Dream Count by Chimamanda Adichie: A heartfelt return that resonates
The celebrated author’s first novel in over a decade is stirring passion, debate, and more than a little obsession online
When a writer disappears from the literary scene for a decade, expectations are sky high when they return. Dream Count is Adichie’s long-awaited comeback, and it has stirred up conversations from Lagos to London, from book clubs to Twitter threads. Some readers are calling it a triumph; others are picking apart its choices. But everyone seems to agree on one thing: Adichie has not lost her touch for crafting stories that stay with you long after you have closed the book.
The anticipation was electric. In Lagos, bookstores posted countdowns; in New York and London, signed copies sold out in hours. On social media, the hashtag #DreamCount trended within hours of launch, with fans sharing unboxing videos, first impressions, and even themed reading snacks. For many, this was not just another book release; it was a cultural event, a reunion with a voice that has shaped the way a generation reads about love, identity, and belonging.
Without giving too much away, Dream Count moves between the lives of characters navigating fractured families, old betrayals, and the push and pull of home and exile. There is a Nigerian woman whose self-imposed distance from her homeland begins to fray, a family dealing with the ghost of a secret that refuses to stay buried, and a city painted with the brushstrokes of nostalgia, love, and quiet resentment.
Also Read: ADAEZE IFEOMA ATUEGWU, Nigeria’s most prolific young writer ever!
Adichie’s prose is as vivid as ever, sentences that feel alive, almost conspiratorial, as though the narrator is leaning in to tell you a secret only you can hear. Her skill lies in making the political feel personal; discussions about migration policies and gender roles sit side-by-side with scenes of kitchen gossip, heartbreak, and tender silences. It is the kind of writing that does not just tell you a story, it pulls you into it until you forget the outside world.
If you spend enough time scrolling through BookTok or the literary corners of Twitter, you will notice Dream Count has sparked a rare kind of online debate. Some readers call it a masterpiece, praising Adichie’s restraint, her refusal to spoon-feed resolutions, and her ability to make you feel every strained conversation between her characters. Others have been more critical, arguing that the middle chapters linger too long in reflection, that certain threads feel unresolved, or that the ending demands a patience not every reader is willing to give.
On Instagram, beautifully staged book flat photos sit beside caption essays dissecting its themes, migration as both wound and salve, love as a place you keep returning to even when it hurts. On TikTok, one viral video showed a reader closing the book with tears in her eyes, saying: “I do not even know if I liked it, but I cannot stop thinking about it.” And, perhaps, that is the real measure here: love it or not, Dream Count refuses to let you go quietly.
Whether you land in the “masterpiece” camp or the “it is complicated” corner, this novel is a conversation starter. It is layered, challenging in places, and deeply rewarding if you let it work on you. For longtime Adichie fans, it is a return worth waiting for. For new readers, it is an invitation to dive into one of the most important literary voices of our time. You might finish it with more questions than answers, but that is exactly the point. Some books are meant to entertain you, and this one wants to live in your head rent-free.
