I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love historical novels and especially when they’re intertwined with fantasy and mystery, exactly what this novel does! Reminiscent of The Night Circus, The First Bright Thing tells the story of a magical circus while also interweaving history within it spread across multiple time periods. This was written exceptionally well which can often be tricky to pull off. I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to future work

Although there were parts I really enjoyed, I did struggle with certain aspects. I loved the characters and they were interesting enough that it kept me reading. It was slow paced and could get confusing in parts due to the time travel aspect. I liked the writing for the most part, but I could get boring as I felt the author was over explaining. All in all though, a decent read, and I would check out more from the author in the future.

The true strength of this book is in its slow build. With multiple POVs spread across multiple times, it takes a little while to find your feet with Dawson's debut novel, but it's well-worth the effort. X-Men meets Morgenstern's 'Night Circus' as a group of Sparks (humans who have developed extraordinary abilities) use the circus to impact the future and change the world, all the while pretending they aren't running from the sinister shadows of their past.

A lovable range of characters, a truly unsettling and frightening villain, fantastical events, and a good dash of hope. Not one to miss.

Rating: 4.5

It's so clever how Dawson has managed to interweave magic and fantasy with the history of WWI and WWII. It's a new concept to me and one which I enjoyed.

I will say it was a slower pace for me than The Night Circus, but an enjoyable read all the same.

A Historical Fiction, Magical Circus book, with time travel? Absolutely.
I found chapters set in 1917 easier to get through than 1926 but still overall enjoyed.
3.5 stars

A fantastic book that was absolutely riveting. Definitely one of the best, if not the best, book I have read this year so far. I loved it

Undisputedly one of the best books I've read this year! I think I read 80% in one day as I couldn't tear myself away!

The First Bright Thing tells the story of Rin, the Ringmaster and owner of a circus made up of 'Sparks', people who have varied magical abilities. Rin's is to jump through space and time, her wife, Odette, can heal, and their closest friend, Maeve, can see the future. The circle travels through 1920s America, exploring the lives of these three women as they pass through a decade scarred by war, whilst also aware that another, worse, conflict is coming.

The story also weaves in a conflict that is much closer to home, as a darker circus dogs their steps - this one run by a figure from Rin's past. We learn about this past in drabs, only getting a clear view of its horrors as the plot progresses and the two stories reach their climax.

It's an excellent exploration of toxic relationships and the power of found family, of knowing that there are things that we cannot change and of seeing the power of art to inspire. All of this is wrapped up in beautiful prose and peppered with compelling characters - I can see myself coming back to this for a second read!

That said, please, please, please read the trigger warnings for this one. It does deal with some very dark things, although I think it does it with incredible sensitivity.

I love a dark and creepy circus story, and The First Bright Thing is definitely all of that, but this book also shines out with hope.

It's based around a familiar trope. Something happened in the world that meant that certain individuals, seemingly at random, each suddenly got a power. They each get one, though many of them can be used in different ways, and each individual gets a different power. Some are physical mutations, like the people with wings, others are physical transformations, with various types of shapeshifters, some are mental powers and some can move people through time and space. In The First Bright Thing these are sparks, and the people with them each decide whether to use their powers for good or evil.

So how does The First Bright Thing approach this differently to all of the superhero stories that have used the same set up?

Well, to start with there is the circus setting. Circuses are places of magic and mystery, and combining that with actual magical powers works incredibly well. So many of the familiar circus elements are here, but each one is enhanced by the magic present, from the menagerie of animals being replaced by a shapeshifter capable of becoming any beast to the size changing clowns. And there are subtle little touches that make it clear that there's so much more to their abilities than just innate magic, but that it still takes skill and practice. There's so much detail in here about the circus, how it works, its traditions and its practices that it really does feel so real. All of the performers are brilliant characters, but the three women running the show really stand out.

The setting works really well too. The sparks come during the first world war, and thanks to the seer powers of Mauve, they know what's coming and that it wasn't actually the war to end all wars. The use of time travel, combined with some other powers, is really well done, as they desperately hunt through time and across the world trying to find a way to prevent the second world war from coming. It gives the novel a lot of its drive and passion.

