The First Bright Thing

The scars of the past make themselves known in Dawson’s debut, an uplifting historical time-travel fantasy. In an alternate-1920s America, Sparks, people gifted with unique powers, are shunned and feared by wider society. Rin, also known as Ringmaster, travels the American Midwest with her Spark circus, teleporting from city to city and decade to decade, while also fleeing from her husband, the Circus King, who used his own dangerous Spark to keep Rin chained in a coercive relationship. As Rin and the Circus King circle each other and the threat of WWII looms, Rin and her chosen family learn that, though some evils are too great for one person to vanquish alone, there is unexpected power in small gestures of courage. Dawson’s exploration of survival and healing forms the story’s emotional core but an abundance of wholesome and occasionally saccharine platitudes (“When we hurt ourselves, we hurt those around us”; “True courage comes when there is nothing we can do to stop the darkness, but we still hold the torch for those who must walk the hardest paths”) undermines the narrative’s power. Still, fans of gentle, uplifting speculative fiction will find much to enjoy in this heartfelt celebration of difference. (June)