Mystery and magic is introduced as a pivotal theme in the novel’s exposition when Ephraim pens a mysterious letter to the Lightbender, requesting his miracle. The atmosphere of mystery and intrigue is heightened by the magical awakening of a messenger, driven by Ephraim’s summons: “[A]t that moment, thousands of miles away in the tent of the Man Who Bends Light, a messenger woke up” (10-11). Throughout the novel, mystery and magic are irrevocably intertwined, as the novel’s mysteries concern the magical world of Circus Mirandus and the Lightbender.

The music of drums and trumpets is introduced as a recurring motif that signals the proximity of magic. Both Ephraim and his grandson, Micah, follow this music towards the wonder of the circus, which is epitomized in the strange and marvelous menagerie containing “a miniature hippopotamus,” “bright blue bats,” “a two-headed camel,” birds that transform into mice, and an invisible tiger (230-31). Furthermore, the Lightbender’s amazing show transports the children to a variety of incredible landscapes, including snowy arctic tundras, warm Amazonian rainforests, deserts, and star-filled skies.

The magical nature of the circus is further established in the manner of its relocation, which is not limited by the laws of science or practicality.