The First Bright Thing

Book cover of The First Bright Thing

Book description

When darkness descends, expect sparks. The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson is a spellbinding debut for fans of The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue.

Welcome to the Circus of the Fantasticals . . .

After the First World War, a select few wake…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The First Bright Thing as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Maura Jortner

Author

I loved the heart of this book. It’s queer and Jewish and a historical fantasy—what’s not to love?

It has one of the best twists I’ve ever encountered. I still ask myself, “How did I not see that coming?” Of course the answer is that J. R. Dawson does such a good job with the plot that readers won’t see it before it smacks them in the face. (In the best way, of course.)

Dawson made me fall in love with her characters and the circus all over again. Plus, now I really want my own Spark.

From Maura's 3 favorite reads in 2023.