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The First Bright Thing
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
6 posts | 7 read | 4 to read
If you knew how dark tomorrow would be, what would you do with today? 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. 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. With the scars of World War I feeling more distant as the years pass, Rin is focusing on the brighter things in life. Like the circus shes built and the magical misfits and outcasts known as Sparks whove made it their home. Every night, Rin and the Fantasticals enchant a Big Top packed full with audiences who need to see the impossible. But while the present is bright, threats come at Rin from the past and the future. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their Big Top and everyone in it. And Rin's past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow Rin cant fully escape. It takes the form of another Spark circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. Rins circus has something he wants, and he won't stop until its his.
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review
LibrarianRyan
LibrarianRyan
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
post image
Panpan

2⭐What is it with circuses lately. Everybody‘s afraid of clowns, but everybody loves the circus. The circus just happens to be a lesbian time traveling one. Our ringmaster comes from a previous circus where things were not so good and were bad in a mythical type of way. We the reader don‘t know why but honestly, I don‘t care. The whole time traveling and going back-and-forth between , 1919 and just after or even during the war just was not working

49 likes1 comment
review
julesG
julesG
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
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Pickpick

It's 1926, Ringmaster and her crew of Sparks (people with magical abilities) travel across the US to bring people joy and to help "special guests" in which ever way possible. This also includes Ringmaster, her wife Odette and their friend Mauve to travel through time (⬇️)

It's also 1917, Edward was just rescued from a WW I trench by Ruth. The two run away to join the circus.

#buddyread @DuckOfDoom

Low pick for me, see comments

julesG Edward has a spark and should learn to use it properly. 6mo
julesG Ringmaster is on the run from her husband, the famous Circus King. 6mo
julesG The trips in time often are into the future. Where the three women try to prevent WW II from happening. 6mo
See All 7 Comments
julesG TW: abusive relationship, alcoholism, xenophobia 6mo
julesG I liked the book, but thought that the time travel middle part dragged on. 6mo
Caroline2 Oh this sounds fun and original!! 👍 6mo
julesG @Caroline2 I think it's a good book fit for you 6mo
59 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
PageShifter
PageShifter
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
post image
Pickpick

Characters were well developed, I really adored this circus troupe of misfits. This was also a story about toxic relationship, and I felt for Ruth. It's awful what people can do to each other, saying they love you.

I adore circus as a setting, and time travelling - this had both! I loved how this made me to think about who I really am.

There happened pretty much, there was one subplot that wasn't needed.

19 likes
blurb
RaeLovesToRead
RaeLovesToRead
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
post image

Got some pretty books from The Broken Binding.

I'm still like 10 billionth on their subscription waiting list and the two I'm most looking forward to have not yet been dispatched, but these are beauties!

Have you read any of them??

Hooked_on_books I‘m a big fan of the sprayed edges trend. I hope it spreads to even more books and genres. It‘s so pretty! 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @Hooked_on_books Me too! I'm obsessed 🥰🥰🥰 The trouble is, once I have a book that has been spredged, I have to keep it forever... 😅 10mo
Clare-Dragonfly Ooh, so pretty! I‘d love that copy of the Celehar books! They are so good. 10mo
See All 24 Comments
RaeLovesToRead @Clare-Dragonfly I can start with these right? I don't have to read Goblin Emperor first, right?? 10mo
Clare-Dragonfly Yes, you absolutely can. Celehar is a pretty minor character in Goblin Emperor. Reading them first would barely even be spoilery, certainly not confusing. Don‘t sleep on Goblin Emperor, though! It‘s so good! 10mo
5feet.of.fury You always find such goodies! 10mo
vivastory I really want to read the Alan Moore (& the Catriona Ward) 10mo
IndianBookworm They look so pretty😍 10mo
Yuki_Onna With edges sprayed any more elaborately than unicolor, I'll need to keep them forever, too 😊Or find them a loving new home 🖤 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @Clare-Dragonfly Now I'm even more excited!!! 😁 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @5feet.of.fury I keep finding new bookshops! It's like an online treasure hunt 😊💕 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @vivastory Illuminations was only £5 too! Got it on sale 😉 It may be a while before I get round to it, mind 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @IndianBookworm Thanks! I love them! 😊💕 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @Yuki_Onna It can be a problem when it comes to space... haha 10mo
Yuki_Onna @RaeLovesToRead - Oh yeah! Even without sprayed edges I keep enough books. I only let go of those I know I have no interest in reading again, and that's ... not many. I live in a tiny flat and have more than 1500 books. And still I keep buying more like there's no tomorrow 😁 Muhahaha! 10mo
Liz_M @Yuki_Onna I live in a studio with 1300+ books, solidarity! 10mo
Yuki_Onna @Liz_M 👏🫶 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @Yuki_Onna @Liz_M I actually have no idea how many books I have... they seem to be breeding though 10mo
Yuki_Onna Oh Rae, that's priceless!🤣 10mo
Yuki_Onna I'm very fond of all of my books, the only problem is that I can only afford this small flat with my hubby atm. I aim for a private library sometime, though... 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @Yuki_Onna I've just got a bedroom at my parents' house... I've managed to brick myself in with books! Haha 10mo
Branwen Such gorgeous books! 😍 10mo
Branwen @Yuki_Onna @Liz_M @RaeLovesToRead SOLIDARITY! 📚📚📚 I also live in an apt with hubby and have well over 1500 books! 🤭👍🏻💕 We should start a club! 😂 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @Branwen I still have 2 more to come as well!!!!!!! 😁💕💕 One day I shall maybe count my books.... I suspect I would have to keep the number secret... 10mo
73 likes24 comments
review
adoramichaels
adoramichaels
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
post image
Pickpick

Great imagery, great sensory descriptions, emotionally impactful, complex, artistically structured

1 like
blurb
GondorGirl
GondorGirl
The First Bright Thing | J. R. Dawson
post image

Today's #BookMail ! You folx know I love a good circus story, so I'm really excited about this #ARC. Plus, look at the great ticket/bookmark it came with!

35 likes2 stack adds