Dream Stuff earned Malouf overwhelming critical praise, and “Great Day” is often singled out as the finest story in the collection. Paul Sharrad, in his article on Malouf's short prose, insists that Malouf is “Australia's leading producer of 'poetic prose.'” He finds that “the shorter work . . . relies for its impact on musical qualities such as rhythm and cadence and the modulation of evocative motifs” and allows Malouf “more consistently to tap into his creative strengths and to provide new insights into old experiences.”

Rebecca Miller in her review of Dream Stuff for Library Journal, praises “these nine beautiful and often brutal stories” that “[describe] a precarious world in which the imagination, through dreams, is the only thing that can face down the losses of life.” She adds, “Almost all of the stories here are superb, evocative creations.” She finds, “As a whole, the collection is...