The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson has been described as The Night Circus meets the X-Men and I found that to be mostly accurate. As a huge fan of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern this was enough to get me to read it. One has to suspend their disbelief as they would do when they enter a circus big top in order for the magic to flow. Rin, the Ringmaster along with the rest of Windy Van Hooten’s Circus can travel through time and space often ending up in small towns in the mid-west in the 1920’s.

Everyone in the circus remembers the bitter pain of the first World War, where their Sparks of magic somehow began, and they are determined to prevent the next War if they can, all while running from the evil Circus King and his dark circus.

The Circus is a safe haven for misfits and all who are seen as different, all who have the Spark. There were times when this story felt cliche and predictable, but there were so many more beautiful moments full of magic and wonder I found myself swept away. If you’ve always wanted to run away and join a magical circus, maybe one with a dash of sci-fi thrown in, this book is for you.