CNA writes with piercing insights. Her observations are revealed through wry, sweeping language. I was moved and tickled often at the same time. I was tickled and wounded simultaneously.

The stories of the four African women are compelling. I initially thought Chia was CNA because the profile and content felt so intimate that only the author herself could disclose such experiences. However, when I read the 2nd and other characters, I came to see how CNA had crafted such interiority for all of them.

She describes four African women and their many men, many loves, and many dreams. I am taken how distinct each woman was certainly. And I marveled how the numerous men were depicted briefly but also in well-rounded ways as to markedly differentiate each of them.

In reviewing Americanah, I described CNA as astute as de Tocqueville. Here, I make that assertion again. She casually issues precise and damning indictments on American society and culture, American academia, and American pretentions. The observations about Nigeria, in contrast, reflect self-awareness and some level of unspoken agreement or acceptance. Americans, in contrast, are gleefully unaware and uninterested in such self-revelations.

I gladly recommend this book and hope we can both enjoy this reading experience and be touched or stricken by how fiction exposes the real world.

Dream count is adichies highly anticipated follow
Up to Americanah. This novel follows the interwoven lives of four Nigerian women during the start of the pandemic as they experience love, loss, career moves, etc. the novel is a meditation on race, class, immigration, and the concept of America as told through the lens of these women.

The novel is not heavy on plot, so if you are expecting big plot twists or a fast moving read, this isn’t for you. If you like slow character studies with deeper themes on the state of the world, then this is a read for you. The prose is well written and poetic-almost lyrical.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a highly anticipated read for me as Americanah is one of my favorite books. Sadly had to DNF at 40% as I just kept dreading picking it up. The storylines just weren’t grabbing me and it felt like it was going nowhere.

DREAM COUNT is your next go-to book if you enjoy novels emphasizing character studies, lyrical prose, and social commentary on American class/race from a Nigerian immigrant lens. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie holds a mirror up to society which leads readers to feel uncomfortable, yes, but also hopeful with the resilience of people. DREAM COUNT is a book meant to be savored, not gulped down in one fast read, but trust me, taking the time to indulge in the beauty of this work will be worth it.

This book was way too hard to get into and too easy to put down. It just seemed like nothing was ever going to happen.

I liked a lot about this book but it didn't feel complete. I think the most interesting parts were when we saw each of the women through the others' eyes. But this was a small portion of each character's story/portion of the book. There's not a lot of plot, much more character study, but if the main storyline about Kadi that starts midway thru the book was the focus, that probably would have made for a better book overall. The ending also felt abrupt and unresolved.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Dream Count” is a beautifully crafted novel that seamlessly weaves together the lives of four women—Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou—as they navigate love, loss, and the uncertainties of the pandemic. Each novella stands strong on its own while contributing to the novel’s overarching themes of longing, resilience, and self-discovery.

Chiamaka’s story, in particular, is both poignant and deeply relatable. As a Nigerian travel writer stranded in the U.S., she reflects on past relationships and her “dream count,” a moving metaphor for her search for true love. Adichie’s signature prose is as lyrical and evocative as ever, immersing readers in the inner lives of these women with honesty and emotional depth.

What makes “Dream Count” exceptional is Adichie’s ability to capture the intricacies of human connection, the weight of nostalgia, and the way personal dreams evolve in times of crisis. This book is not just about love in the romantic sense—it’s about the love of home, self, and the dreams we chase despite life’s unpredictability. A deeply moving, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the last page.

Adichie is one of my favorite writers and I was very excited to say the least when it was announced that she would be writing another book. This did not disappoint and comes highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Despite this being a super long book, I couldn't put it down! This is only my second full length novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, but her writing is always so beautiful and so well crafted.While this book didn't leave me with the 5 star feeling, I was super invested and interested in the plot the entire story. I loved all the social commentary on class, race, and the politics of America through the lense of a Nigerian immigrant. While I could never fully understand what it's like to be in that possition, I left this book with a great appreciation for the main characters and their resilience. I wish I had more to say, but this was just a really good book! Adichie is an incredible author and I keep meaning to read more from her so I'm happy that I read this and really enjoyed it.

This story follows 4 Nigerian women- and each women gets a long section of the book. It follows the women during the pandemic and as they reminisce on their life pre-pandemic and discover the disconnect between their expectation in life and their reality. A story of these women as they navigate love and identity across different life stages.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for review.

When I saw Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had a new novel coming out, I rushed to NetGalley to request it. I had read and loved several of her earlier works, so I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.

