Member Reviews
This was a DNF for me at about 20%. I really like the idea of it but couldn’t connect with anything enough to continue. I do think that people who want a cozy and calming story can find something really good here.
The first in a best-selling Korean duology, that has become an international sensation, I was eager to read The Dallergut Dream Department Store when it became available for US consumption. The book follows Penny who has just gotten her fantasy job working at a Department store that sells a variety of dreams to sleepers. The sleepers remember the dreams, but not the shopping experience. The novel is built out of interlocking stories that show Penny’s progression at the store, but also bring in a variety of other dreamers and dream makers.
While there is a lot of whimsy and heart in the novel (characters have charming names like Babynap Rockabye and furry clawed creatures supply sleepers with comfy pajamas), there is also a philosophical undercurrent looking at how even a nightmare of test taking may be healing and the importance of not focusing too heavily on the past or future to the detriment of one’s present path. If like me you enjoy magical realism and are fascinated by dreams and how they can have impact and relation to our waking lives, this book is sure to be an interesting and enjoyable read.
Covering a year in the life of Penny, the newest employee of the magical dream store, this novel is almost a series of vignettes, with each chapter telling about a different aspect Penny learns about on the job. The magic of the dreams is intriguing, and all the characters in the book are interesting to get to know along with Penny, but it is definitely more a slice of life style book than one with a plot to specifically follow. It did leave a warm and fuzzy feeling with me after reading it. (And I recommend reading the translator's note at the end for an interesting look into her word choices.)
A magical and whimsical tale, Penny gets the break of her lifetime to interview for a job at the Dallergut Dept Store, a small place where dreams are sold. Albeit honest and pure, I’m surprised this isn’t genres for either children or at least young adult. If you have ever worked retail or interviewed for a retail job, be prepared to enter a world of the familiar. Go into this story with an imagination and child like wonder, don’t go in looking for either character development or plot.
Each character at the dept stores feels personalized and unique, so it was easy to separate them out. Also on the familiar side as someone who has worked retail in a department store. I enjoyed the chapters in regards to how bad dreams are addressed. Like why would anyone pay for those?
A cute and light hearted tale that never fully felt conceptualized, but sweet enough if you’re looking for a sugary story and a happily ever after feeling. A cozy story but the execution of this might have been a little stronger if the author had fully committed to telling the story in a short story concept, instead of feeling like switching between interconnected short stories and a novel. But an easy read still. Not quite 4 stars but would round up to 3.75. I would definitely recommend this as a perfect story for the imagination.
Thank you for this ARC!
I absolutely loved this book! It reminded me of Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The writing was beautiful and the story compelling.
This book was so cute and the premise is so cool!! The smaller stories that made up most of the book were heartwarming and incredibly sad at times. I just can’t get over the “nap dreams” and how DOGS BUY THEM. 😍😍😍 I love dogs so much, I practically cried every time they were mentioned. LOL The names of the different dreams you can buy are so imaginative! Like, "Crossing the Pacific Ocean as a Killer Whale" or "Eating a whole Lobster at a Private Beach".
"Whether you experience a good dream purchased from this department store or don't dream at all, we all sleep to get closure on yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. In that sense, sleep is no longer a waste of time.”
My only criticism is that the overall story seemed disjointed and the ending rushed. Without spoiling anything, a plot conflict happens and is not even mentioned again until the last 5% of the book. This is honestly inconsequential to me because the smaller stories within the book are just so precious and lighthearted that I forgot about the conflict until it was brought up again. I just thought I would mention it here in case readers were hoping for a riveting plot line; there is not one. This book is purely feel good writing.
“It's late and my family hasn't come home yet.”
The sleep tech in this is quite genius! I wish some of these products were real. Basically, if you're looking for a feel good, smart, easy read that will make you fall in love with the human experience this is for you. Also, one word: Nicholas.
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ʏᴏᴜʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
•Whimsical characters
•Cozy fiction
•Magical Realism
•Dreams
•Asian Lit
The Dallergut Dream Department Store is a charming, treat of a novel. Following the lives of the employees working at the store where sleeping visitors purchase their nightly dreams, it makes for a cozy novel with a lot of heart. Unique in subject and delivery, this novel was a genuine joy to read. (And that cover art?? Stunning.)
It’s an easy, short read that made me lose track of time and burn through the pages as I progressed. If you are looking for something to read, with a motley cast of characters, and an eccentric store owner, and a low stakes, sweet sort of whimsy-- this is one to read.
I'm pretty sure I saw online that there is a sequel on the way, which is something I will most definitely be picking up!
Thank you so so much to HTP Books, Hanover Square Press, and The Hive for the gifted copy of this novel to read and review. I loved it.
