The First Bright Thing

DEBUTThe Circus of the Fantasticals always arrives at the right place at the right time, for those in the circus are Sparks, people with extraordinary powers. The Ringmaster, “Rin,” can jump to different moments in time, and she, her trapeze artist wife Odette, and others have created the circus as a home and haven for Sparks who are persecuted and despised for their differences. The future looks grim, despite the moments in time that Rin, Odette, and their financier (and future seer) Mauve try to change. Rin’s past also casts a long shadow, one of black tents, danger, and the whispers of a man whom Rin thought she had escaped. The Circus King also follows them, and his power can net anything he wants—and he wants Rin. Dawson’s debut is haunting, employing themes of gaslighting, trauma, and war, which are woven through dual points of view and multiple timelines. Judaism plays a role as well, both in the faith of the characters and through parallels of persecution.