DallerGut Dream Department Store

I liked this book. It’s hard to describe what it’s about. A slice of life with just a little magical realism sprinkled in.

Thank you, NetGalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In a mysterious town hidden in our subconscious, there’s a whimsical store where all kinds of dreams are sold…

The story follows Penny, our protagonist who has a job interview at the DallerGut Dream Department Store. As Penny prepares for her new job, we are introduced to a host of characters that are regulars throughout the book. This eclectic cast of characters play a vital role in teaching us about the various dreams that can be bought at the store, and the deeper meanings that can be found in dreams. Each floor of the department store sells different kinds of dreams, such as dreams for animals, the elderly and those seeking adventure.

Each chapter of the book follows Penny as she learns about what it means to work in the dream business and how they influence the lives of their customers. I liked how each chapter taught you something different about the dream world and also about human behaviour.

This is the perfect read for autumn and winter. A cosy fantasy that is similar to slice-of-life anime. A fun, quirky story that depicts the human condition in a palatable way. Alongside Penny, we learn about what it means to dwell on the past and worry for the future, and how these can also be positive things. This book is perfect for those who want to read about the mundane things in life, finding inspiration, overcoming trauma, resilience, and having hope.

This book has similar vibes to Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle.

Only those who are asleep can enter the DallerGut Dream Department Store. Themed dreams are sold on various floors. The employees as well as the the owner, Dallergut, are all quirky characters.

Penny lands her dream job at the store. She quickly settles into her job and learns the ropes of being in the dream business. Dreams are advertised and those who are asleep, 'buy' the dreams. The dreams are created by renowned dream makers. The themes to these dreams are vast and the customers get to choose what they wish to dream about.

The real world is also seen through the eyes of the dreamers whilst they are awake. Their circumstances lead them to have their dreams and their dreams end up enriching their lives.

The content of this book is unique, brilliantly unusual and will keep you hooked.

The DallerGut Dream Department Store is a shop where all the customers who visit are asleep. The customers buy dreams from ‘the Legendary Five’ dream-makers who are the most successful and are celebrities in their field. Four floors of dreams entice the customers. Each floor has a characterful manager, all presided over by the easy-going, eccentric, genius owner - DallerGut.

All the time whilst reading this book I had a strong feeling of ‘this is such a cute book’. But cute is a bit too flippant of a description. There were so many more layers to this book. It’s totally cute, but also clever, insightful, thoughtful, satisfying, sad, elevating, cheering and ultimately, completely satisfying!

Such a light and whimsical book full with a fascinating premise and well-imagined setting and characters. I enjoyed this unique book a lot as it deals with the world of dreams, its meanings and how we humans deal with the various feelings brought about by dreams. I can understand why it was a bestseller in South Korea and other countries. I can't wait for the second book to be translated to English!

The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Mi-Ye Lee is a whimsical and joyfully humorous look into the world of our dreams.

I loved the idea that are dreams are stories we buy from a department store after we fall asleep. It feels like the 2023 fantasy version of blockbuster. That this story is told from the POV of the retail workers in the store brings a flavor of customer service humor that bizarrely compliments the ethereal energy of the dreams. Giant furries that hand out PJ’s to nude sleepers, Leprechauns trying to transition out of the shoe business and into the dream business, celebrity/pop culture icon dream makers with wild names like Wawa Sleepland and Babynap Rockabye, what’s not to love?

The characters that work in the store are gold, playing on the different layers and styles of management to be found in retail, types of co-workers, and customers. Anyone who has ever worked in retail will be reading and thinking “YES!” Penny’s wide eyed innocence and earnest work ethic is the perfect straight faced delivery as she observes the dynamics of her new (and first) play of employment.

The heart of this story is the enigmatic Dallergut, owner of the department store. A sort of Willy Wonka figure who seems to behave erratically, but deep down moves with purpose and compassion.

Lee uses the dreams: the styles, the reasons people buy them, the glimpses of the customers waking lives, to delicately weave themes of grief, hope, inspiration, heartache, and beauty. Reading this book is like falling asleep and waking up refreshed, it is a gently meandering story that’s easy on the mind and filling for the soul.

This story is originally Korean and has a sequel, but this first novel here has just been translated into English for the first time. I sincerely hope they translate the second novel as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this early copy of DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee. This was a inventive, at times weird take on dreams that brought many a smile to my face.

