Beautifully written with lush descriptions, deep introspection and many complexities. This is the story of strong women, each with different stories. The plot is not linear rather multiple sections with multiple narrators. Each character lives a vastly different life and carries contrasting perspectives. It’s heartbreaking at times but also empowering at others. Sometimes hard to follow, with some characters having more intriguing story lines than others. But it was fascinating, captivating and a deep look into friendship, immigration, love and self discovery.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

'I have always longed to be known, truly known, by another human being. Sometimes we live for years with yearnings that we cannot name. Until a crack appears in the sky and widens and reveals us to ourselves, as the pandemic did, because it was during lockdown that I began to sift through my life and give names to things long unnamed.'

Four women, each strong and independent in their own way, struggle against the double, or indeed quadruple standards of societal expectations; reaching for what they want, what they deserve, but devastated by how much of themselves they have to suppress in its pursuit.

'Chia loved the idea of love, so eagerly, so unwisely.'

There is a lot that worked in Dream Count, starting with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's brilliant writing that can evoke resonant emotions in people cultures and continents away. The novel isn't a linear time story, but is more a collection of formative experiences and occurrences in the lives of the four women, like vignettes showcasing how they were struck with each occurrence. This construction works to highlight the themes of sexism, immigrant injustices and financial status explored, among other things. Adichie's understanding of people and societies shines through in every vignette.

'She [Zikora] relates with women only through the pain caused them by men. That I do not trade in stories of my love-inflicted wounds is my [Omelogor] unforgivable failing.'

The whole book somehow disappointingly adds up to less than the sum of the parts - the character sketches, the writing and world-building, the premise as well as the themes explored. Chia, Zikora and Omelogor are such clever, strong, independent and resourceful women, but seem to give away too much control to other people and institutions over too many years, or suppressed themselves too much. A lot of the petty bickering/ internal judgement when talking to each other didn't help. They didn't seem to have to grown or changed much over the years, though they were in shock over a few events, however difficult this was to judge as the timelines jumped around a bit.

'Zikora felt cheered by this news, by the sense that misery was now being evenly spread. Omelogor crying? Omelogor could cry? Whatever America had done to her, God bless America.'

Kadiatou can't be grouped with the other characters as she was based on a real person, or at least real events, but with a fictional back story. She suffered so much, her struggle to build a life in a new country overthrown suddenly, but even a case against the assaulter that was much discussed in public platforms does not lead to justice. Her response at the end to the case being dropped was markedly different to the public statements made at the time, anger and disappointment changed to relief and acceptance that do a disservice to the very real person's feelings and rights, no matter what the author's note says about reclamation. This added to the disappointment with the whole book.

'There was a bone that birthed courage and Kadiatou believed she lacked that bone, or if she had it then it was feeble, soft and chewable like biscuit-bone.'

Thanks to NetGalley and the Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor Publishing Group for an ARC, all opinions in this review are honest and entirely mine.

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[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the characters and their growth; Half a star for the plot and themes; 3/4 star for the world-building and societal description; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]

This one took me a while to read. I constantly found myself re-reading the synopsis to remember what it was about. There were a few times when I got into the story, but then it would lose its appeal again.

The narrative revolves around three African women and their experiences in the diaspora as they seek to find themselves. The women's back stories were interesting until they weren't, and it felt like they went on too long. Then the story goes back to the start of the pandemic, and it feels like it glosses over it until the lockdown ends. It felt both too fast and too slow at the same time. There are lots of cultural critques on everything from race to porn and lots of history thrown in at the same time ( Nigrian-Biafran War to Nazi's in Argentina)

After two months, I just wanted to finish it, so I focused and pushed through to the end. Normally, I would give up on a book that feels tedious, but for some reason, I couldn't abandon this one, which says something in itself.

I have very mixed feelings—it was hard to finish, yet I didn't want to leave it unfinished.to leave it unfinished.

This was my first book by this author, and I was so excited, as I have heard so many great things. Which brings me to say, that I am so sad I didn't love this book. I enjoyed it in some parts but most of the time I felt bored to tears. Chiamaka's first part had me locked in. Zikora I was in and out of but overall enjoyed. Kadiatou's part also had me sucked in because it was just absolutely devastating. However, Omelogor's part is where it almost fully lost me. I found myself wanting to follow ANY of the other girls.

All that being said this is a very important book. It just didn't capture me fully. I am sure that it will capture the right person, and I would definitely recommend it, and have!

The authors note at the end was really great!

Dream Count, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is advertised as a book about women. Strong women who face adversity, are introspective and emotionally grounded, and are supportive of each other. So why is so much of this book about the men in their lives, the men no longer in their lives, and the affects those men had on their lives?

That’s obviously not all this book is about. But I was surprised at how much space men took up- literal page space and space in the characters’ consciousness. It was not what I expected from the marketing and not what I was wanting from this book. I think the author can do better for her female characters in general than to make them male-focused and these ladies in particular deserved better. They were going through enough.

