The feeling this book left me with can best be summed up in a sound: hm.
The cover and title called out to me (how couldn’t they), and although the story itself was dreamy and original, it wasn’t quite up there on the same level for me.
The story is about Penny, who starts a job at the DallerGut Dream Department Store of the title.
It’s smart to have this story being told from her point of view since her newbie-status is a natural way of explaining the setting, processes and going-ons. It explains the dreamworld where sleepers go to purchase dreams, and the stores dealing in dreams. The dreams aren’t paid in money though, but in emotions that are achieved from the dreams: people pay with flutter, excitement, or enlightenment after they have had the dream.
This isn’t just about the running of a department store, it’s also about the people creating the dreams. Santa, is one of them, along with Yasnoozz Otra and Babynap Rockabye.
There are yearly prizes awarded to best dream concepts, oh and the store has animals walking around, chasing (near)naked humans to be provide them with sleepwear.
Yes, this book is out there; a fantasy with an original take. But for me that’s where it ends, as it felt a bit flat, and never went beyond being cute. The story is about setting an original scene but doesn’t get any deeper than that; there isn’t much of a plot. There also isn’t any character development: Penny is the newest employee but we don’t learn more about her. We don’t learn anything about anyone.
A story without character development or much of a plot, isn’t all that exciting.
Maybe more is revealed in the second book, but to be honest this book didn’t leave me wanting to get my hands on that asap. If I ever bumped into it in the library I would probably take it out but I wouldn’t go so far as to make a reservation for it.
Bookworm in the City 