Miye Lee’s “The Dallergut Dream-Making District” invites readers back to the enchanting universe first introduced in “The Dallergut Dream Department Store.” This sequel continues Penny’s journey through the mystical world of dreams, but with deeper explorations of memory, nostalgia, and human connection. While the first book established the whimsical dreamscape where out-of-town customers purchase dreams with emotions rather than money, this second installment peels back the curtain to reveal the less glamorous machinery behind dream production and the complexity of human relationships with dreams.
Set one year after Penny began working at the department store, this novel follows her as she earns the privilege of traveling to the Company District, home to various dream production studios. There, she encounters the Civil Complaint Centre, where dissatisfied dreamers file grievances about nightmares, disappointing dreams, or dreams that affect their waking lives. Through investigating these complaints, Penny embarks on a quest to understand why regular customers have stopped visiting the store and how to bring them back.
The Magic of Memory and Connection
At its heart, “The Dallergut Dream-Making District” examines the power of memory and how remembering shapes our experience of life. The novel’s central conflict revolves around bringing back customers who have stopped dreaming—either due to disappointment, lethargy, or personal struggles. Penny’s investigations lead her to dreamers dealing with blindness, depression, and existential crises about aging.
Lee crafts these character studies with compassion and insight. Consider Tae-kyung Park (Customer No. 792), who is losing the ability to see in his dreams as his blindness progresses in real life. His grief over this secondary loss becomes a metaphor for how we cling to what brings us joy when facing difficult transitions. Similarly, Customer No. 330, a retired woman suffering from lethargy after fulfilling all her life’s major goals, represents the struggle to find purpose when conventional milestones have been achieved.
The novel’s climactic Pyjama Festival, with its theme of “Memories,” beautifully crystallizes the book’s thesis: that remembering can be healing. As Penny observes customers reliving meaningful moments through dreams, she witnesses how reconnection with their pasts helps them move forward in their present.
A Richer Worldbuilding Experience
Where the first book introduced us to the dream store itself, this sequel expands the universe considerably:
- The Company District: A bustling hub where dreams are produced, complete with specialist studios run by famous dreammakers
- The Civil Complaint Centre: A tree-trunk shaped building where customers file complaints about unsatisfactory dreams
- The Test Centre: A facility housing all the raw materials needed for dream creation, organized by sensory experience
- The Noctiluca Laundry: A hidden cave where the bioluminescent memories of the past dry laundry and provide refuge for those too lethargic to dream
Each location adds texture and depth to Lee’s dreamworld, making it feel both more magical and more grounded. The rules governing this universe become clearer: dreams must be tested before release; tactile sensations must be regulated to prevent harm; and dreammakers specialize in particular sensory experiences or themes.
The novel also enriches its mythology by expanding on the tale of The Time God and the Three Disciples, introducing Atlas (a descendant of the Second Disciple) and revealing relationships between characters like Maxim and his father Atlas, or Yasnoozz Otra and her childhood friends.
Character Growth and Relationships
Penny’s character development remains the emotional core of the novel. No longer the naive newcomer, she has become more confident in her role while still maintaining her natural empathy. Her growing understanding of the dream industry mirrors her deepening relationships with her colleagues and customers.
Supporting characters receive more development too. Vigo Myers, initially portrayed as cold and stoic, reveals a hidden longing from his past relationship with a lucid dreamer. DallerGut, the store owner, shows new dimensions as he navigates both business challenges and his role as a mentor. And Maxim, initially introduced as a creator of nightmares, emerges as a compassionate figure with his own vulnerability.
The quiet romance between Penny and Maxim, which begins to bloom in the epilogue, feels earned precisely because it develops gradually throughout their interactions. Their final scene together, where Penny gifts Maxim a handmade dreamcatcher, serves as a perfect metaphor for the novel’s themes of connection and healing.
Structural and Stylistic Excellence
Lee’s writing style remains consistent with the first book—whimsical yet precise, fantastical yet emotionally grounded. The novel maintains its episodic structure, with each chapter focused on a particular customer or aspect of the dream world. This approach allows the book to feel both like a cohesive narrative and a collection of interconnected stories.
Particularly effective is Lee’s handling of dreams themselves. When customers experience dreams, the narrative shifts into a more immersive, present-tense style that pulls readers into the dreamscape along with the characters. These sequences blur the line between reality and dreams in a way that feels authentic to how dreams operate in our own lives.
Thematic Richness
Several intertwining themes elevate this novel beyond simple fantasy:
- Memory as identity: The book repeatedly explores how our memories shape who we are and how we see ourselves
- Healing through remembering: Characters find resolution by revisiting meaningful memories rather than suppressing them
- The value of the ordinary: Customers realize that their seemingly mundane daily lives contain profound beauty when viewed through the lens of memory
- Purpose and belonging: Both Penny and the customers she helps search for where they fit in the world
- Balancing past, present, and future: The three disciples from the mythology represent different relationships to time, with the novel suggesting that balance among all three leads to the richest life
Areas for Improvement
Despite its many strengths, “The Dallergut Dream-Making District” isn’t without flaws:
- Some storylines, like Nicholas and Maxim’s “Guilt” fortune cookies, feel underdeveloped or too quickly resolved
- The pacing occasionally drags, particularly in the middle chapters before the Pyjama Festival begins
- A few characters, especially some of the legendary dreammakers, receive less development than they deserve
- The world’s rules sometimes feel inconsistent, particularly regarding which dreams require specific ingredients and which don’t
These issues, while noticeable, don’t significantly detract from the novel’s overall impact and charm.
Final Thoughts
“The Dallergut Dream-Making District” successfully expands and deepens the world introduced in “The Dallergut Dream Department Store.” By focusing on memory, nostalgia, and healing, it adds emotional resonance to its fantasy elements. The novel reminds us that our memories—both joyful and painful—are treasures that shape who we are and who we might become.
For readers who enjoyed the first book, this sequel offers more of what made that novel special while adding complexity and depth. For newcomers, while the book can stand alone, reading the duology in order will provide the richest experience of this unique dreamworld.
Lee has created something special in this duology—a gentle fantasy that uses its magical elements to explore very real human experiences of connection, purpose, and healing. Like the memory crystals in Atlas’s cave, these books shine with a warm, comforting light that illuminates the beauty of ordinary life.
Similar Works and Recommendations
Fans of “The Dallergut Dream-Making District” might also enjoy:
- “The Strange Library” by Haruki Murakami for its dreamlike quality and surreal elements
- “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune for its warm-hearted magical realism
- “Convenience Store Woman” by Sayaka Murata for its examination of finding purpose in work
- “The Memory Police” by Yoko Ogawa for its exploration of memory and identity
- “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
I received an advance reading copy of “The Dallergut Dream-Making District” much like Customer No. 1 received her dream journal entry—unexpectedly but exactly when needed. Like the dreammakers who craft experiences for their customers, Miye Lee has crafted a literary experience that lingers long after the final page is turned. And just as Penny discovers that bringing back regulars requires understanding their hearts, this honest review hopes to bring new regulars to Lee’s enchanting dreamworld.