I rate this 3.75 slightly disappointed stars. I recommend it, but adjust your expectations a bit as to what the book is really about. It’s not as women-centric as advertised.

Covid books can be tough. Brings us all back to some weird dark places. Dream Count takes place during this time period, which wasn't that long ago!

Dream Count marks Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s return after a decade—and while her prose still sings, the story sometimes stumbles. The novel follows four Nigerian women—Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou—as they navigate love, trauma, and the mess men leave behind. (Yes, the title’s a cheeky nod to body count.)

At first, it's juicy: Chiamaka’s dating misadventures feel fresh and relatable. But as the plot thickens—with Zikora’s brutal childbirth, Omelogor’s shady schemes, and Kadi’s gut-wrenching trauma, the emotional resonance thins. Despite its focus on women, the book keeps circling back to the terrible men in their lives. Why must these brilliant, complex women always be reacting to some dude's nonsense?

COVID looms in the background, but the characters' personal drama often overshadows everything else, including each other. A key crisis meant to tie the women together feels oddly cold and disconnected.

Still, Adichie’s talent shines through in razor-sharp observations and quotable moments.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Oh wow, this is a story that, if I were to read again, I'd be reading with a highlighter and page tabs. There is so much important material to absorb in this story of multiple African women, all known or related to each other in some way, all making their way in different systems, and grabbling with issues in their world, as well as with themselves.

There was one section, that, despite my very best and multiple attempts, I just couldn't grasp. It made me loose hold of the whole of the story a bit, but not irreparably. I still felt a large impact, and there is a lot about this beautiful and intricate novel that will stay with me.

Dream Count tells the story of four interconnected African women's lives, hinging around and leading up to the pandemic, among other more personal events. Chiamaka is a travel writer recounting her many failed relationships while quarantining. Her good friend Zikora is about to become a single mother, after the man she loves abandoned her. Kadiatou is Chia's housekeeper, a hotel maid who has worked for everything she has and just wants to provide a good life for her daughter, when her life is torn asunder by an assault and a huge court case. And Omelogor, Chia's cousin, is trying to figure out how and where she lost herself, and how to come back.
I think that Kadiatou and Omelogor's were the most compelling stories. The complexities were really well done. Kadiatou stood apart from the others because she is so different: a Ghanaian instead of a Nigerian, an established mother, a blue collar worker. Her history, told in great detail, was full of hardship and it never really gets easier. Omelogor is a complicated knot of a character. A finance worker who has been involved deeply in money laundering who also gives grants to female small business owners. A woman struggling with depression while at the same time struggling to name it as depression. A mirror to all the worst parts of America, reflecting those blinding flaws back at her graduate-studies peers. She wasn't necessarily likeable, but she was super interesting.
This book takes a while to pick up, and often has long stretches where not much of anything is actually happening, but ultimately, it was worth it.

Americanah author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is back with a release ten years in the making. Dream Count weaves together the stories of four African women as they cope with societal expectations, family, men, and friendship. In some areas, the story soars; one cannot argue that Adichie is a beautiful writer. But in others, the narrative falls flat. The introspection, lack of setting, and general focus on (usually horrid) men left the story feeling a bit hollow.

Dream Count (a play on the term body count…) follows four women: writer Chiamaka, her lawyer best friend Zikora, her brash, blunt cousin Omelogor, and her housekeeper Kadiatou. As the story begins, we're shown little windows into Chia's dating life. The stories are interesting and relatable, and the overarching message seems to be that men are trash (love that). But as the narrative progresses, we witness Zikora deal with a nightmarish childbirth, Omelogor commit a litany of crimes, and Kadi experience a life-changing trauma.

And yet, with lives full of people and stories, the men remain a frustrating focus. Just as we move on from Zikora's long-term boyfriend who disappeared when he learned she was pregnant, we're thrown into Kadi's problematic uncle's timeline (not to mention her manipulative boyfriend/fiancé). While the focus is these four women, I couldn't help but feel irritated at both the characters and at Adichie for seemingly refusing to give them the emotional depth I felt they deserved. Instead, we're continuously spoon-fed heteronormative slop.

Kadi's traumatic event is meant to really bring the four narratives together, but I didn't feel that was well-executed either. A lot of this book takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and of course the characters are going to be struggling with that, but their personal pains seemed to outweigh anyone else's (Kadi's specifically). I know that people are selfish, and I'm fine with portraying characters that way, but Zikora couldn't get over her issues with Omelogor long enough to video chat about how best to help Kadi — it felt cruel and unrealistic.