This is very much a cozy and, dare I say, dreamy vibes, minimal plot or tension kind of book. The world-building is whimsical, compassionate and wholesome, with characters that aren't very nuanced but serve their purpose well enough to create a vivid space. That said, the blurb indicates a heist plot as a central stake, and yet you could blink and miss the theft and its consequences. Other than that it's an easy enough read, with little nuggets of cleverness and specific Korean references and equal dream rights for furry friends. But do not expect any kind of thrill or stakes in this narrative.
The idea of this book was better than the book itself. The characters lacked depth, and there wasn’t a climax at any point throughout the novel. It was moderately entertaining and easy to read, but without any real build up, it was difficult to grow attached to any of the characters.
For a novel about dreams in a fantasy world, I expected more world building and interesting interactions between the characters. The first few chapters started off well with this, but it slowly dissipated and left the novel feeling robotic and grueling to finish.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book! It was a little reminiscent of Midnight Library by Matt Haig, in terms of the wonderful worlds you can just imagine and explore in your head. I was surprised to find a copy at Barnes & Noble before its release date, but took that as a sign that this book is going to skyrocket. It really was lovely and Penny is quite the character to follow, I felt that I was walking in her shoes as she learned the ropes of the Dallergut Dream Department Store. There were a few curiosities that I still didn't quite understand, don't want to spoil the reveal for you though!, and I just let it pass because this is such a nice short story and it had me hoping that reading it before bed would increase the likelihood that I would have a memorable dream. Alas, it was not meant to be, but wow, this book does make you think about the role dreams play in your life. This book was truly a nice escape.
This is the perfect cozy comfort read for anyone wanting to escape the stresses of our modern world! I love magical realism, and this novel is full of the whimsy and imagination that I crave in this genre.
Where I got stuck was I found myself longing for more of a plot line, whereas this felt more like multiple short stories strung together. I am a big mood reader, and unfortunately realized pretty quickly that I was not in the mood for this type of book when I picked it up. BUT, I can easily think of difficult times in my life where this is exactly what I needed, and I wish I had it then! I will be filing this book away for times like that in the future.
If you’re looking for a sweet book to transport you to a dreamlike place (pun intended), then look no further!
This story was quirky and different. These are great characters, that were easy to like and I really liked the look into this dream world.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.
This was essentially a book of interconnecting short stories focused around dreams with a whimsical spin. People arrive at this store while sleeping and purchase all different types of dreams!
The story was so creative and fun. The characters were lovable. And despite being mostly lighthearted, there were a lot of deeper lessons throughout.
Definitely recommend for something light and unique.
I loved the concept. It was a fun, heartfelt story. It's a comfort read for those who enjoy a calm and satisfying read with no high stakes or major plot twists.
I really enjoyed Rod so much! It’s so cute and creative! The writing is so beautiful and near poetic at times. I love this so much. I love experiencing this world!
This is a lovely little book that takes you into a whole new world. It's cozy, warm, whimsical, creative, and farfetched, but somehow you want to believe. You really do. It has you yearning for this to somehow be a reality--as if you could travel somewhere and find the street with this department store. There are a few cultural differences that may make it hard for some American readers to understand, but I think you just have to have faith and suspend belief. It would not be inappropriate to be drinking a nice cup of cocoa as you read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It is simply charming and will be cherished by many readers.
The Dallergut Dream Department Store was the perfect heartwarming read. Miye Lee blends this cozy dream world with real like seniors of the dreams who come to purchase dreams from the department store. I loved the glimince into each person's life and the touching ways the staff of the departments store cared for them. This book would be perfect for fans of "before the coffee gets cold".
This book was the perfect cozy read. In the style of When the Coffee Gets Cold (but with less angst), we journey through several people's dreams along with the staff of the Dallergut Dream Department Store. I am kind of obsessed with the premise, that we (the readers) go to a dream department store when we fall asleep to pick out what we will dream that night. You're just thrown into the world building of the dream world, but it becomes easier to pick up as you keep reading. I adored Penny and Dallergut and Weather and all of the staff! I hope we get more books in the future delving into everyone's pasts a bit more...there are definitely some interesting threads established in this book.
I'm going to be the odd one out. The one who just didn't enjoy this whimsical, plotless collection of stories about dreams. Penny is an interesting character but she's not the focus, only the instrument, Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Over to others.
“…we all sleep to get closure on yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. In that sense, sleep is no longer a waste of time.”
I genuinely enjoyed this book so much. There isn’t really a classic plot structure, but rather a glimpse into the inner workings of this “department store,” the people who work there, the creators of the dreams, and, most importantly, those who dream them.
Sandy Joosun Lee, the translator for the book, wrote in her end note that this book was “both fun and deep” and “unpretentious yet full of life” and I think that held true. I enjoyed taking some time to enjoy the world building and the featherlight tone of this novel. It felt like it was winking at you a bit and I found that really delightful.