The First Bright Thing

Hardback Published on: 22/06/2023
Price: £16.99
Free UK delivery on orders over £25, otherwise £2.99
In stock
Usually dispatched within 1-2 days
Make and edit your lists in your account
No stock available in any shop.
In stock
Usually dispatched within 1-2 days
No stock available in any shop.

Bookseller Reviews

View all
The First Bright Thing
A mesmerising, enchanting and magical story that had me in tears
I was enchanted from the first page and even after I finished it I still feel like I’m under its spell. Rin, Odette and Mauve are the heart of this book an... READ MORE
Katie
The First Bright Thing
A mesmerising and heart-wrenching story of love and found family
I was drawn in immediately to the mysterious circus and the fantastical ‘Sparks’ that it’s made up of. Vivid imagery of a glowing magical circus combined w... READ MORE
Alex Parsons
The First Bright Thing
An incredible, magical, brutal read
Have you ever wanted to read Jessica Jones, but set at The Night Circus, in the shadow of World War I? This is that book, and so much more. This book wa... READ MORE
Morgan at Exeter Roman Gate
The First Bright Thing
Great summer read!
Who doesn't love a circus full of actual magic? The setting is cozy without the plot being predictable. The characters are lovable, and unfortunately I ... READ MORE
Kat S. -- Preston

Synopsis

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 she's built and the magical misfits and outcasts - known as Sparks - who've 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 can't 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. Rin's circus has something he wants, and he won't stop until it's his.

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • ISBN: 9781035018192
  • Number of pages: 352
  • Dimensions: 241 x 161 x 32 mm
  • Weight: 562g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

View all
The First Bright Thing
Magical and emotional journey that I had to take a moment when I finished the book
Here, this book not only takes you through time during the World War One and two. But it also talks about depression, alcoholism and abusive relationship. ... READ MORE
Trinity  Rogers
The First Bright Thing
Gripping and explosive historical fiction with a fantastical circus twist
Historical fiction novels with fantastical elements are some of my favourite kinds of reads. Think The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfielt, The Toymakers b... READ MORE
Page to Stage Reviews (Zarina)
The First Bright Thing
Emotional, superpowered circus
A great read. It's like a circus ran by x-men. I really enjoyed the origin stories. Especially the reveal of the villain. That gave me chills. It's quite a... READ MORE
JENNIFER Barry
The First Bright Thing
Pure Magie
In dem Roman 'Sparks - Die Magie der Funken' von J.R. Dawson geht es um die Zirkusdirektorin Rin, die 1926 einen Zirkus voller magisch begabter Menschen fü... READ MORE
Cleo Walker
The First Bright Thing
Powerful compelling story telling
This is a story about Rin, the Ringmaster, of her truly magical circus in American and much of it is set in the 1920's. Her wife Odette is at the centre o... READ MORE
Nigel
The First Bright Thing
Highly recommended
Dark and gripping, a fantasy set in the world of circus that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's intriguing, gripping, and well written. The author is a talented st... READ MORE
AMG