Oh my …
“Dream Count” is remarkably intimate…. tender, tough, and unflinching. Chimamanda’s elegant style caught me from the first page. I was hypnotized by it.
We feel at home with these stories. Beginning with the familiar pandemic setting, most of us know a Chia, a Zikora, a Kadiatou, or a Omelogor.
We have felt the same emotions as these women.
[love, loss, grief, desire, regret, betrayal, unworthiness, loneliness, fear, anger, sadness, failure, guilt, shame, insecurity, humiliation, injustice, confusion, etc.]
So while reading the ‘daisy-chain-of-interconnected-stories’, we join in….reflecting, relating, and connecting with these four women with their distinctive voices.
Each feels the basic human need to belong.
The four women we hang out with have dreams — unfulfilled expectations — memories of letting go — life changes, success and failures, suffering, death, and other losses. They each have important stories to tell about uncovering their authentic selves.
Each woman has confronted the curves that life is thrown at them in her own way.
Be it from displacement, isolation, immigration, maternal devotion, rich or poor — Adichie reminds us of just how heavily history and cultural identity weighs on families, on women, on mothers, on friendships, on sexuality, on gender, being African, on being a Black woman in America.

Chia, principal protagonist, begins….
She’s a travel writer who is stuck home alone in Maryland during the lockdown. Sometimes she avoided the news, other times she was swallowed up by it. There were Zoom calls. Group calls. Wine drinking. Sleeping. Sound familiar?
There was also ‘looking back’ (regrets)….relationships with men - (fantasies), breakups - lessons learned —
College days, family details, friendship-complexities- etc.

Chia’s best friend is Omelogar. Her favorite cousin is Zikora. Each of their personalities and stories couldn’t be more different from one another — but it was Chia who was the glue between them..

Kadiatou, is a Guinean immigrant/ housekeeper who must reconcile a devastating nightmare—inspired by a true story that’s
Chimamanda shares a little more about in the Author’s Notes.

“Dream Count” is beautiful, brutal, mesmerizing, and draws you in from the first breathtaking sentence and doesn’t let go.
[Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Africa, African Literature]

I paused for days meditating on this excerpt:
“I thought: I’m growing old. I’m growing old and the world has changed, and I have never been truly known.
A rush of raw melancholy brought tears to my eyes. This is all there is, this fragile breathing in and out. Where have all the years gone, and have I made the most of life? But what is the final measure for making the most of life, and how would I know if I have?”

Me:
I just few back home to California from a Kauai vacation. (46 wedding anniversary with my husband).
With very clear memories of the airplane — I had a little chuckle over this next excerpt:
Chia’s mother made me laugh. She visited her daughter in America, but didn’t stay long. She didn’t think America was civilized.
“Everything is ‘Do it Yourself’.
Everything is too casual. Look at their airlines, their first class is a rubbish. They don’t know how to provide service with finesse. Even the way they talk, ‘Let’s go and grab lunch’. How can you be grabbing your lunch?”
Oh, I laughed. Chia’s mother had a point!

A thought to ponder….from The Author’s Notes:
“Novels are never really about what they are about. At least for this writer. ‘Dream Count’ is, yes, about the interlinked desires of four women, but ….
(read the rest yourself)….
I felt teary!

I love you Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Thank you for adding much richness, depth, insight, an experience of womanhood, sisterhood, humanhood to my life.

Deeply human ….. fiercely affecting powerful stories.

Chimamanda does it again. Dream Count followed for women and their journey through womanhood, the highs and the lows. I enjoyed it like most of her books, because while it followed the contemporary lives they lived it also explores the different themes feminism, cultural appropriation, me too and others. I especially loved Omelogors chapter and her dissatisfaction with the American idea that their beliefs are the facts for the whole world :/ another banger from one of my fave authors. Don’t call it a comeback!