But there are greater depths too. There's a second circus, a dark circus, led by a horribly villainous Circus King. Although he's not seen for much of the book, his presence looms threateningly over so much of it, giving the whole thing a real sense of danger and peril. His powers are brilliantly presented, they're terrifying, but I love how we also get to see how he personally struggles with them, and how they feed so many of his insecurities and darker emotions. He reminded me a lot of the Purple Man from Jessica Jones, a villain I always found both utterly terrifying and strangely hypnotic. We get a series of flashbacks showing us the relationship between him and Rin, the ringmaster, and it's fascinating watching their relationship unfold when we already know where they end up.

There's so much darkness and despair threaded through this novel, but what raises it above is the message of hope it brings. The circus picks out people who need inspiring and gives them a night that will hopefully help them find what they're missing and turn their lives around. Some people end up in the circus, a new start and a way out of trouble or away from hate. And through it all is this hope that they can stop the coming devastation. In the circus there is acceptance and love, and that's beautiful.

The First Bright Thing takes a familiar idea and crafts something magical and original from it. A beautiful story.

A great read. It's like a circus ran by x-men. I really enjoyed the origin stories. Especially the reveal of the villain. That gave me chills. It's quite an emotional book and really tugs at the heartstrings. It has a strong message of love and acceptance and grief. Of how family doesn't have to mean blood, and how love and good will overcome. But it also has some pretty cool 'superpowers' that really give it an exciting edge.

Dark and gripping, a fantasy set in the world of circus that I thoroughly enjoyed.
It's intriguing, gripping, and well written. The author is a talented storyteller and the story worked and kept me hooked.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Wow, so this book was a LOT darker than I was expecting it to be. But, that being said, I did stock with it and ended up really enjoying it. Would recommend.

This book is lovely - on a sentence and imagery level - but also very dark. I was going in thinking it would be more on the melancholy end of the spectrum, but it ended up doing more grim and physchological, and I cannot emphasize enough how big of a shadow the war casts in this story. It’s an interesting but difficult read, so go in with your expectations managed well. This is not Night Circus but queer, this is something else entirely.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was dark! Really dark. It went deep into control and abusive relationships but it also went into the inevitability of World War Two. It did have some brightness in it as well though. It had a really good message about how tiny things can influence and change the world for the better.

This book killed with emotion though. Seeing the things Rin went through in the climax of the novel was so emotional and heart-breaking. It really kept me on the edge of my seat to find out what happened. I was happy with the way it ended. I think it was the right ending for the book to give hope and catharsis to the reader.

I don't have much more to say really. I think this was a truly great book, though maybe not one for the faint of heart.

I was so excited to get to read The First Bright Thing, it's a stunning book inside and out and was really enjoyable to fall into for a few days. While I enjoyed it, it was definitely different than I expected, being more historical than my usual reads so I'm really impressed by how well I got along with the narrative.
The novel follows the Ringmaster of the circus who can travel time hop as she is a Spark (humans who have some kind of magical ability) and most events happen around 1926. Another Spark can see the future and another can heal people which is a nice skill to have since she's an ageless and bendy aerialist (love love love).
The Trio band together to try and stop world war two before it happens, all while trying to stay out of the clutches of the Circus King, a mysterious figure from the Ringmasters past.
Once this book got going the narrative was non-stop and hugely encompassing. There were several Jewish references with added a lovely depth to the book and has sold me on this author, wonderful!

I had high hopes for this one. It is a lot like other books of its kind but with some differences and unique characters. I wish I could have gotten into it more and feel like I may have loved it at a different time

First off, this book really is beautifully written. It’s like a dream, with riffs on Angela Carter and Neil Gaiman, but still with its own unique voice. We’re visiting a magical circus, watching skilled performers but also X-Men-style ‘Sparks’ - performers who have abilities they use to entertain and help those they meet in each town.

This is all lovely. The three main owners of the circus are excellently drawn, with the subtle issues of race and same-sex relationships handled well. Because did I mention the circus also travels through time? The spirit of war and its associated social paranoia hangs low over this tale.

