Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025--San Antonio
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngodi Arichi was named as a top book of the first half of 2025 by BBC and an anticipated book by many known reviewers. It is built around the lives of 4 African women--3 living in the US and 1 in Nigeria--who have all become close friends. There are ups and downs in their lives which they share with each other. All face problems because of cultural and family expectations. Each looks back and questions decisions they have made in their lives. Three are wealthy. Two of those are passing the age of having their own babies while still unmarried. The poor one is a hotel maid and is raped by a very high-ranking international politician in his hotel room. When she "became of age" she was also "cut" (female circumcision) by her female family members. The one living in Nigeria works for a bank which colludes with politicians for them to steal money through corrupt practices and becomes so sick of it that she starts stealing herself--not to have the money for herself but to provide "loans" to individual village women to expand their local businesses with the requirement only that they pay her back by helping at least one other woman in return. Desires, relationship experiences, and the background histories for all 4 women are revealed over time. It's a complex book, at times an uncomfortable story, and about 1/3 longer than most novels, so it took me two weeks to read the book. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment