Book Review: Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Rating: 3 Stars

Published: March 4, 2025

Pages: 416

Genre: Literary Fiction

---

This is the second novel I have read by the author. The first one, Purple Hibiscus which I read almost 20 years ago was interesting and impressive for a debut however, I was unable to read her other novels as I couldn’t quite get into any of them and dnfed. The last book I read by her, Notes of Grief, her non fiction book was really relatable, moving, and outstanding which has made me conclude that I prefer the author’s non fiction work (essays and other articles) than her fictional stories. After 10 years of not writing, Dream count was published and I am not sure why I decided to read it. Perhaps, I was curious to see if time had changed her writing as it does many authors or it was mere peer pressure. Whatever it was, I did read it from start to finish.

Dream Count follows four women, Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou who reflect on their lives as they experienced the strangeness and uncertainty that came with the corona virus. All their stories are purely fictional except for Kadiatou’s story which is based on a true event. The story or stories (however it may come across) in my opinion had no specific themes or plot but instead were reflections, sometimes random thoughts, views, and opinions about relationships, race, identity, feminism, justice, etc.

I am a sucker for good story telling and likable ish characters (even if they are the villain) and this book lacked both therefore it was a struggle to read and finish the book. I decided not to DNF because I was hoping that at some point we would come to understand why each character made certain choices or exhibited certain behaviors. For instance, it would have been nice to explore why Chiamaka was such a people pleaser or genuinely believed she liked a certain type of men when she actually wanted something else or someone who didn’t exist in reality. Perhaps with Zikora and Omelogor, I could come up with something from my imagination but most of it was not believable. I read a few reviews that complained about how the stories were so male centered and after reading the book I would say I disagree on that point. If the characters decided to reflect on their relationships with men over the years, then that is a true representation of their thoughts. However, the randomness of it all which I think in fiction can be put together at the end of the story (because you can) was not well executed and this killed it for me. My rating of this book is specifically for the author’s poetic writing style and to be honest my respect for her person both as a Nigerian woman and an international public figure. Otherwise, I would give it a lower rating. I am unsure if I would read any more work of fiction by the author in the future if there is any but would definitely be open to read and listen to her thoughts on real issues.

---

The Author

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE grew up in Nigeria. Her work has been translated into more than fifty-five languages. She is the author of the novels Purple Hibiscus, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; Half of a Yellow Sun, which was the recipient of the Women’s Prize for Fiction “Best of the Best” award; Americanah, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award; the story collection The Thing Around Your Neck and the essays We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Her most recent work is an essay about losing her father, Notes on Grief, and Mama’s Sleeping Scarf, a children’s book written as Nwa Grace-James. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, she divides her time between the United States and Nigeria. 

---

Copyright © Biyai Garricks
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Biyai Garricks, rovingbookwormng.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.