This is a novel about four women, all African and all connected. We open with Chia, who is our primary narrator, during the early days of COVID lockdown. She is living in Maryland but is originally from Nigeria and has traveled widely in her career as a freelance travel writer. Unable to go anywhere, she takes the time she must stay at home to reflect on her relationships and her regrets related to them. Then there's her friend Zikora, a successful lawyer who has wanted to get married and have children more than anything and who finds herself abandoned by the man she thought was her soulmate when she tells him she's pregnant. There's Omelogor, Chia's cousin, who has made a career working in Nigerian banking (and made a lot of money by being involved in money laundering), who is now trying to help other women succeed in business and fending off pushy relatives who pressure her to marry and have a family. And finally there's Kadiatou, who came to the United States with her daughter after being widowed and who brings the other three women together when she is sexually assaulted at her job as a hotel housekeeper. We get to spend time with all of these women and to experience their heartaches, their frustrations with racism and misogyny, and their hopes and dreams. Though they all have very different personalities, what they have in common is their strength and boldness -- these are no shrinking violets. I gave it 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published March 4, 2025.

Dream Count is extraordinary story of four interconnected Nigerian women, each with unique backgrounds and aspirations.

A long winded character driven tale. Beautiful writing but painful content. You lost me at Omelegor. Her chapters drained my will to move on. DNF at 70%. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, let me give a big thanks to Netgalley and Knopf publishing for providing an advanced DRC. I am humbled to be among the earliest readers. In her newest offering Ms. Adichie has masterfully delivered an excellent exploration on the complexity of womenhood as experienced, explained and expressed through friendship, identity, belonging, love, loneliness, and longing.

And she does so in her signature style of exquisite prose mixing and remixing the personal with the collective political. Her writing is always equipped with quips about politics in America, Nigeria and elsewhere. These sharp observations are always well placed in the dialogue leading to believable and realistic characterizations. The conversations that are described and delivered in this book ring authentic.

Through four women, each having their own section and turn at the narrative, a wonderful story is born. Chia is the main protagonist and comes from a well to do family that has allowed her to live a life of leisure. She is a travel writer, doing more traveling than writing, and it is through her we get humorous tidbits about various cities and cultures around the world.

However, it is Kadiotou, Chia's housekeeper, whose story resonates deeply and contributes to the emotional highs of the narrative. In fact, Kadiotou's journey plays a pivotal role in delivering a powerful conclusion to the novel, transforming what could have been a devastating ending into something delectable.

Zikora is the cousin of Chia and is unlucky in her pursuit of love. She gives birth to a child and the father just drops out of their life, unexpectedly and really unexplained. Finally, there is Omelogor, the shady banking executive involved in corrupt embezzlement but spreading her “brazen theft” brazenly.

She weaves these four characters seamlessly into what I believe will be a celebrated work of fiction. Well, why not five stars? I believe the emotional high of Kadiotou’s narrative exposes the absence of gripping accounts from the other women. Book will be published March 4, 2025 and yes, it will be on many best of ‘25 lists!!’

Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a haunting and thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between personal dreams and societal realities. In this compelling story, Adichie delves into the complex internal landscapes of her characters as they grapple with the burdens of ambition, identity, and cultural expectations. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Nigeria, the narrative follows a young woman whose dreams—both literal and metaphorical—are tightly bound to her struggle for self-definition within a rapidly changing world. The story is a meditation on the weight of dreams, both pursued and unfulfilled, and the tension between personal desires and the larger forces that shape our lives.

Adichie's prose is, as always, crisp and evocative, drawing readers into the emotional and psychological world of her protagonist. The author skillfully navigates themes of self-discovery, the meaning of success, and the often painful process of reconciling one’s aspirations with the expectations of family and society. The story's richness lies not only in its exploration of these universal themes but also in Adichie’s ability to present them through the lens of Nigerian culture, bringing a distinctly African perspective to the discussion of dreams and their potential to either liberate or constrain. Dream Count is a testament to Adichie’s exceptional storytelling ability, offering readers a profound and introspective look at the dreams that shape our identities and our futures.

In summary, Dream Count is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant story that showcases Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s talent for creating complex, relatable characters and exploring the deeper currents of human experience. It is a must-read for fans of her work and anyone interested in stories that blend personal reflection with broader cultural and social commentary.

Oh my gosh, Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is EVERYTHING. This book hit me right in the heart and didn’t let go. Adichie brings us into the lives of four women—Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou—all of them flawed, fierce, and so real. The way she captures their struggles with love, identity, and heartbreak feels raw and deeply personal, like she’s talking straight to you. Chiamaka’s reflections during the pandemic really resonated, and I couldn’t stop rooting for Kadiatou as she fought to hold her world together.

