Book Review: Dream Count by Chimamanda Adichie, A More Than Welcome Come Back
Review by Kudzai Mhangwa
“I have always longed to be known, truly known by another human being,” opens the much-anticipated book Dream Count by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. After over twelve years since her last novel, the much beloved and talked about writer comes back with a novel of great force, empathy and love. Dream Count weaves the story of four African woman both on the African continent and in the United States. The paperback version of the book is a little over three hundred and ninety pages which gives her readers a very warm welcome back to their beloved author.
The four women in the novel are Chiamaka, a Nigerian travel writer who finds herself trapped in the United States after the Covid-19 induced lockdown descends leaving her recounting her past loves and romantic partners, Zikora is a high powered lawyer in DC who finds herself abandoned at her moment of need and helps arrives from an unexpected source. Omelogor is Chiamaka’s cousin a sharp tongued finance executive working in Abuja before moving to the United States who becomes fascinated by the human body. Kadiatou is a woman from rural Guinean who finds herself in the USA after fate plays an interesting game with her, she now proudly raises her daughter Binta in the USA before she is faced with a harrowing incident at her place of work that will thrust her into an uncomfortable situation. The story plays out in Nigeria, the USA, Guinea and the many exotic places that Chiamaka finds herself as she does her work.
The writing and prose is gorgeous as always expected from a writer who is famed for her delicate attention to language, “what he longs for is the simple wonder of talk, touch, and time” and “I enter an exalted state of being, with everything exaggerated; his glance becomes a beam and my thoughts come in torrents” she beautifully writes like a bird singing above your heads. Adichie has a piercing view of human existence and how we interact with each other. The lives of the four women are portrayed in a fluid, natural and tangible manner that makes them feel intimate. One can relate to the relationships that she paints and not only friendships. Another powerful relationship that Adichie presents in the novel are the relationships between mothers and daughters; mainly through Zikora and her mother and Kadiatou and Binta. This relationship is presented in various layers showing the complexity of this type of relationship and also presenting how poignant these relationships are.
Romantic relationships are also powerfully explored in the novel. Chiamaka is the primary point of focus on the romantic relationship as she recounts the many relationships she has had with various men seemingly to get them to “know her”. “If you live your life and die without one person fully knowing you then have you even lived?” mused Chiamaka. All four women experience the pangs and the bliss of love as each of their romantic relationships are presented with striking sensitivity and poetic import. Chiamaka and Omelogor’s sections of the story are told in the first person narrative which makes them the easiest to know. My favourite character of the main four was Kadiatou. Like all of the women in the novel she is a dreamer who finds herself in America only to have her life guided into an unexpected vista. I found her story a powerful presentation of the unexpected turns that life often steers our lives towards while showing the unfair nature of life on earth.
My least favourite character was Chiamaka. I found it strange my disdain for her given our many similarities as writers and people with wanderlust. The more I read Chiamaka’s narrative I found myself becoming irritated by the decision she made in her relationships and how she almost became as someone complaining in gold slippers. Omelogor is tough, independent and sharp tongued which made for quite interesting scenes as she navigated her work, home, relationships and personal life. Zikora is a dreamer who has planned out her life and it is tragic to witness her life fall into different places as she navigates life. As a whole both the main characters and the secondary characters are textured and well written, allowing readers to find images of themselves as they go through the book.
Dream Count also powerfully explores the female body. In this novel the female body’s experience with assault, pleasure and pregnancy are interrogate while also raising questions on how well we know these subjects. The book also tackles issues of African culture. This is portrayed perhaps most powerfully by Omelogor who is an independent woman who finds herself pressured to have children and to marry given she is in her forties. This issue of marriage and children is a constant buzz among Africans across the continent. Other topical issues that one will come across in this novel are late-in-life motherhood, an interrogation of the American culture and system. Immigration, race relations and nationality are also other issues tackled by the celebrated author.
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Adichie had a successful tour to support her latest release which was met with legions of bibliophiles happy to receive her. The book has already been long listed for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction and named one of the most anticipated books of 2025 by various publications around the world. This is a top recommendation of readers of African literature and contemporary fiction as the book says “We think we have time but we don’t, we really don’t.” So what are you waiting for?! The book is available both in print, electronic format and audiobook.
Kudzai Mhangwa is a multi-award-winning writer and author. His work includes poetry, prose, plays and essays. His first collection of short stories, Moments in the Private Room was released by Carnelian Hearts Publishing and is available for sale of major online platforms.
Are you a book reviewer? email khumbulani@heartandsoul.co.zw