There is still much to be gained from this novel (and anything Adichie writes, really). Her commentary on Omelogor's experience in grad school really stuck with me (on Omelogor's classmates' dismissal of murders in Nigeria: "champion an approved cause and you win the right to be cruel") and some of her lines on pining had me nodding in acknowledgment ("I snatched [my phone] up and felt annoyed with whoever had texted, as if by texting they had taken up the space meant for him."). But in those regards, I'd recommend Americanah over Dream Count every time. Still, I'll wait patiently for whatever Adichie wants to give us next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The writing in this was beautiful as Adichie's writing usually is. The female characters were well developed, but I didn't find their stories as compelling as say, the main character of Americanah. Although the stories were interwoven, I had trouble following the connections between the characters. I think I would have enjoyed this better without the multiple POV stories. I really enjoyed the Kadiatou and Zikora sections but didn't connect as much to Omelegor and Chia. I did appreciate the authors note explaining the inspiration for Kadiatou's story.

I'm a huge fan of Adichie's previous works, so I was really excited to get my hands on this. However, it didn't meet my expectations. I liked the author's note more than the entire story. Just really disappointed with this.

I will not be reviewing this book because the author is openly transphobic and it’s 2025. You should probably talk to her about that.

Very interesting book about these women. Nigeria, and everybody had a chapter in this book based on Their name. C. H.
Ana is a writer in Nigeria who writes travel pieces. But had to stop when the pandemic started. She went through a lot of different hardships. At everybody in this book had something happened to them. Not good. ZIKONC.
Was her friend, but she tried to marry a man, but it did not work out. Her cousin also had problems with men as well.. The one I really liked was the end where the housekeeper was working in New York City, Troy and erase her daughter, and it was a very important case because she was harassed, how she was cleaning the room by a man and this was really interesting. You could see however, things tied together in this book. They handled rape differently in America. She found out because it happened in her country 21 of her friends it was completely annoyed and she had a lot of problems from chesting. This book. But it's an eye opener for me. Because it shows how different countries deal with different things, especially when it comes to sexual assault. Great book.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is such a stunning writer. I am blown away by her style. This story follows 4 different women, all connected in some meaningful way, recounting their past relationships. This is literary fiction at its finest. Told over the span of years (for some characters), with the present being during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, this story recounts past romantic relationships for each woman and how it shapes who they are as present-day people. One story in particular tells an all-too-familiar story for many immigrant, Black women (and many women in general) of sexual abuse from those in power and our broken judicial system. This book is a master-class in character study; we are introduced to each character through the lens of Chia, the narrator who connects them all, and as the book unfolds, each character is so well-defined that I felt like I knew them all so personally. My voracity for this novel wasn't instant, instead the intensity of this book snuck up on me. I will carry these characters with me for a long time and cannot wait to pick up more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review. 4.5/5 stars

a rare miss from adichie. the writing is, of course, incredible, and i love the depiction of female friendships and the different POVs. each character's quirks, flaws, and prejudices are unflinchingly detailed. but far too much of this book consisted of women reminiscing on their experiences with shitty men with a general "i can fix him" vibe. and i really could have done without most of omelogor's chapter.

adichie couldn't seem to decide what she wanted to accomplish - we have a fictionalized imagining of a real-life event, broad strokes criticism of american liberals, women reflecting on traditional vs progressive values and happiness.... all felt unfocused and unfinished.
hope that the next one works better for me!

I have always been a fan of Adichie’s, but this long awaited return just didn’t grab me like her earlier work.

Dream Count is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at her finest—achingly intimate, richly observed, and emotionally resonant. With the delicate precision of a poet and the storytelling sweep of a master, Adichie weaves together the lives of four unforgettable women navigating love, grief, identity, and resilience. Each character—Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou—feels fully realized and distinct, yet connected by an undercurrent of longing and strength that pulses through every page. The pandemic backdrop adds a quiet urgency, allowing memories and relationships to resurface in raw, vulnerable ways.

Adichie’s prose is as luminous as ever, offering piercing insights into the complexity of womanhood and the cultural dissonance of navigating multiple worlds. The novel's emotional depth is matched by its intellectual rigor, as it interrogates love not just as romance but as choice, sacrifice, and inheritance. Dream Count is a triumph—searing, tender, and unforgettable. It’s the kind of novel that lingers long after the last page, both a balm and a provocation.

I think the writing was very beautiful and some of the plots and elements incredibly beautiful and unique and poignant. I think some of the experiences were expanding like the perspectives of African women of different generations and experiences but some were also universal of being fetishized, of submitting to men's desires, of confusion and power. In that, the book was well done. But it felt protracted and elongated sometimes in way that didn't serve the story and just felt like it made the book so long. Also, while amazing, I don't have closure on any of the stories. I felt like they centered men and yet... didn't end anywhere which felt unsatisfied.

I think this book was just ok. The plotting wasn’t all the way there and although I liked the characters, the narrative arc felt way off. I think I’m going to revisit this one again later this year and see if my opinions have changed.

Loved!

I was InFURIATED by all the men, which obviously is a sign of good writing, if I was so invested that I was so angry!

I liked how it was broken cleanly into four parts, rather than skipping around between narrators.

Author’s note at the end was very compelling and added some interesting depth.