The Vermillion Emporium is a Magical Book Born of Tragedy
Jamie Pacton weaves a spellbinding adventure
“There would be joy and grief; love and loss; laughter and sorrow; but, between them, there would also be magic.”
Content Warnings
- Death
- Swearing
- Sexual situations
- Kidnapping
- Violence
Genre
Fantasy & Romance
Age Level
14+
If you’ve been following me since I started writing on Medium, you know I was anticipating the release of The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton.
I attended her Q&A session for Children’s Book Week in November 2022. She had some great writing advice!
Immediately following the session, I pre-ordered the book. When it arrived, the copy was signed which was such a sweet touch.
The pre-order package came with a bunch of fun extras, pictured above. It also came with two art prints, which I’ve included below. These extra touches truly made for a more magical reading experience.
Flash Summary
Twain is a boy who makes a living climbing dangerous cliffs in search of valuable razorbill feathers. One day while climbing, he finds a strand of starlight.
Quinta, a girl whose mother has told her she was meant for great things, is in search of a magical shop her mother told her to find with her dying breath.
When the two meet at the magical curiosity shop that recently appeared in the town of Severon, they find a book on magical lace weaving from starlight. The pair also begin to fall in love.
After their magical lace is discovered by the ruler of Severon, the duo is commissioned to make a starlight dress. However, they have no more starlight, and the origin has been lost for centuries.
As Quinta and Twain search for answers, they soon discover that there is a dark, dangerous side of magic.
Pacton transports the reader into a world of magic and whimsy
One of the qualities I appreciated about this book was how thoroughly the worldbuilding was done. In fantasy books, bad worldbuilding takes away from the story, so I liked the attention to detail.
When you first open the book, there is a map of Severon (the story setting) and where it is located compared to other places. The visual is helpful for understanding the setting.
The pages are chock-full of magical details such as starlight, moonshaddow, and dragonfire.
The Emporium is delightful with its seemingly endless maze of constantly changing rooms to explore.
The Book Delivers More than it Promised
After reading the synopsis, I was only expecting half of the storyline. The story the book promises is fantastic, but it ends around halfway through the book.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but in the second half of the story, the adventure continues in a new way. There are unexpected plot twists, new problems to face, and we learn more deeply about the characters’ pasts and connections with each other.
Typically, books have to try to live up to their promises. This book gives the reader everything it promises and so much more. I was pleasantly surprised.
Not Just For Fans of Romance
Don’t worry romance fans. There are plenty of tender moments as Quinta and Twain’s love unfolds, but this book is so much more than just romance.
I expected the romance aspect to be heavier. Their love is slow building, and there is more adventure and fantasy than anything.
I typically steer away from romance books, so I was pleased with the many other elements in this story.
An Enchanting Story that Keeps you Youthful
This story reads as though it was written for younger audiences, such as teenagers. If you prefer adult fiction, this is not the story for you.
However, I love reading books that help me keep in touch with my inner child.
While the plot deals with dark themes at times, overall the story feels comforting. The story is enchanting and reminds me of a time when I was younger and the world felt magical.
I remembered what it felt like to fall in love for the first time, how slowly and quickly it happened all at once.
I cherish stories that give me those feelings again and help me to see the world through less cynical eyes.
Inspired by The Radium Girls and the Death of Her Son, Liam
Pro tip: always read the author’s note and acknowledgments. Sometimes, there is some great stuff hidden in there.
For this book, I can’t read either without sobbing.
For a story with such a warm, cozy feel, it was inspired by some truly tragic events.
First, Pacton wrote it in 2021 while dealing with the death of her son, Liam. My heart goes out to her as she continues to navigate enormous grief.
Second, the darkness behind magical lacemaking was inspired by the Radium Girls, who painted watch dials with radium.
The girls would lick their brushes to sharpen the tips in between watches, and many of them died horrific deaths from the radium. Quinta is even named after Quinta McDonald, one of The Radium Girls.
Third, inspiration came from young, female Venitian lacemakers who were often kidnapped into other countries for their skills.
Final Thoughts
The Vermilion Emporium was the first book I read of Jamie Pacton’s. I highly recommend this story. I will definitely be reading the book’s sequel, The Absynthe Underground as well as some of her other work.
If you found value in this book review/recommendation, please consider signing up for Medium using my referral link. You will get access to a catalog of millions of great stories from thousands of fantastic writers. (And you’ll get virtual hugs from me!)
