This was a rage read for sure. I got this book as an ARC like six months ago and it took me all this time to finish it!

Let's start from the beginning. TW: HOLOCAUST, mental abuse, physical abuse. I guess if this book description had a TW I'd make sure to never have picked it, but that's not the only problem.

Rin is the leader of a troupe of sparks, but she is hiding from the evil circus master, while also trying to avoid second world war. The book goes from past to future, to present, to past again without much warning. So, it's hard to follow where in time we are. The only problem is that past 50% of the book we start to get a different POV in the book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The First Bright Thing" tells the story of a circus full of magically gifted people referred to as Sparks. Rin (Ringmaster) and her wife lead this circus, but Rin's past and time traveling abilities bring danger ever closer to The Circus of the Fantasticals.

When I first heard about "The First Bright Thing," I was so excited. I am a huge fan of "The Night Circus" and was hoping for something that felt similar. I liked the contrast of good v. evil forces symbolized by the different circuses, the historical jumps in time, and the found family dynamic of the Sparks. However, I found the plot predictable and the characters flat at points, especially when they were used as announcers of plot points rather than fully fleshed-out beings with prose guiding them forward.

However, I think I went into this with a particular type of read in mind, and was mostly let down because it was not what I had expected. My own bias aside, I do think this was a light and enjoyable read with approachable fantasy elements that will appeal to readers that prefer less intricate worldbuilding.

The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson
Narrated by Petrea Burchard & Tim Campbell
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Sci Fi & Fantasy
Published: June 13, 2023

The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson was absolutely fascinating! This was such a unique, magical experience. I loved getting lost in this book! J.R. Dawson created such a fascinating world and I want to go back!

The narration by Petrea Burchard and Tim Campbell was absolutely incredible! The did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.

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

The world is still experiencing the aftereffects from World War I but Rin and her troupe called the Circus of Fantasticals give the small glimmer of happiness and hope after the world experiences much bleakness.

But there are many times when people want to tear away others happiness and there are other times when good things have to come to an end. Rin experiences threats all around her and the future is showing an impending war. Plus, on top of all of that, there is a ringmaster who wants Rin's circus, and he will do anything to get what he wants.

For some reason when I was reading The First Bright Thing back in the summer of 2023, I kept thinking of how The First Bright Thing reminds me of Amanda Foody's Ace of Shades. Maybe it was because both books had that bleak, worn down world filled with those who are the underdogs and misfits? Maybe it was because both books explore the good vs evil storyline? But, for whatever reason it could be, I still enjoyed both books and found them to be unique in their own rights.

The First Bright Thing is definitely a diverse read where Rin is Jewish and bisexual and this book features a queer found family, which is definitely and truly amazing.

The Sparks and Rin had a strong and beautiful relationship and were truly an amazing found family.

Even though I loved the found family, Rin, the way they allow the small beacon of light to shine in times of darkness, I did struggle with getting into The First Bright thing due to the beginning being slow. However, once you get going in this story you definitely become engrossed and will constantly think about this story and its characters.

so, sadly, i have decided to dnf this. i was mega hyped about it when i first started listening to it, but eventually the pacing became unbearably slow to the point that i no longer cared about the book. also, it takes place during a world war 2 timeline and i usually don't like reading about war/history. however, i think this would be the perfect book for anyone interested in a queer circus with a military background setting inspired by the xmen.

I enjoyed the emotional catharsis offered to the reader. I think the dual POV, and multiple narrators, helped to capture the anxious atmosphere. I wish there was a deeper look at the relationship between our three female leads. I understand this book is about confronting your past instead of running from it, standing up to your demons, etc. but I wish the aspect of friends and loved ones standing with you to do that had been explored more deeply.

The circus and magic were fun, and I like how the world was presented to the reader, but not over-explained.

An interesting premise, but I found it very difficult to get into. I've made several attempts to read this and i just found myself unable to keep my attention on the book.

Since reading Fourth Wing this Summer, I’ve been looking to add more and more fantasy into my reading life in hopes that fill the void that my book hangover has left me with.

This was such a fun surprise of a story!

WHAT TO EXPECT
-multiple POVs
-themes of magic
-found family
-Historical elements

*many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

It's always exciting to find a book with a premise you've never encountered anything even similar to before. But it didn't take long after starting The First Bright Thing that I was able to predict where the story was going. Add to that how undeveloped the characters were and the lackluster world building, and it became a challenge for me to even finish.

Do you ever pick up a book and by the second chapter already feel a strong attachment? That’s how I felt about The First Bright Thing – I knew I was reading something special right from the beginning, and I was right. This is easily one of my favorites of 2023.

This is a story of magic, of loving who you want to, of taking charge of your own life, of found family, of defying what society expects fo you, of time travel, and of a circus.

This is Ringmaster’s story and how she faked her own death to get away from The Circus King who was controlling her.

The First Bright Thing is primarily set after World War I but includes flashbacks to war time as well. Told in dual POV’s between Ringmaster in 1926 and Edward in 1916 and everywhere in between through 1945, since “Rin” Ringmaster is able to travel through space and time. That’s her Spark.

I found the time jumps confusing at first listening via audio, but I soon understood what was going on as each chapter header tells you whose POV it is and the year.

Certain people have “Sparks” or inhuman abilities. They weren’t born with them but acquired them during the war, nobody is sure how or why but its a general understanding that some people have them and some don’t. As with anything unnatural, there are those who don’t like Sparks and want them gone.

The heart of this story is the circus Rin runs and how her traveling circus is full of others with a Spark. They’re unwanted elsewhere but she welcomes them in. This found circus family all mean the world to each other and help each other out as families do. Her circus goes to where it’s needed and to someone in that town who needs to see the circus for whatever reason.