What a ride! I DEVOURED this book in one sitting! It's essentially Blockbusters but for dreams and I am here for it! It felt really trippy, but at the same time I felt like I was able to connect to all of the characters in one way or another. After working for so many years in retail myself, I loved the smaller details like the retail heirarchy and the quirkiness of all the workers. I cannot wait to read the sequel, and I hope it is translated soon!

I have never read a novel quite like this before. I have always loved books that delved into dreams and and the dream world and I loved the concept that the shop was a place where you could go in and buy whatever dream you wanted.

I loved the mystery element of trying to recover the stolen dream, I just wished that they elaborated a bit more on this idea and it was only a small portion of the book.

However, I did like reading about all the different customers and their dreams and how they were connected in different ways.

I can’t wait to pick up the next book already so I can hopefully get the answers to some of the questions that remain at the end of the book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an E-ARC of this book.

A beautiful book.

When you start this book, you are transformed into a world of dreams and whimsy. With how well this story is described and written, it is as if you have walked into a Studio Ghibliesque film. The energy of the characters, yet the softness of the scenery emerges you into the story; and before you know it, you’re on the last page with a heartfelt smile on your face.

Full of emotion and likeable characters, this book is a must read. I really hope there is a sequel.

So yeah, what drew me to this book. Well, obviously the wonderful cover and the intriguing title of course. Swiftly followed by the rather bonkers blurb. I really HAD to read this book!
And was it all things and more? Heck yeah! Absolutely brilliant from start to finish.
So, DallerGut Dream Department Store is a store welcoming customers - both human and animal - from all over the world in pursuit of purchasing dreams. As with all good department stores, there are many floors, each catering for a different type of customer with their own needs. For instance, there are many types of dream to be purchased. Adventures of all types, nightmares, reminiscences, revisiting some event from the past, or some person. And so many more. Every one is catered for. Sometimes at a hefty price. The dreams being created by some of the best known producers.
But I get ahead... we start with Penny who, when we first meet her, is being interviewed for a job in the store. Interviewed by Dallergut himself. Obviously she gets the job, it's not a spoiler, it happens too early on for that. And the rest of the book follow her as she learns about the store, the dreams, and the people involved. But that's not all, as she also learns about the darker side of the process... But that would spoil things if I said any more about that...
Oh My Days. I loved everything about this book. It's part of a duology and I am now completely hanging for the follow up to be translated and released. I am assuming that it will be cos otherwise, what's the point in just publishing the one!
I took to Penny right from the start. She was an excellent character and she did her job of explaining everything about the world very well as she learned it herself. Asking exactly the questions I was thinking about myself. Genius! And also the world of dreams was fascinating. Especially those of the animals. I look at my cat differently these days when he starts to twitch when he's proper asleep!
The other characters we just as well drawn and all played their parts well. Some larger than life, flamboyant even, but all perfect in every way.
And the story they played out, the explanations, the meetings, the mystery, the duplicity. All came together nicely at the end, just leaving me hankering for the next book to complete the whole story.
For now, I can only dream...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A wonderful whimsical book. A sort of dream comfort blanket, I really enjoyed the book but really would like to visit the DallerGut Dream Department Store.

Wow, what an absolute dream of a novel. A beautifully captivating escape from the real world. The characters are endearing and the story is lovely. Magical realism at its most heartwarming.

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Move over, books about bookstores! Here is the next big thing! DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee is an amazing slice-of-life, episodic novel that will appeal to fans of The Kamogawa Food Detectives and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. The story revolves around Penny, who has been newly hired by the titular dream store. In this world, dream stores like the Dallergut sell dreams to the general public, and these dreams run the gamut from tiny daydreams to life-changing big dreams.

Here is a magical excerpt from Chapter 1:

"Kick Slumber debuted in 1999, and it was historic because he won the Grand Prix in his first year. I saved up money for six months straight to buy his dream. It was the most vivid dream I'd had in my entire life! The feeling of my fins crossing the ocean and the view under the waves. It was so real that when I woke up, I was mortified that I hadn't been born a killer whale! He is a genius. You know how old he was then? Just thirteen!"

Overall, DallerGut Dream Department Store is an amazing novel in translation that is like Mister Magorium's Wonder Emporium meets the anime classic Paprika. One highlight of this book is the amazing premise. After I read the synopsis, I knew that I needed to read the rest of this book right away.

Another highlight of this book is the author's imagination. The book's innovative world-building hooked me from beginning to end. I can't wait to read the second book in the duology. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would have to say that I wish that the plot had built up to something a bit more sinister or action-packed. I'm sure that the book's slow-paced and comfortable nature will appeal to many readers though. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of Korean literature in translation in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!