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wantstoloveajedi's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
videojames's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
3.4 stars!
Thank you to Lee Mi-Ye and Hanover Square Press for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
I would like to preface this review with the hilarious fact that I read this amidst one of the worst insomnia episodes I've had in years. Currently wishing I had Dallergut's help to finally get some sleep.
This was interesting, my feelings are pretty mixed. First, the good stuff. The premise and world-building of this little novel are really fun, and especially at the beginning with the Noctiluca I was getting Spirited Away vibes. It is extremely quick and easy to read, which was perfect considering the limited brain cells I currently possess. The stories were very easy to follow, and particularly the dog one really got me teary.
Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the book was lost on me. I know it's the nature of these cozy, slice-of-life books but this one just had literally no stakes so it was difficult to feel engaged. The characters are all pretty simplistic and don't experience any major character development over the course of the story. It might be a result of the translation, but I found the writing to be very basic. What I want from these types of cozy books are some really striking life lesson and occasionally beautiful writing, but I only have a few highlights because there just wasn't a lot there.
This is a cute, creative book, but in my opinion it's also missing a lot of the elements that would make it really striking and worth reading. I would have loved to just get more description of the world or to dive deeper into the characters. I think if you really love these simple, cozy books like Before the Coffee Gets Cold or What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, then this is worth a try. If you're like me and the genre has been pretty hit-or-miss for you, maybe skip this one.
Happy reading!
Thank you to Lee Mi-Ye and Hanover Square Press for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
I would like to preface this review with the hilarious fact that I read this amidst one of the worst insomnia episodes I've had in years. Currently wishing I had Dallergut's help to finally get some sleep.
This was interesting, my feelings are pretty mixed. First, the good stuff. The premise and world-building of this little novel are really fun, and especially at the beginning with the Noctiluca I was getting Spirited Away vibes. It is extremely quick and easy to read, which was perfect considering the limited brain cells I currently possess. The stories were very easy to follow, and particularly the dog one really got me teary.
Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the book was lost on me. I know it's the nature of these cozy, slice-of-life books but this one just had literally no stakes so it was difficult to feel engaged. The characters are all pretty simplistic and don't experience any major character development over the course of the story. It might be a result of the translation, but I found the writing to be very basic. What I want from these types of cozy books are some really striking life lesson and occasionally beautiful writing, but I only have a few highlights because there just wasn't a lot there.
This is a cute, creative book, but in my opinion it's also missing a lot of the elements that would make it really striking and worth reading. I would have loved to just get more description of the world or to dive deeper into the characters. I think if you really love these simple, cozy books like Before the Coffee Gets Cold or What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, then this is worth a try. If you're like me and the genre has been pretty hit-or-miss for you, maybe skip this one.
Happy reading!
zoecrook's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
clover_patch_story's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A book solely based on vibes, this is the perfect bedtime storybook.
afterttherain's review against another edition
5.0
so sweet and so good omg this might be my favourite read in 2023.
rmoses's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
abookwormwithwine's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Lee Mi-ye was just what I needed in my life right now, and though I think this is going to be for a very niche market of readers, it was the perfect book for me. The storyline focuses mainly on Penny who gets a job at the Dallergut Dream Department Store and starts learning the world of selling dreams. You get to know an array of funky and unique characters throughout, and I loved every single one of them. The storyline doesn't necessarily lead anywhere, but I could have easily taken 200+ more pages in this world and loved every minute of it.
While the main POV is Penny, we also hop into the lives of some of the people who come into the store, and a couple of them near the end of the book left me in a puddle of tears. Overall, this is a very light and uplifting read, but it was also thought-provoking and heartfelt. I loved that there was a note from the translator (Sandy Joosun Lee) at the end, and I thought she did a truly beautiful job with the translation. If you enjoy getting lost in magical worlds and just need something to take your mind off the daily grind, The Dallergut Dream Department Store is the perfect place to do it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
While the main POV is Penny, we also hop into the lives of some of the people who come into the store, and a couple of them near the end of the book left me in a puddle of tears. Overall, this is a very light and uplifting read, but it was also thought-provoking and heartfelt. I loved that there was a note from the translator (Sandy Joosun Lee) at the end, and I thought she did a truly beautiful job with the translation. If you enjoy getting lost in magical worlds and just need something to take your mind off the daily grind, The Dallergut Dream Department Store is the perfect place to do it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
ali3689's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
shanpoppy's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0