In a lively and thought-provoking panel discussion at Sixth & I, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s latest novel, Dream Count, took center stage. The discussion was moderated by Glory Edim, the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a literary community dedicated to Black women, and the author most recently of Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me. She exclaimed, "she did her reading," and her excited questions launched the discussion. In watching these impactful women, Adichie speaks in the way her novel reads. Her brand voice echoes across the novel and sparked a deep exploration of belonging, identity, and the complex dynamics of relationships among the African diaspora. The conversation, filled with humor and sharp insights, highlighted Adichie’s signature ability to craft authentic dialogue that is at once comical, realistic, and deeply relatable. She said, " I did not choose writing, writing chose me. Reading was a passion that I had but writing was me."
From the outset, the panelists and audience members engaged in a candid critique of the novel’s central relationship. Many expressed frustration with Darnell, the Black American man at the heart of Chimaka’s story. One attendee didn’t mince words when phrasing her written question: “I started reading your book and I couldn’t stand Darnell. I wanted so much more for Chimaka.” The consensus in the room was clear, Chimaka deserved better, and many readers were unwilling to extend empathy to Darnell.
Adichie, dressed in a striking Nigerian designer outfit, acknowledged the strong reactions with humor. She explains that the novel is not so much about Darnell as it is about women, about the justifications they make for staying in relationships and the difficult journey to breaking free. She directed a question to the attendee who didn't mince their words: “Chidi, you were not willing to grant empathy to this character?...How did you manage to break free? You look like you have it together, so you should tell us.” The audience laughed, but the question underscored a larger truth, Adichie’s ability to write with brutal honesty about the last frontier of truth-telling in relationships.
A significant theme in Dream Count is motherhood and its deeply entrenched complexities. “Being a mother is the greatest gift,” Adichie noted, “but in Nigeria, you have a village to support you. Here, it’s different.” The host reflected on the cultural differences of the two countries as she tells how your only role is to lay around and rest as your family cares for you and the child. Meanwhile in America, Edim expressed relativity in parenting styles to a moment in the book where Chimaka’s mother tells her to “hold yourself together” just before giving birth. She states that her mother was very stern with her in times of womanly pain like her menstrual and child-birth. The book has this dynamic resonating effect on people where it tells so elegantly the push-and-pull dynamic between mother and daughter, of love expressed through strictness and silent endurance.
Adichie also touched on the expectations placed on women: “Nature is misogynistic enough to give women all of their eggs at once to go bad as we age, while men’s sperm cells are fine until they’re 205 years old.” The audience erupted in laughter, a testament to her ability to weave humor into discussions of serious gender disparities.
The novel’s themes of nostalgia and paths not taken struck a chord with many. Adichie admitted to being “addicted to a certain style of nostalgia,” reflecting not just on the life we lead, but on the lives we could have led. This yearning for alternative paths is something Chimaka and the other characters grapple with, making the story feel deeply personal yet universally relatable. She talked about how the nostalgia of the 30's is powerful enough to bring her to tears whether she's lived in that era or not. Glory spoke on the beauty of the transition of slowing down during COVID.
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a perfect backdrop for Dream Count, providing a space where time slowed, forcing introspection. “During the pandemic, we grew in time from our quick lives,” Adichie noted. This sense of forced reflection allowed the novel’s big ideas to resonate more profoundly, capturing a moment in history that made many reconsider their choices and futures.
When asked whether there was something readers should keep in mind while crafting their own novels, Adichie’s answer was simple: “No. I don’t think they should think of the audience because it leads to self-censorship.” Instead, she emphasized the importance of acknowledging uncertainty, staying true to one’s voice, and always listening for real-life dialogue. “To write realistic fiction, you have to have a lifeline. I overhear a great line, write it down, and wait for the universe to reveal which character should say it.”
By the end of the discussion, it was clear that Dream Count is a novel that refuses to offer easy resolutions. It challenges its readers to confront difficult truths about love, motherhood, and self-worth, while making them laugh along the way. Adichie’s storytelling remains as fearless as ever, unafraid to be one-sided, unapologetically honest, and deeply reflective of the human experience.
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