In Dream Count, we follow the lives of four Nigerian women in what feels like four separate stories. The stories intersect occasionally, but the long chapters focusing on each character made the stories feel disconnected. The long chapters also made this book feel much longer than it is. It took me over a month to read, and I found myself going days without picking it up.

Ultimately, I did not feel invested in the characters and struggled to get through this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

After receiving access to this novel, I ultimately decided not to read and fully review Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's newest novel so cannot add to the feedback about this book.

I looked forward to Adichie’s return to the literary world. She gave us such gifts in the past.

I’m sad to say this fell short of my hopes for her return. So much of the novel focused on the men rather than the women it followed. I did not love that I always felt like I had missed something along the way describing the importance of a character dropped into the story with no explanation.

Dream Count was a slow read for me, but I still found things to enjoy. The concept was intriguing, and there were some really well-written moments, even if the pacing made it hard to stay hooked. It took me longer than expected to finish, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

adichie's trademark writing — the astonishing humanity of her characters, the complex layered nature of her themes, searing emotion — are on display here. it's a treat to read her words again after so long.

dream count is a perfect title for this book, which follows four women and the paths they do and do not take. i wish it followed each of them more fully. it skips through each in chronological order, leaving the stories of two of them feeling unfinished. i grew attached to them in the long chapters from their perspectives, and i wanted more.

this book doesn't directly take on the tide of public opinion adichie has faced in the last decade, but it feels very present. it's unfortunate that it feels adichie, who i have always found to be able to write about everyone, has seemed to grow embittered by that. i want the wide range of accepted opinions she advocates for, but this book suffers from a limited number of them.

This was my first experience with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's writing, but it will certainly not be my last. She created 4 distinct and engaging women in this book, and I was completely drawn in to each character's unique perspective. It was fascinating to read how 4 middle-aged African women dealt with very different experiences of life in the USA. I found Kadiatou and Omelogor's stories to be particularly powerful. I also really enjoyed reading Zikora's journey. And finally, Chiamaka was a wonderful link of friendship and support throughout all these women's lives. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in women's stories. One warning I would offer, is that it does take place partially during the Pandemic. It felt like a good balance of evoking the experience of that time, without any subsequent difficulty.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for providing an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.

The stories of four women, their heartbreak, pain, and relationships between mothers and daughters. Don’t miss the author’s note!

Parts of this book were really interesting, but the way that it was told out of order often made the story seem less than urgent. As the reader, we are told many events well before they happen. The characterizations were compelling, but the story was quite slow and felt like work to get through, and after two hundred page---and learning about some of the author's public statements---I've put it aside indefinitely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Honest. Moving. The interconnected stories of these four Nigerian women are beautifully told, as each looks back with reminiscence and yearning. Adichie writes in such a way as to make you truly feel as though you’ve stepped into her characters’ shoes. Highly recommend.

Synopsis:
Chiamaka is a Nigerian travel writer living in America. Alone in the midst of the pandemic, she recalls her past lovers and grapples with her choices and regrets. Zikora, her best friend, is a lawyer who has been successful at everything until — betrayed and brokenhearted — she must turn to the person she thought she needed least. Omelogor, Chiamaka’s bold, outspoken cousin, is a financial powerhouse in Nigeria who begins to question how well she knows herself. And Kadiatou, Chiamaka’s housekeeper, is proudly raising her daughter in America – but faces an unthinkable hardship that threatens all she has worked to achieve.

In Dream Count, Adichie trains her fierce eye on these women in a sparkling, transcendent novel that takes up the very nature of love itself. Is true happiness ever attainable or is it just a fleeting state? And how honest must we be with ourselves in order to love, and to be loved? A trenchant reflection on the choices we make and those made for us, on daughters and mothers, on our interconnected world, Dream Count pulses with emotional urgency and poignant, unflinching observations on the human heart, in language that soars with beauty and power. It confirms Adichie’s status as one of the most exciting and dynamic writers on the literary landscape.

I was very excited when I found out that Chimamanda Ngoza Adichie had a new book out! I have loved her other books and she has been a favorite author of mine. Unfortunately this book did not have the same impact for me. This book felt like a compilation of short stories that were connected, but somehow still felt too long.

I will definitely look forward to Adichie's next novel and hope that it won't take ten years to be published.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced digital copy of the book.

I loved this book. I read it in February while on vacation and could not put it down. I've read a few books based on "lockdown" times, and this one has a very different premise to it. Since it intertwines the lives of four women, you get their lives, their feelings, their relationships all wrapped up individually and together. It's a meditation on loss and friendship and justice. I highly recommend, especially if you've ever read any of her other books.