The Dallergut Dream Department Store

A Novel

By: Miye Lee

Narrated by: Shannon Tyo

THE #1 KOREAN BESTSELLER WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD

For fans of magical realism and the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi comes this cozy fantasy debut.

What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in listeners' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.

©2024 Miye Lee (P)2024 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

okay

Interesting premise. More episodic and philosophical than following an actual plot with stakes. Maybe that is why this book is so short.

magical realism at its best!

totally absorbing storytelling! i can see all of the characters in a fancifully decorated department store, customers wandering about in their jammies. i love everything about this story

Love The Concept of Living a Life In Your Dream

The concept was fresh and intriguing. I enjoyed the thoughts, dialogue and characters. The story was very much characters based but toward the end I wanted a more clear cut story of what Penny wanted me to know. It went on as a series of activities of characters where little lessons could be learned. It was very sweet although I did find at the end, with no clear cut direction I was being led in, I had a hard time staying interested. It finished and I thought it was a clever idea, even inspiring, then it kind of fizzled out for me. Although I still think it is a worthy read. Many reviews show people love it or they’re in the middle with it! I’m more in the middle while still giving it a good review.

Brilliant concept

Mostly I enjoyed this book. I believe that Miye Lee has the imagination to write exceptional books. This book had the potential to be so much more than it was. The idea was conceptually brilliant but there were moments that never took off for me. Some of the actual dreams confused the narrative because it was hard to keep the characters straight in audio format given they were referred to as 'the man' or 'the woman'. I am not sure if the subtleties of the employee's characters was lost in translation but to me they seemed flat and one dimensional, especially Dallegut.

A Cozy Fiction to Cleanse the Palate

Adorable characters, fascinating world building, and a surprisingly pleasant approach to social and cultural issues all tied up in this delightful book. 10/10 would recommend as the perfect pick-me-up between the heavier stuff on your TBR

Not for me

Hard to follow and halfway in I still don’t feel engaged in the story. Going to abandon this book.