As the story continues, we enter the darker theme of ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes.’ The evil Circus King and his black tents are following the Ringmaster for unknown reasons. But we learn more - again, similar to the X-Men stories, how Sparks are treated by regular society, and how some use their powers for selfish reasons. Abuse is a big factor, and should be noted before heading too far in.

The only issue I had personally - which I know others will enjoy, so this is just my opinion - is the pace. Everything moves so slowly, and that’s fine for establishing characters, setting up backgrounds and suchlike. But it made it pretty hard to stick with for me. I’d rather it moved a bit more briskly, like the circus train itself.

However, this is a great fantasy novel that I know readers will enjoy. I do recommend, with the caveat of its pace and possible triggers.

I really enjoyed The First Bright Thing by J R Dawson it was a unique and wondrous blending of fantasy fiction with historical fiction. I loved Dawson’s writing, I really clicked with it from the first page, it was so atmospheric and engaging, the world of the Circus was really brought to life so vividly.

The book starts out and it feels, at first like a nice and cosy magical read, but trust me that won’t last long, once introductions have been made we don’t delay in getting into more serious and grittier issues. Set in the period between the WWI and WWII this features issues that were rife like xenophobia and also homophobia, there’s also time hopping set in WWI and the end of WWII. The recurring theme I loved most in this was found family and love, the sense of belonging in Rin’s circus was beautiful and how protective, how even a little territorial of them (in a caring way) she was is wonderful.

It’s really hard to discuss this without giving away too much, but I really loved the magic system, the Sparks were all so interesting and the sense of community, just perfect. It’s a story of good and evil, of found family, a circus with magic and time travel, a Jewish bisexual lead, a sapphic love story. I mean if you’re reading this and you don’t want to dive in I’m not sure what hope there is for you. I loved this it had everything I wanted and more, well I do still want more, more books from JR Dawson !

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It is truly phenomenal how much The First Thing achieves with the simple premise of "superpower circus". The constrictive horror of abuse, the painful slow recovery from it, and the threat of its return all make for a powerful story of a not okay woman trying to make the world a bit better through art. To then also tackle issues of war and bleak futures (going head first into the old question of why superheroes and sorcerers don't stop some of the horrors of history) is even more impressive. With this then tying into queer history and an attempt to reconnect with a Jewishness stolen, multilayered doesn't even cover it. Deeply emotional, carefully philosophical, utterly riveting.

A beautiful story about a travelling circus full of magic trying to stop a war

The story was beautifully written, the characters so in depth, scene setting phenomenal and I just loved everything about it!

Thank you so much NetGalley for such an amazing read keeping me gripped the whole way

The First Bright by J. R Dawson


I love the cover on this book it gives such a vibe. I have enjoyed reading this book however at times I did find the pacing slow. The entire time, the magical realism is astounding. It is lovely to read about how the women struggle to establish a safe haven in a dangerous world. Do check trigger warnings. The themes covered are significant, and I think this is done nicely. The story moves at a sluggish pace to give the characters time to examine and talk about the negativity around them. Overall, a beautiful novel that is also significant.But unlike most circuses, this one's ensemble truly is outstanding. While trapeze performer Odette is a healer and ringmaster Rin can travel across time as easy as most people can walk down the street, Mauve works behind the scenes to help assure the troupes safety by catching glimpses of the future. Sparks, or mystical misfits, call this circus home. However, the circus is in danger because a shadowy circus run by the enigmatic Circus King is constantly on their trail, and Mauve can already sense a much more serious issue up ahead. War. Even while Rin, Odette, and Mauve will stop at nothing to safeguard their refuge, their actions come at a cost.The narrative of the book is seen through the eyes of Rin, the trapeze artist's wife and the circus ringmaster, who is also haunted by her abusive background and the prospect of impending war. Rin is a complicated person. She suffers from chronic poor self-esteem and a dread of getting too close to people as a result of years of abuse. She is compassionate and driven to protect others from what she has gone through, but she also struggles to let anybody else shoulder any of her burdens because of her independence complex. Despite her best efforts, being in her head can be unnerving.