The Vermilion Emporium

Starred review from September 26, 2022
Pacton (Lucky Girl) deftly recalls the Radium Girls in this unique examination of class inequality and exploitation set against a provocative landscape. Light-brown-skinned Twain, 17, is desperate to leave Severon, where he’s plagued by his dead brother’s financial debts. He’s sure that the thread of starlight he found on the cliffs by the coast is his ticket out. While evading his brother’s debt collectors, he stumbles upon the Vermilion Emporium, a mysterious curiosities shop, where he encounters pale-skinned photographer’s assistant Quinta, 17, who yearns to live up to the “great destiny” her deceased mother foretold for her. The two hit it off immediately, and together they explore the shop, which unlocks Twain’s knack for finding starlight threads and Quinta’s affinity for weaving them into a magical lace capable of working miracles. After successfully completing a commissioned dress for Severon’s ruler, they’re thrust into the spotlight, making them a target for those craving the starlight lace’s power. The protagonists’ easy, undeniable chemistry, the shop’s fanciful impossibilities, and the heartbreaking price exacted by the starlight offer romance, whimsy, and introspection via a hauntingly romantic fantasy adventure. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kate Testerman, KT Literary.