there were words I had never encountered before. I don’t mind seeking definitions for words I am unfamiliar but when having to do this and google the religious references it just became too much. It slowed down the pace of reading. I wonder sometimes why authors choose particular words not commonly used when there are synonyms that are more easily recognized. Setting these issues aside, I did enjoy the characters who were fleshed out extremely well, the family dynamics, and how those who were exposed to the Nimbus reacted to it. It was an interesting concept to explore. Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt Publishing for the opportunity to read this.

[Megan Derrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really excited about the premise of this book. While it was different than what I expected, I was in no way disappointed. I was hooked from the start and didn’t want to stop reading until I knew what was happening next. There were long passages steeped in religious history, theology, descriptions of ancient spiritual groups, etc. Some readers might be put off by those - they definitely slowed down my reading. But I didn’t mind at all. I enjoyed some of those parts so much, I’d end up looking up more information and I even discussed a theory outlined in the book with a family member. I can see the potential issue some readers will have if they are reluctant to wade through those parts of the book. But as a reader, it was clear to me that the author enjoyed (at least in some part) writing them. And it was quality writing. There’s an argument to be made for writing what you want and not what is popular. And I also could be underestimating people and they love the book in its entirety as much as I did. I really appreciate receiving this advance readers edition. I have already recommended the book to others. Five enthusiastic stars.

[Lena K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful novel. Just the right balance of realism and wonder, with beautiful sentences and a fantastic sense of humor. The "nimbus" of the title is a four-year old boy who suddenly begins to radiate an intermittent, soft light. No one knows what to make of this--neither the medical establishment nor his parents, a professor of religion and a consultant/writer. The author gets the rhythms, tensions, and absurdities of modern life (and especially the modern family) just right, while managing to remind us of the mystery beneath it all. For fans of fiction that is clever and thought-provoking but with a light touch--and a real plot, which I won't spoil here!--this is your next read.

[Caitlin Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps a 4.5 but I’ll round up for this stunner of a debut (thank you #goodreadsgiveaways for bringing it to my door.) Well wrought characters and substantial landscapes of academia, domesticity and disappointment. The central element of the nimbus drops out of view a few times more than I perhaps believed such a substantial supernatural disruption could be, but I loved spending time with these folks. Maybe I’m an easy mark as a failed religion minor, but I felt sad to leave this world when I finished the book.

[Laura Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Henry Holt, for sending me a copy of this book. It’s rare to come across a story like THE NIMBUS. I was pulled right in, totally engrossed, and reminded immediately of THE LEFTOVERS. This novel is an extraordinary blend of the unexplainable versus the logical, shared delusions, and faith. There is a lot in here about egos in academia, gender roles in marriage, and parenting conflicts as well. Truly a unique story I won’t soon forget.

[Laura (thenerdygnomelife) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored the concept of The Nimbus, where a family's ordinary life is upended by the extraordinary event of their toddler's sudden luminescence. Is it a medical condition? A religious phenomenon? Much of the book wades through these questions as it examines the different ways that various characters react to — and ultimately change from — such a strange occurrence.

As a debut book for Robert P. Baird, The Nimbus delivers a lot to love, even if it does have a couple stumbles in its delivery. I appreciated the philosophical musings, though the novel does take some persistence and mental calisthenics to wade through. Though there is some element of suspense, I found that the pacing sometimes sags, and while it is compelling, I wouldn't consider it a page turner. A bit esoteric at times, The Nimbus will land best with those who like speculative fiction, literary fiction, and metaphysical thought. I appreciated seeing the deep degree to which some characters were affected, though I wished for a deeper look into young Luca's own experience and outcome.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and Robert P. Baird for an advance copy for honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up.

[Karen Axnick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the book synopsis describing the metaphysical aspect of the storyline. However, this was a DNF for me – I gave up at 35 percent when I found myself skipping over slow-paced, tedious paragraphs. The writing style was overly verbose and pedantic. I found the characters uninteresting and unsympathetic. The one redeeming quality of the novel was the challenging vocabulary that kept me investigating unfamiliar words.

I am sure there are others who will find this novel gratifying, but it was not a match for me, and I do not recommend it.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[thebookybird]

Maybe NRN maybe DNF the theology terminology and history is taking me out of the story can’t believe I’m going to say this but footnotes may have really worked here.

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great debut novel. The premise was super intriguing and the book delivered quite well. The relationships and characters were fleshed out quite well. The language was difficult but surprisingly it didn't really deter me (that could be because I don't need official definitions for every unfamiliar word to enjoy the book). The tone of the book was quite academic, given the author's background. But that was well suited to this book. If you are a close reader then it might be a lot of work to look up every single reference mentioned but I usually just enjoy the words and the story. Overall, I think this book did justice to the themes introduced, especially about the effect of an extraordinary occurrence on the family.

Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

[Jennifer Mcniece · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this one, but the blurb had enough going on that I had to give it a try. I typically like books set in a University. Set in the University of Chicago Divinity School, this one was very good. It was a great balance of heady thinking about life, religion, and the point of it all with some great human characters that I really found myself rooting for. Baird has written a lot of words in his professional life, but as a debut novel, I thought this was phenomenal. I hope it isn't his last. Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the review copy.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this book down. It had character development, complex relationships, and unexpected plot twists. It also left me thinking at the end, hating characters, and deeply empathizing with others. It’s what great fiction is meant to do.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

How would you react to a glowing child? Would you assume it was a supernatural phenomenon? A religious sign or message? A hoax? A mass hallucination? That's the concept and situation surrounding this book.

One day, the son of a professor at a religious college starts glowing, and nobody can figure out why. Even stranger, not everyone can see the glow (though enough people can that it's hard for them to believe they imagined it).

This book alternates between four main narrators: Renata, the boy's mother, who is unable to see the glow and jumps between having a hard time believing it's there and worrying over it; Adrien, the father who is excited by the glow because of its mystery; Paul, Adrien's forever-grad student, the first one to see the glow; and Warren, an old student at the college who's life has taken a turn for the worst.

The main characters and the writing are what truly make this book. All four are well-realized people with distinctive voices, and the writing was easy and simplistic without talking down to its audience.

There, of course, is a lot of talk about religion and religious studies. But you don't have to be interested or knowledgeable in the subject or be religious to enjoy this book. It doesn't answer any of the big questions or confirm or deny anything to be true in that regard. It's left up to interpretation. (People who dislike open endings that leave you to make up your own mind about what is going on might not appreciate this story. I enjoyed the journey more than I anticipated getting my questions answered.

You never do find out what the glow ( the Nimbus ) is. One day, it's there, and another day gone. In a way, it means whatever whoever looked at it at the time wanted it to mean. It's a lot like religion in that way. You either have faith in it or not. You have to decide on your own meanings for things.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating tale with lots of unexpected twists and turns. This could be considered a page tuner. Robert Baird has delivered a well-developed storyline with a concept that is highly unusual.

A professor of religion at a small campus in Chicago is a regular guy, with a family, two boys and a wife that is a bit resentful as she is saddled with more of the childcare then he is. Kinda typical, but he does try and she supported him to get his PhD and therefore she is a bit over it, but she does love him.

The story, which I don’t want to give away as it will spoil the read, is steeped in deep discussions about religion and signs, meaning about how one deals with God. Except everything is changing for our professor Adrian Bennett as one day he sees his little son glowing with a head Nimbus. That’s all I am going to say.

It is a wild story with so many crazy characters - I almost read it in one sitting. It is well researched, almost like taking a class, but more fun.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book! I found myself binging this one because I needed to know what would happen. The characters are satirical but heartfelt. The pacing was good for me, reminds me of mysterious old school sci-fi movies.

[Tom Fornoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and well written novel that’s a touch speculative but more about life in humanities higher education. It made me often think about my daughter Carolyn and her life as an academic.

[Steph Elias · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nimbus is a fantastic story. It is unique and well-written. I enjoyed the dive into religious history and different spiritual groups—fascinating stuff. Books that walk the line between magical realism and fact always get me and this has doses of both and added lunacy. A story that is absolutely worth your time. I can't wait to read more by this very talented author.

[Gila Gila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Washington post headline called this "a campus satire about a glowing toddler", an extraordinarily concise description of the most overwritten novel in recent memory. The Nimbus takes a fascinating literary concept and spins it out into a 3 ring circus of verbal linguistics. Why use 12 words when you could use 112? Every sentence is a paragraph.

One senses that the novel's circuitous musings, and multiple instances of wandering off into mini-lectures on theology, are a purposeful jab at its characters, primarily professors in thrall of their own words. Still, I kept trying to figure out the editorial decision to let the author ramble on at such length. Entire paragraphs - pages! - are devoted, for example, to moments of a character's inner questioning that lead absolutely nowhere. I'm not generally a fan of the glut of frequent contemporary literary minimalism, nor novels written containing an ocean of emotion (ok, sorry) but nary one solid description of the height of the waves, the depth of the sea floor. But The Nimbus truly seems to include every word that ever occurred to the author.