This story contains lot of elements you know and understand but are put together in a unique and fresh way that truly captivated me. I love the time travel element and the universal rule that you can’t change things too much or you’ll ruin the timeline – and the idea that certain things are inevitable and unavoidable, no matter how much you try and change.

Rin has a wife, Odette, and the two are not legally married by law but are married in their hearts. Rin was also raised Jewish but that’s another aspect of herself she has lost yet remembers certain traditions and high holidays along the way. The story isn’t about LGBTQ+ or Judaism, but both are weaved seamlessly through the story and they’re just there.

This is a slower paced story but to me, it felt like a warm hug and I wanted to cherish every sentence. It’s intense at moments and I had to take this in small doses, but that only made me love it more. The First Bright Thing is a story you should experience for yourself.

4 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“The First Bright Thing” by J.R. Dawson

📕 Edition: ARC Audiobook via @netgalley

Transported into a world where time and magic intertwine beneath the big top of the Circus of the Fantasticals. Rin, the ringmaster, and her wife, Odette, lead a troupe of extraordinary misfits, the Sparks, providing a haven of enchantment amidst the post-World War I turmoil.

Dawson's storytelling shines as threats encircle Rin's world - a looming war, a relentless past, and a rival circus with a sinister ringmaster. The novel weaves a spellbinding tale of love, resilience, and the power of the extraordinary in the face of darkness.

Overall, a captivating odyssey through time and the human spirit, leaving you spellbound from the first page to the last. Dawson's mastery of character and atmosphere creates a vivid and enchanting narrative that will linger in your mind long after the final curtain falls!

I really enjoyed this Novel and thought that it was beautifully narrated. The entire premise of this book is magical, daring and unique. The characters were written well and I think that their growth and development through out the novel did them justice, The story line of this novel is heavy and hopeful at the same time. Found family and love conquerors all are woven throughout. There is so much going on here plot wise that its really hard for me to make any generalizations without doing the book a disservice. This is definitely a book that i will come back to a reread at some point because i know that there were prob details that i missed that will probably unlock a new level of emotion for me. I cannot wait to read more from JR Dawson!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. this was fantastic, just what i have come to expect from this author and look forward to carrying in my book store.

Kudos to the person who wrote press release for this book; it was so hyped and I found it to be a let down. Comparing this to The Night Circus is atrocious as the only thing that is similar is people with magic at a circus. I found the jumping back and forth on the timeline annoying, the story was not very developed, and the characters seemed juvenile even though they are supposed to be adults.

DNF @50%

I think the premise of this book was so interesting. Unfortunately I think the time jumps into different eras hurt the focus and my investment in the story as I only cared about one of these and found the other side very dull.

Review: The First Bright Thing 🎪

By: J. R. Dawson
Published: June 13, 2023

Ringmaster - Rin, to those closest to her - can jump through time and, with her trapezes artist wife, runs a circus that is home for magical misfits and outcasts known as Sparks. With the world still reeling from World War I, the circus provides joy and wonderment to all those who step into the Big Top. However, threats are closing in from all sides - the future holds an impending war and Rin’s past, in the form of a rival ringmaster with a dark circus, is closing in on her.

At first, the premise hooked me - a circus of magical misfits, sign me up! Well, it was a whole lot more than that. This is a story that’s full of pain, fear, love, support, and hope. Let’s get into it!

A large part of the story focuses on Rin’s previous abusive and manipulative relationship, which was so much darker than I could have anticipated. I think the pain and fear that comes with these relationships is captured well, but keep this in mind when picking this one up.

Found family is the competing story here, which I ate up. I’m a sucker for folks society deems different finding and supporting each other.

On top of all of this, there’s the looming threat of World War II and all of the components that led to it, including the Holocaust. This book is deeply Jewish and speaks to the importance of community, family, and mitzvahs (small actions that make a world of a difference) throughout. With the rise of antisemitism in the world, this book is a bright light for the love and kindness in the Jewish community.

Verdict: Loved ❤️

Thank you so much for the #gifted copy, @torbooks! ❤️

I really wanted to love this one. On paper it should be a perfect fit for me, but I just found myself getting very bored. I had to convince myself to keep listening because I was hoping the story would pick up but I still ended up giving up at about the 40% point.

I struggled to get into this one so I did end up DNFing, but I do not think it was a bad book and I do believe that others would enjoy it more so I do encourage you to pick this one up for yourself.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

“The Night Circus,” but gay, and about trauma!

In the midst of the Great War, certain members of humanity suddenly developed into Sparks. Each Spark’s power is unique, but the feelings of the world at large are universal: hatred.

Rin the Ringmaster runs the Circus of the Fantasticals, a safe haven for Sparks–and especially queer ones!–to show off their talents, under the guise of “circus tricks.” The peace she enjoys now is the result of a young adulthood full of hardships, and just when she feels settled in to enjoy the future, she receives a vision of what that future actually holds.

Think of this as super-heros extra-light. The Circus isn’t out stopping criminals, but more helping a few lost souls get to a happier place. I wish we’d gotten to see more of that, actually. While I understand that there needed to be a larger conflict, I really enjoyed the cozier atmosphere of the circus’s mission. Little nudges to make little changes which are, nonetheless, monumental improvements for the individual.

Still, enjoyable. Another wonderful queer-forward release from Tor!

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

At first, this book was a bit difficult to follow with the jumping timelines. Eventually, everything fell into place and I got it, but be aware that it might be a bit jarring to begin with.

I appreciated the characters and the way they were developed. There were certainly some aspects that left me in suspense as I was reading, and some twists that I wasn't expecting. I get that the novel was character-driven, but it was a bit slow at times. But overall, I liked the story and the pacing, though the ending didn't fulfill me as much as I had hoped.