THE VERMILION EMPORIUM

What price magic?

Set against an imaginative background and inspired by the Radium Girls, this is a love story between two broken, orphaned older teens who discover magic both literal and figurative when they meet. When Twain discovers a strand of starlight and Quinta finds a book of starlight lace patterns at the Vermilion Emporium (possibly the most creative and least utilized magic shop in YA fantasy), they discover a secret—that starlight lace once conferred power, although magic was last seen in Severon a couple of hundred years ago. Together they set out to make a dress of starlight for the Casorina who rules their land. Both Quinta and Twain are appealing and easy to root for. Unfortunately, every conflict resolves rapidly, compelling obstacles are nearly nonexistent, and love blossoms immediately so that the only barrier is Quinta’s love-’em-and- leave-’em attitude (her sexual experience, which includes past male and female lovers and many one-night stands, is, refreshingly, never an issue for her or for Twain). The world is a vibrant, multiracial, magical place, but uneven pacing makes the first half drag while the latter portion of the book rockets along and provides all the conflict and tension. With this work Pacton pivots from realistic fiction to fantasy, and the often lovely writing creates a feast for the senses despite the plot’s weaknesses.

Much potential, mixed payoff.