A review by angelacoraccio
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

For whatever reason, I have an aversion for anything set during the pandemic, which I will admit is a me problem. I was therefore thankful when I realised that the entire book is NOT set during the pandemic, though that is the setting of the first and last sections. If you want to really lean into the knowledge that men are basically awful, then you will appreciate this book. However, the flip side of that is the knowledge that women have to pick up the pieces of their destruction. This book is mostly about women trying to navigate those shark/men-infested waters. 

It's not an easy book. The characters are developed in the sense that they are portrayed in 3D, but when it comes to their personal development throughout the book, I feel that they mostly end where they started. The reader may learn a lot from this novel, but I don't think its characters do. But maybe that's more realistic, one might argue.

I also agree with another storygraph reviewer who said, "I started to feel as though some of the character's experiences were simply a vehicle for Adichie to vent her personal frustrations with certain facets of American academia, which isn't necessarily a problem in itself, I just think Adichie is talented enough not to do it in such a heavy-handed way. I also wasn't sure why the epilogue chapter was in Chiamaka's voice, or why some of the chapters were in first person while others were in third."

Definitely have a look at content warnings before reading Dream Count.
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