The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson
Set in the 1920, Rin, is the Ringmaster a truly magical circus who acts are performed by the Fantasticals a group of people with special gifts. (Rin gift is the ability to travel through time). This story follows the lives of various members of the said circus.

Now it's a hard job to sam up a truly magical read in just a few simple words , it has compelling characters, it's beautiful written, evokes so many strong emotions sure as love and helplessness. The list goes on, for this is truly fantastic book I highly recommend to fantasy fans and those looking for something different that will leave you wanting more.

I loved everything about The First Bright Thing!
It was beautifully written and I really loved the circus vibes!
I also absolutely loved Rin and her wife Odette, they were definitely my favourite characters!
I really do highly recommend this book!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about Rin, the Ringmaster, of her truly magical circus in America and much of it is set in the 1920's. Her wife Odette is at the centre of her life and she is a trapeze artist. The circus generally employs misfits and those with various magical abilities that are known by the word Spark. Those magical abilities and people mean that the circus is truly remarkable and is known as the Circus of the Fantasticals.

However in a sense the story starts a long way from a circus ring in America. Edward is a young English boy and finds himself under attack from gas in 1916 on the front line of World War 1. Just as it seems that death is the only likely outcome a young American girl called Ruth appears. In some ways both are shocked by what is happening. Ruth takes Edward's hand and together they leave the battlefield for far pleasanter places. Ruth has a Spark and hers is the ability to travel through time and space.

Another magical character in this story known as the Circus King who runs his own circus and he has an unhealthy interest in Rin and her circus. Given the abilities of those close to Rin in her circus, they know that events may be conspiring against them. However do they have the ability and determination to find a way out? The Circus King's Spark is used in a very dark way.

All of my review above would be known by the reader fairly quickly in this book and I will try and give nothing else away. I'd prefer people to discover the journey in this book themselves - it is magical and wide ranging. It is also filled with love and hate. I did find myself wondering if there is a metaphor about coercive control here. The story travels through time and space. Fortunately this is well signposted.

Most of the characters here really are very good indeed. Rin's team in the circus are great however I do think that the Circus King is well written. The writing generally is of a very high standard. Its highly evocative of time and place to me and some parts are very poetic and powerful. As an example, Rin has time and a conversation with Jo (a young girl who has joined the circus) in the Rockies and this really hit me; beautifully powerful.

I really did like the idea of the Spark magical abilities, their use and the way they are perceived generally. I found the book a little slow for maybe the first half. I would never have stopped reading it but it didn't quite grip me. After that the grip tightened! There is a circularity about this book that I found really appealing. Overall I did enjoy reading this and would hope to read more by the author in the future.

Absolutely magical. This book was a fantastically magical reading experience. I highly recommend this to fantasy fans who are looking for a unique read.

♥️🎪🎡.The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson ♥️🎪🎡

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This story follows the lives of various members who belong to the Circus of Fantasticals. There are many circus books out there already, so the question is, does this one stand out from the rest?

The answer is yes! First, I was immediately blown away by the beautiful lyrical prose. I was totally transported to this world of magic and time travelling. Another thing I loved was the little mysteries left to solve along the way. What happened in Rin’s past? Will she manage to escape it?

Finally, I loved that Rin was a female circus ringmaster. It was refreshing and modern. And the LGBT aspects were great too!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5