Adichie’s writing is absolutely stunning—every word feels deliberate, emotional, and filled with truth. This isn’t just a story about these women; it’s about all of us and the choices we make in love and life. If you loved Americanah or anything that gets to the heart of what it means to love, live, and long for more, this book will completely captivate you. I’m already recommending it to everyone I know!

This novel was absolutely worth the wait. Adichie’s prose is so singular and lovely, and I felt totally immersed in the world she built for the four women at the heart of this novel. I was equally invested in each of the narratives, and all of the settings were so vividly depicted.

‘Dream Count’ is a story of four women with four different stories. Each story represents so many things. The things like love, power, and life. The book is well-written and brings so many emotions through each and every scene. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.

Dream Count, the long-awaited novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is nothing short of breathtaking. Set against the backdrop of a pandemic-weary world, Adichie delivers a poignant exploration of love, longing, and self-discovery through the eyes of four compelling women.

At the center of the story is Chiamaka, a Nigerian travel writer reflecting on her life and loves in a time of isolation. Her journey of self-reckoning, paired with the intricate narratives of Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou, creates a rich tapestry of interconnected lives. Each woman’s perspective is beautifully distinct, yet their struggles and triumphs echo universal truths about identity, resilience, and the pursuit of happiness.

Adichie’s prose is as luminous as ever—her signature blend of elegance and raw honesty permeates every page. She tackles heavy themes like betrayal, cultural identity, motherhood, and systemic inequality with sensitivity and depth. The novel also grapples with existential questions: Is true happiness attainable, or is it an elusive ideal? How do we reconcile our past with our present to find peace?

What sets Dream Count apart is its unflinching honesty and the emotional urgency that courses through its pages. Adichie does not shy away from the complexities of her characters or the world they inhabit. Each of the women’s stories feels achingly real, their choices and regrets resonating long after the final page.

For fans of Adichie’s previous works, this novel reaffirms her brilliance as a storyteller who blends the personal with the political, the intimate with the universal. For new readers, it serves as an exquisite introduction to one of the most powerful voices in contemporary literature.

Dream Count is not just a novel—it’s an experience, one that invites readers to reflect deeply on their own lives and relationships. A triumph of storytelling, it is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Knopf for the eARC of this book.

I think this book was pretty good! It was a collection of stories from 4 different women, and some were better stories than others. The themes were of love, loss, success, loss, and more. I think it was nice, there was a lot of sadness and other emotions shining through these stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I can't quite say I "enjoyed" reading this book but it is well written and tells stories of love, loss and hope. This book is sad, thought provoking and eye opening and I liked the different POV's. These four women are all so different but their experiences with love and loss are similar. This is one of those books that after reading, I feel I will think about time and time again.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf Publishing for the ARC! Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie follows the lives of four women, the choices they make, the ones that are made for them, and reflects on what could have been. There are tragedies, mistakes, successes, and hope. While told separately, their experiences in Nigeria and in the US are interwoven throughout the book. It begins with Chiamaka who is a travel writer reflecting on her past relationships. Zikura’s (a woman praying for a husband and a family) and Kadiatou’s (a hotel maid) stories had the most impact on me. I think it’s important to note that while the book opens in Covid times and there are some references, it is not the central theme.

Set against the backdrop of the pandemic, this book is a profound meditation on the elusive nature of happiness and the brutal honesty required for true love. Adichie’s writing is sharp and evocative, capturing the emotional urgency of each character’s journey as they confront their pasts, their choices, and the forces that bind them to the people they love. The novel pulses with insight into the human heart, offering a poignant reflection on the connections between mothers and daughters, the complexities of self-love, and the unspoken truths we often hide from ourselves. With Dream Count, Adichie reaffirms her place as one of the most dynamic voices in contemporary literature, crafting a novel that resonates deeply, offering a powerful exploration of the truths we must face to truly live and love.

I've been a fan of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for over a decade, and have read all of her fiction. I was so excited to see this. However, I read 10 pages and had to stop. I'm kind of surprised to find that it's another Covid book--I don't know how many people have the desire or stamina to read about lockdown. Too bad :-(

Great book! I would Highly recommend this book. The characters and plot were believable. I didn’t want the book to end.