Ironically, this book is pretty dark. It features a travelling circus that seeks to change the lives of its attendees. The Ringmaster (Rin, for short) has the ability to travel through space and time. She’s not that special, however, as the “Spark” abilities manifested in the middle of a war, sometime before the story begins. This power changed people on a genetic level, and the effects vary greatly. Other members of the circus have their own abilities such as duplication, transformation, healing and more.

The story centers on Rin and her past catching up to her. She rescued a boy from the middle of a battlefield and he became obsessed with her. The boy (Edward) started to develop his own spark, which happened to be a sort of mind control. When he told someone to do something, they did it. At first he doesn’t really understand the ability, but once he does it goes off the rails. The way he controls Rin really makes you come to despise him, and his new moniker as the “Circus King” starts to make sense. She was everything to him, so her leaving broke him and made him into even more of a monster than he already was. His relentless pursuit of her gave the story a sense of tension that I felt until the climax.

One of the other main aspects is found family. The Sparks become a family, not just a circus. Because the general public fears them, the only way they can be safe is to stay together. Under the guise of entertainment, they find comfort. While we only get personal moments between the main three characters (and one additional) the impression still stands simply from the interactions they have with the others.

Rin, Mauve and Odette run the show. Mauve gets impressions of the future that help her decide where the train should go. Rin jumps the train from track to track and can travel through time when necessary. Odette can heal, upon taking the pain herself. She’s part of this trio of decision-makers because she’s the heart. Her selflessness and caring for others keeps them grounded. Also, she’s Rin’s wife in all but legality (because this story takes place in the early 1900s). Their dynamic is relatively stable, though they bicker on the best decisions to make sometimes. There’s no ridiculous fallout to pull at your heartstrings artificially. They’re a rock solid group that faces challenges together, but they’re also human and make mistakes. I found myself wanting more from the other characters as the entourage angle didn’t work as well without detail, but the trio were dynamic enough that I was compelled to finish it.

This novel takes some big swings in the trauma department. Rin was abused in more ways than one and her ability to persevere for others is heartening. She has to learn how to live for herself and find hope, as the story pushes her farther at every turn. From visions of a future doomed to war, to the fear of the Circus King retaking control, she has a lot to work through. The supportiveness of the characters and their prerogative to help others is inspiring. Ultimately it was an inspirational story with some truly dark moments that I think some could relate to. Finding the light in the darkness takes effort, but it’s well worth it in the end. This one is for all you sad friends out there!