Praise for J.R. Dawson's The First Bright Thing:

"Compelling and brilliant, and made me cry on a public street."—Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

"A celebration of artistry and wonder as essential talismans we wield against despair."—Travis Baldree, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Legends & Lattes

“The First Bright Thing is a genre-bending and wholly absorbing tale that will envelop readers in its exploration of light and dark.”—B&N Reads

“Charming, effervescent, and emotional, the book is a page-turner.”—Locus

"A masterpiece of the fantastical and the human."—Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light

“Mesmerizing and magical.”—Rowenna Miller, author of the Unraveled Kingdom series

"Dawson mashes up history, fantasy, and the magic of the circus in an emotionally immersive, character-driven story."—Library Journal, STARRED review

"Richly imagined and vividly depicted."—Sarah Pinsker, award-winning author of We Are Satellites

"A wonderful tale of hope and heart and perseverance."—Rita Woods, author of Remembrance and The Last Dreamwalker

"Fans of gentle, uplifting speculative fiction will find much to enjoy in this heartfelt celebration of difference.”—Publishers Weekly

“Pure magic. It’s a story of healing and becoming and truth, of finding our broken pieces and fitting them back together.”—Liz Parker, author of In the Shadow Garden