After a 12-year hiatus from fiction, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has returned with Dream Count, a novel that delves into the lives of four African women navigating love, ambition and the often destructive influence of men.
In a candid interview with The Atlantic, Adichie reflects on her long-awaited return to fiction, the evolving role of women in society, and her disillusionment with America’s current political climate.
“I felt like I was shut out of myself,” Adichie confessed, describing her struggle with writer’s block during the years she spent away from fiction. For Adichie, fiction is more than a creative outlet—it’s a source of joy and meaning. Dream Count marks her return, offering a poignant exploration of how men shape women’s lives, often as destructive forces or distractions from their dreams.
The novel follows four women: Chiamaka, a travel writer yearning for connection; Zikora, a lawyer desperate to start a family; Omelogor, a fiercely independent banker in Nigeria; and Kadiatou, a Guinean housekeeper rebuilding her life in America. Each character grapples with the men in their lives, from toxic relationships to predatory behaviour. Adichie’s portrayal of these dynamics is unflinchingly honest, reflecting her belief that fiction must confront uncomfortable truths.
“I don’t want to write about women’s lives as I wish they were,” Adichie said. “I want to write about how women justify staying in unhealthy relationships, how they navigate a world that often prioritises men’s needs over their own.”
The conversation inevitably turned to the current state of American politics, which Adichie described as a “confederacy of dunces.” She expressed deep concern about the rise of what she calls “immature patriarchy,” embodied by figures like Donald Trump. “America is no longer America,” she lamented, drawing parallels between the political chaos in the US and the corruption she witnessed growing up in Nigeria.
Adichie also addressed the pervasive influence of ideology on art, warning against the dangers of ideological conformity. “We live in a time of ideological capture,” she said, emphasising the need for fiction to embrace complexity and contradiction. “I worry that young, brilliant minds are dimming their lights to fit into this climate, and we all suffer for it.”
Despite the heavy themes, Dream Count is ultimately a story about love—its joys, its pitfalls, and its transformative power. Adichie, a self-proclaimed “hopeless romantic,” infuses the novel with a deep sense of humanity, even as she critiques the systems that oppress her characters.
As the interview concluded, Adichie reflected on her role as a writer in turbulent times. “I like to make a distinction between myself the writer and myself the citizen,” she said. “But as a citizen, things have changed for me. America and Nigeria feel the same now.”
With Dream Count, which is available now wherever books are sold, Adichie cements her place as one of the most vital voices in contemporary literature, offering a searing critique of the world we live in while reminding us of the enduring power of storytelling.
- Featured image by Lelanie Foster for The Atlantic
