Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie New Book After a Decade: Dream Count (Review)

So, recently in my article How Ugandan Writers Are Shaping the Future of African Literature, I mentioned Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as one of the most celebrated African writers of our time. And guess what? She has done it again with her latest release, Dream Count, and if you are a novel lover like myself, this is definitely your article. While I don’t do many book reviews or commentary, today I felt perhaps I should give it a try, besides, it’s a new book and we all know how we love new things…

So, a decade since Americanah, Adichie is back, changing focus from youthful ambition and romantic idealism to the complexities of middle-aged reflection, female solidarity, and self-awareness. I read somewhere the book was described as a story of women, for women, by a woman, and while I am no woman, I did enjoy the advance copy I managed to read. Do keep in mind this is no full review and neither is it a spoiler haven for those looking to sneak a peek further on in the book.

The book is about four women—Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou—each navigating their fair share of life’s unpredictable turns when their lives intertwine in ways that expose the beauty and burden of female friendships, ambition, and love.

Chiamaka, a Nigerian travel writer in America, is at a crossroads, reassessing her past relationships and the choices that led her to where she is. Zikora, her best friend and a powerhouse lawyer realises success isn’t a shield against betrayal. Omelogor, the blunt cousin, begins to question whether she truly knows herself. And then there’s Kadiatou, the housekeeper with a fierce pride in the life she’s built in America, only to face unexpected struggles that threaten everything she has worked for.

For those who did read some of Chimamanda’s past works, you will be quick to realise that this is not the same Chimamanda who wrote Purple Hibiscus or Half of a Yellow Sun. For starters, I for one find the tone has changed in this novel. Where Americanah was playful and satirical, Dream Count is more introspective and layered with a quiet, almost melancholic wisdom, like those self-help books that make you think a while on them. But then again, this is common for early reviews since we all scrutinise the “new kid in school” and thus often find the tone a little more intuitive than later on. It’s a novel, though, that takes its time, much like life itself, so if you’re expecting fast-paced drama, you might find this one a rather slow read. Instead of the fast pacing of many a modern novel, Dream Count sits with you, forcing you to think and feel, rather than just read and move on.

If you have chanced upon some of the reviews, the COVID pandemic has been mentioned as a major backdrop for the novel. However, I find it a little more than that, understanding it as part of what drives the characters to their self-realisation. Unlike many pandemic-era books that focused on loss and chaos (greatly because such is the association we have with the word pandemic), Dream Count is more focused on the inner turmoil, the stillness that forces people to confront themselves. It’s not a book about COVID-19; it’s a book about what happens when the world slows down and you have nowhere to run from your thoughts. It is, suffice it to say, a book more invested in individual characters than the usual general world-building, and I loved the characters, that’s for sure.

And while many reviews have praised its exploration of womanhood, some critics argue that it could have gone deeper into broader social themes. But then again, perhaps that’s the point. Maybe Adichie wanted to step away from societal narratives and simply tell the deeply personal stories of these four women, after all, sometimes individual stories say more than grand statements ever could.

That said, is Dream Count worth the read? Well, I did find it worth it, but like any other piece of literature, tastes and preferences do differ. If you’re looking for a novel that doesn’t just entertain but also makes you reflect and relates to your life, then absolutely. But if you are more into fast-paced modern novels, then this might just be a slow read for you.