Synopsis

Ringmaster — Rin, to those who know her best — can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. And the circus they lead is a rare home and safe haven for magical misfits and outcasts, known as Sparks.

With the world still reeling from World War I, Rin and her troupe — the Circus of the Fantasticals — travel the midwest, offering a single night of enchantment and respite to all who step into their Big Top.

But threats come at Rin from all sides. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their show and everyone in it. And Rin’s past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow she can’t fully escape.

It takes the form of another circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. Rin’s circus has something he wants, and he won’t stop until it’s his.

Review

Take an old-fashioned circus, fill it with performers of magical ability and add in a dark and dangerous adversary… what more could you want from a book?

The First Bright Thing begins in the First World War, in a dark and dangerous place, fraught with death and destruction. Edward is rescued by a mysterious young woman who appears in front of him and takes him with her. However, he is less grateful than we might expect and their love story does not end happily.

At the same time we meet Rin, travelling around with her wife Odette and their circus, recruiting souls who need help because they are outcasts from society. Known as Sparks, these people have developed magical powers, including the ability to create realistic illusions, time travel, duplication and more.

Reading about these talents is eye-opening an joyful, as we consider what it is to be ‘normal’ and how we perceive others. As this book is set between the two world wars, all messages are stark and relevant, reminding us of what is to come and how dangerous being different can be.

In fact this book looks at many difficult themes, including gaslighting, domestic abuse, alcoholism and discrimination. It’s a lot for one book, but each one is handled well; our main character is also Jewish, which adds another layer of complexity and danger, because we know what is around the corner. We also know who The Circus King is, but not the full extent of his past relationship with Rin; the revelation of his own ‘talent’ is not only shocking but deeply disturbing.

However, despite the continuous threats approaching the circus at all angles, at its heart, The First Bright Thing is about found family, hope and courage, and it’s truly heart-warming. The circus acts are beautifully described and the relationships between the characters are wonderful. It would have been nice to spend more time at the circus, enjoying the acts to contrast with the rising conflict and fear elsewhere.

There are a few unanswered questions and the pace in the last few chapters feels a little rushed, but as a whole this book is pure magical escapism and I absolutely loved it.

Thanks to Tor Books and Black Crow PR for my advanced copy. Opinions my own.