"This is the magic circus book that I have been looking for all my life. It's compelling and brilliant, and made me cry on a public street. I cannot recommend picking up a ticket for Windy Van Hooten's Circus of the Fantasticals highly enough."—Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway
"J.R. Dawson welcomes us to a time-traveling circus of magical outcasts, forged by love into family. A celebration of artistry and wonder as essential talismans we wield against despair—and with which we triumph against it. Spanning ages and continents, where history repeats its cycles of darkness, Windy Van Hooten’s Circus brings with it hard-won light. I, for one, am here for the show."—Travis Baldree, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Legends & Lattes
“Perfect for fans of The Night Circus. . . The First Bright Thing is a genre-bending and wholly absorbing tale that will envelop readers in its exploration of light and dark.”—B&N Reads
“Charming, effervescent, and emotional, the book is a page-turner, probing into the long-term effects of trauma and the power of community healing. . . . At its core, The First Bright Thing is an entertaining and heartwarming ride, populated by memorable characters and their topsy-turvy adventures, that asserts that your true family will always have your back.”—Locus
"Trains leap across continents, trapeze artists fly through the air, and three women desperately hurl themselves through time and against the dark tides of history. This book takes the reader on an audacious, bittersweet journey, underpinned by the magic of theatre and the alchemies of grief and love. A masterpiece of the fantastical and the human."—Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light
“Mesmerizing and magical, The First Bright Thing gives friendship, love, and found family top billing, puts the audacity of optimism on center stage, and delivers a voice with artistry and flair worthy of the Ringmaster herself.”—Rowenna Miller, author of the Unraveled Kingdom series
"Dawson mashes up history, fantasy, and the magic of the circus in an emotionally immersive, character-driven story."—Library Journal, STARRED review
"If this circus were real, I'd be in the front row; it's the found family so many of us crave. Richly imagined and vividly depicted, The First Bright Thing shows both the joys and costs of power."—Sarah Pinsker, award-winning author of We Are Satellites
"This magical novel will invite you into an astounding circus and carry you along on its wild journey through time, struggling to survive in the shadow of world wars and the sinister threat of their greatest competitor. The cast of colorful, endearing characters will make you glad to know that, as the Ringmaster says, 'Circus people never say goodbye.'"—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
"The First Bright Thing will break your heart and stitch it back together, again and again. A nearly perfect amalgam of Mrs. Peregerine’s Home for Peculiar Children and The X-Men, this story is inhabited by beautiful and imperfect characters. It is a delicious tale of magical outsiders, determined to find love and light, beauty and family, in a world that fears and often hates them. It is a wonderful tale of hope and heart and perseverance."—Rita Woods, author of Remembrance and The Last Dreamwalker
"Fans of gentle, uplifting speculative fiction will find much to enjoy in this heartfelt celebration of difference.”—Publishers Weekly
"Brimming with complex characters, The First Bright Thing is a one-of-a-kind exploration of the deathless tension between light and dark, in the world and in our souls. Dawson's debut, like the Ringmaster at its heart, commands your attention completely."—Greer Macallister, bestselling author of The Magician's Lie
“The First Bright Thing is pure magic. It’s a story of healing and becoming and truth, of finding our broken pieces and fitting them back together. A beautifully woven exploration of who we are, who we love, and who we choose to be in this world—the light or the darkness.”—Liz Parker, author of In the Shadow Garden
“The First Bright Thing is a beautiful debut packed full of heart, hope, and magic. A delightful blend of history and fantasy shot through with the magic of theater, found family, and the meaning of love. Fans of The Night Circus will adore this novel.”—R.R. Virdi, USA Today bestselling author of The First Binding
"Found family, faith, queerness, and free will weave in and out of timelines along with the Ringmaster and her crew. The circus itself serves, as it often does, as a symbol of a place where the impossible becomes reality — and the power of that is the reason why circus stories will continue to enchant readers for years to come.”—NPR
"J.R. Dawson bids you step under the Big Top to witness one of the most fantastic circuses in genre history. The time-travelling stars of this show band together to form a unique family with Rin, the Ringmaster, at center stage in this vividly imagined world. The First Bright Thing shines!"—James Patrick Kelly, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author
“Like if The Night Circus smashed into the X-Men and formed a found family that welcomed every reader with open arms. A beautiful novel.”—John Wiswell, Nebula Award-winning author of "Open House on Haunted Hill"
★ 03/01/2023
DEBUT The Circus of the Fantasticals always arrives at the right place at the right time, for those in the circus are Sparks, people with extraordinary powers. The Ringmaster, "Rin," can jump to different moments in time, and she, her trapeze artist wife Odette, and others have created the circus as a home and haven for Sparks who are persecuted and despised for their differences. The future looks grim, despite the moments in time that Rin, Odette, and their financier (and future seer) Mauve try to change. Rin's past also casts a long shadow, one of black tents, danger, and the whispers of a man whom Rin thought she had escaped. The Circus King also follows them, and his power can net anything he wants—and he wants Rin. Dawson's debut is haunting, employing themes of gaslighting, trauma, and war, which are woven through dual points of view and multiple timelines. Judaism plays a role as well, both in the faith of the characters and through parallels of persecution. VERDICT Dawson mashes up history, fantasy, and the magic of the circus in an emotionally immersive, character-driven story.—Kristi Chadwick
With earnestness that matches the author's poignant story, narrator Petrea Burchard introduces listeners to the Circus of the Fantasticals. In the 1920s they are a magical band of friends, lovers, and misfits, including a soaring trapeze artist, the Calliope Man, and a woman who can burst into flames. They are led by a time-traveling ringmaster named Rin. As Rin discovers that a truly calamitous event--WWII--is on the horizon, she realizes she must battle the Circus King, whose shadowy backstory is delivered in a fine British accent and urgent tone by narrator Tim Campbell. The audiobook shifts from fantasy to horror when Rin inspires her circus performers to use their magic wisely as a dark future descends on the world. B.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
With earnestness that matches the author's poignant story, narrator Petrea Burchard introduces listeners to the Circus of the Fantasticals. In the 1920s they are a magical band of friends, lovers, and misfits, including a soaring trapeze artist, the Calliope Man, and a woman who can burst into flames. They are led by a time-traveling ringmaster named Rin. As Rin discovers that a truly calamitous event--WWII--is on the horizon, she realizes she must battle the Circus King, whose shadowy backstory is delivered in a fine British accent and urgent tone by narrator Tim Campbell. The audiobook shifts from fantasy to horror when Rin inspires her circus performers to use their magic wisely as a dark future descends on the world. B.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
