Behold the Dreamers Book Reviews

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Captivating and moving. This novel was so moving it affected my own dreams, even as I dreamed during sleep.

Grateful I Got to Experience This Book. Where to start? First, I had no idea it would reach out and grab me the way that it did, or how it would affect me just after I read Liomi’s last word. I am embarking on a similar journey feeling much the same way that Neni felt. Her dreams of a better life were my dreams of a better life. Her dreams of a life where her children would grow up with vibrant, exciting and adventurous surroundings were my dreams as well when I came to NYC 14 years ago. I felt her pain. After I got into the story and got fully invested in all of the characters, I found myself relating to each of them in very different ways. I saw myself in many of them, but in the end, feel like I could most relate to both Neni and Vince (for very different reasons). Jende is a good man, but I don’t know if sadness and fear could ever take me to the places it took him. Having not been there I don’t know for sure, but he really lost his way towards the end and I had a very hard time with that. In the end, I know his heart was good though. I found myself at times laughing out loud, especially at the conversations between Fatou, Betty & Neni. I could just hear their voices in my head and it made me laugh. There were obviously several other characters I related to like the professor, and in some ways, even Clark. Mbue did such an amazing job of using her pen and paper as a canvas to draw such vivid images in my head for each of these characters. I felt like I knew them, each of them. Vince’s desire to “find himself and his truth,”, Mrs. Edward’s denial of her addiction, even Leah’s optimism in the face of daily struggle. I could “see” each of them in my mind. At any rate, I was touched by this story and I feel confident it will open every reader’s hearts and minds to the world around us, if we just open our eyes long enough to see it. Thank you Imbolo Mbue for getting this story out into the world. I am forever grateful I got to experience it.

I dream. It's an awesome book. I literally read this in two bursts. Story is quite gripping and almost insists That you try and understand the characters although it never really allows you to. Most importantly it's not a fairytale story with everything broken fixed at the end or with perfect heroes. I wish Mbolo well in her career as a writer and would be looking forward to her next book. NB: should be a 5 star, just docked one star for too many mentions of fried ripe plantain... Surely there must be other meals in Cameroon.

Competing Dreams. A bold and moving migrant story, detailing the harrowing journey of navigating the grey uncertainty of the American Immigration System. Mbue has crafted an engaging story with compelling plot twists and characters worth caring deeply about. Mbue expertly navigates between the class and culture collisions that we live with everyday, side-by-side. Issues such as the differences between a life of privilege and that of the working class hustle. Or the dynamic between the freedom to choose one’s own path versus having seemingly no agency at all. Mbue also calls out the melting pot that more accurately sifts people into orderly piles of familiarity, along with the connected and disconnectedness inherent in those separations. There isn’t an African based novel that I have read that isn’t infused with local proverbs and the important theme of Pride. That theme has left me with one lesson above all which this book reinforces, Pride destroys dreams and lives. This book does a wonderful job of reminding us of this lesson.

Behold the Dreamers. I enjoyed this book. Although not perfect it was a good insight into another culture and the immigration process for green cards and visas. Showed how different people and cultures deal with stress and family dysfunction. The ending was not unexpected, disappointing or sad. Characters could have been better developed. But good first novel.

Disturbing View of US Immigrant Desperation. A compelling and at times excoriating narration of the US immigration dilemma: people desperate to leave their debilitating homeland poverty jump from the frying pan into the fire of dysfunctional ‘wannabe American’ lifestyle. In wanting to do whatever it takes to get their green cards and succeed in America, these Cameroon natives almost lose all self-respect, cow-towing to the ultra-rich whites of NYC...

I love it !!. As immigrant myself and got through asylum process, there were time that Jende experiences exactly like mine. I work as dishwasher once, those high stress level when I wasn’t sure if I would get my Asylum or not. Waiting and waiting and waiting. I also happened to live in Harlem, I knew every corner mentioned in the book. Of course my circumstances were different than Jende. I’m from Indonesia and lived in beautiful Island of Bali before I moved to NY. But I can feel him, I can relate to his doubt, his anger, his frustration. I wasn’t aware all those things until I read this book, it was like I walked on my own memory. Thank you for writing this book. American dreams still live and well because of hard working Immigrants :)

Behold the Dreamers. A lovely book with a very unexpected ending. It depicts real relationships, real human struggles in a way that makes the reader feel deeply connected to the characters and their issues. It didn't sugar-coat or falsely resolve the difficult issues surrounding immigration, domestic abuse, financial challenges, women's rights or addiction. And although it addresses all those issues, it does so through storytelling of real lives and real human dilemmas. I loved these people. A very satisfying read.

Disappointing. Depressing and not enough story line to keep me interested.

Had high hopes for this one. I really was excited to read this book but it never truly drew me in. There is something lacking in the storyline and the characters. Characters and their emotions felt very superficial and like the author was forthrightly telling us what the characters were feeling rather than allowing us to learn that through feeling these feelings ourselves. Also, every character is pretty difficult to like.

Waste of Time and Money. This book starts out great for the first half, but then it totally falls apart. It gets boring and starts to meander, culminating into a very disappointing ending. It also is frustrating to see how badly African women are treated and the fact they still put up with mental, verbal and physical abuse from their husbands, even when they are in America. I won't go into further detail, as I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to waste their money and buy the book. There are too many good books out there to spend time on this one.

The best book I’ve ever read. This is hands down the best book I’ve ever read!

Excellent Story. This novel gives a very nuanced and interesting look at the life of Africa immigrants seeking what they see as the life changing green card. Seeing America through the eyes of immigrants was possible because Mbue's use of imagery gave the characters so much depth. I really enjoyed the subtle tension among the characters and the way she showed how we are truly interconnected through our experiences as humans

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