THE FIRST BRIGHT THING

With earnestness that matches the author's poignant story, narrator Petrea Burchard introduces listeners to the Circus of the Fantasticals. In the 1920s they are a magical band of friends, lovers, and misfits, including a soaring trapeze artist, the Calliope Man, and a woman who can burst into flames. They are led by a time-traveling ringmaster named Rin. As Rin discovers that a truly calamitous event--WWII--is on the horizon, she realizes she must battle the Circus King, whose shadowy backstory is delivered in a fine British accent and urgent tone by narrator Tim Campbell. The audiobook shifts from fantasy to horror when Rin inspires her circus performers to use their magic wisely as a dark future descends on the world. B.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]