There's also an attempt at subplots containing many fewer multi syllabic phrases, ventures into the worlds outside of hallowed ivy walls; a church service in a poorer neighborhood, where the glowing Luca is treated as something like God's Second Son; the entrance of a wealthy, obnoxious Texan whose self adoration is another religion in itself. None of the side plots add to the other side plots, nor do they ever coalesce into one full circle.

I did like the unexpected quirk of Luca's mother being unable to see what everyone is going on about - her son is not glowing, he's a perfectly normal (and so, absolutely wonderful) baby boy. I wanted more from her.

If it sounds like I'm chomping at the bit to re-edit this too long too long story, I've misrepresented my interest. Ultimately, my continued nagging frustration was a sense that lurking under all of the endless, pointless detouring, there was a kernel of a compelling story to be told: an inexplicable, scientifically impossible - quite possibly miraculous - event landing amidst of a group of die hard academics could have been both hilarious and thought provoking. Instead this had me wondering how many hours it had been since my last Tylenol.

[Margaret Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big ideas, brisk plot, humor, and complex, nuanced characters make this a great read. It pulled me in from the beginning and held my attention until the surprising and satisfying end.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if a miracle happened today? Not a large miracle like world peace, but a small one wherein a toddler occasionally glows with an inner light. This is that story. Because it happens to the younger son of a professor of divinity, there are many conversations about the miraculous. Many can see the glow but his mother cannot - so we get the believers vs non-believers. It reminded me of those who could see the image of Jesus on a piece of toast and those who could not. And there’s more: what happens to people who come into the presence of the glowing toddler (the nimbus), to the couple’s marriage, etc. The novel is curious and intellectually stimulating, if the plot and action is less so. Nevertheless, it’s an accomplished first novel.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @DreamscapeMedia, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook for review purposes. It is currently available.

[Josh Deena · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Holt for giving me an opportunity to read this eARC for an honest review.


I am not sure what to make of this one. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely! Was I at times confused? 100%. Did I get lost by some of the theology? Yes, for sure. Is it like anything I've read before? Not quite. This is a unique book for a number of reasons. It is quite well written, relatively funny, and at times philosophically meaningful. However, it can also be frustrating, hard to read, and feel oddly paced. I think the core of it - a glowing boy - is fascinating. The characters all find their own forms of misery, which is both hard to watch and wildly entertaining. The religious overtones make sense most of the time, and it makes for a very entertaining read. All in all, I am happy to have read this and can recommend it!

[Nefret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Holt for the early reader of this book.
For all intents and purposes, this book fits so many of my qualifications for a book I’d like- family issues and a little bit of magic. I did very much enjoy this book, but like so many books it dragged a little in the middle. Loved that it was set in Chicago. Loved all
the considerations surrounding religion at the divinity school- clearly a very well researched book. What happens when a seemingly normal 2 year old starts glowing? At the end of the day this book really answers the question - what are humans willing to do when they believe they are encountering something superhuman?

[Dawn Knapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway win.

This book sounded very intriguing to me. There was more religious aspects to the book than I was expecting. The verbiage was more excessive than most novels I've read. I found myself stopping to look up definitions more than usual.

[Jennifer Jaquay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t normally concern myself with the Author and only judge books by the story however Dr. Baird did an excellent job with his first novel. You can tell he is a “writer” and that he is very intelligent. Loved the concept of this book and I do enjoy a book that makes you think!

[Erin]

The premise of the story sounded intriguing. A little boy who glows for no apparent reason, and only some can see, and theirs lives are turned upside down by it sounded magical, paranormal, or otherworldly. Unfortunately, I am not the correct audience for this book. I could tell early on that I am not nearly smart enough to understand this author's writing. I want an enjoyable story that I can lose myself in without having to stop and look up the meaning of every 3rd word. I want to thank the author/publisher for the giveaway. I will put this in my Little Free Library in hopes that this book ends up in the hands of an appreciative reader.

[Maliya Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked this up because the concept was intriguing but the execution was poor. Realized how much I enjoy free indirect discourse because I could not stand the way this book used the same word choice style and verbose narration for every character’s inner world. And the narration had a frustrating way of recounting the most important events via one character’s memory of them, rather than in the moment; at the same time, the events recounted live seemed to be the most menial. Really lacked a sense of propulsion and suspense, which unfortunately distracted me from grappling with what could have been an interesting metaphor for religion. Style- and structure-wise, it just felt like a stale novel — which made for an awkward contrast with the esoteric religion-academia terms that were name-dropped with no explanation.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good read.

[Maria Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crazy story grounded in a love for academia, intellectualism and the absurdity of parenthood. I found this book fascinating, stressful, and ultimately very entertaining.