A fairly quick read, Marta Lenartowicz’s THE MINISTRY OF DREAMS introduces what it calls the first successful attempt at an “institution,” a vague term for a magic-infused organization adjacent to the liberal arts. Half guidebook, half second-person narrative, the story introduces the ministry with a similar flair as Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. Patrons elect to participate in dream séances to extract their dreams if they wish, and the spectators move through the building (ever upward)—following the narratives they want to see come to life through magic, theatre, enchantment, creativity, and advanced technology.

The subtle shifts from textbook-like narration to second-person perspective are relatively seamless, the prose itself often carrying its own playfulness and artistry. The story definitely maintains a strong sense of voice, both witty and poignant. “All lights dim violently into deep-bluish greys as the fourth floor fills with the chilly feeling of a silent scream,” the narrator says, describing one dream reenactment in progress. The world also alludes to a certain darkness beneath the spellbinding spectacle—ruthless workers looking for opportunity, patrons irrevocably changed by the experience, memories getting stolen, etc. The patron perspective also provides a glimpse at what the spectator experience is like, from the eccentric food options to people arguing over the interpretation of certain dream narratives—hinting at a deeper inner world.

As the second-person perspective takes over in the last act of the story, its moorings in reality drift completely away. The murky line between the waking world and the dream-realm becomes increasingly harder to follow. On a technical level, the dialogue from different speakers often being clumped into the same paragraph makes for difficult reading. More questions are left than answers, and the open ending abandons a lot of potential that could have expanded this surreal concept. The execution is a little muddy at times, and the payoff at the end feels somewhat unsatisfying. The premise, however, is deeply fascinating—especially told through a philosophical lens, possibly beckoning others to take a closer look at their dreams.

As disorienting as a dream itself, Marta Lenartowicz’s THE MINISTRY OF DREAMS carries its own whimsy, humor, and moments of poetic philosophy.

~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader