Behold the Dreamers: A Novel

Wow. What a story. I just finished the last page of this kindle book but midway through, I knew this would be a 5-star read for me. I admit I was attracted by the premise which involved an immigrant working as a chauffeur for a rich Lehman executive at the cusp of the Great Financial Crisis as a career finance person, but this story was so much more than that. It is truly the story of hopes and dreams of immigrants, America through rose-colored and dirty glasses, and the hardships of relationships between husband and wife, parent and child. The story revolves around two main families, the uber-wealthy and white Edwards, and the Cameroonian Jongas, seeking a green card and permanent avenue towards fulfilling the American dream for their children. The Edwards have a seemingly perfect life which masks a veneer of dysfunction in the marriage and with their relationship to the two sons. The Jongas have a seemingly solid and loving marriage that is not impervious to the stress of deportation risks and living a hard life in Harlem. The complexity of the four principal adult leads impressed me to no end. How the author managed to convey both their strengths and their flaws (in some cases, actual demons) while still making me care equally about each and every one is a hallmark of a true writer’s gift for character development. There isn’t much by way of plot lines - the story covers two years and touches on the lives of these two parallel families - but I simply could not put the book down. The writing is beautiful too, vibrantly conveying life in Limbe, Cameroon to a reader entirely unfamiliar with it, as well as describing the many pleasures of NYC to this immigrant family. The subject matter and heaviness of the story won’t appeal to everyone. It’s certainly not a beach read, but not as harrowing as say, My Dark Vanessa or A Little Life. But there were many moments of comedy, especially in the beginning as Jende Jonga arrives in America with his wife and holds on to a heartbreaking hopefulness. I absolutely loved it and give this an unqualified positive recommendation.

I read Behold the Dreamers to fulfill the prompt of “A book from a celebrity book club” for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. I remember when Oprah launched the first incarnation of her book club and what a boon it was for the publishing industry and for the authors whose books she chose. I also remember most of those books were books I didn’t enjoy. At all. While this book wasn’t quite on the same level as Breath, Eyes, Memory or The Pillars of the Earth, it was certainly no Jewel or The Corrections. Behold the Dreamers follows the story of Jende, a Cameroonian immigrant who has come to the USA to forge a better life for his wife and young son, who he brings to the States and settles with in Harlem. Jende feels fortunate to get a job as chauffeur to Clark Edwards—a Lehman Brothers executive— and his family, and soon the lives of their families begin to intertwine as their fortunes become linked. I thought this was a powerful novel, focusing on Jende and his wife, Neni’s unbridled enthusiasm for America, juxtaposed against the cynicism of the eldest Edwards son, who feels his family has so much but appreciates so little. As with most good novels, the characters in this one change and grow over time. It was interesting to see how their goals and dreams transformed, and to watch as they struggled for acceptance of what lay before them. As an immigrant from Cameroon, Imbolo Mbue gives her story an unmistakable air of authenticity, and her ability to explore what it means to be an American from multiple perspectives belies a great emotional intelligence. Some cultural differences are presented without prejudice—such as how domestic violence (of which there is a particularly disturbing scene) is dealt with. Overall, definitely worth a read, especially in light of Trump-era feelings toward immigrants. 4 out of 5 stars

Imbolo Mbue’s BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is one of my favorite books so far this year. I don’t see how you can read this book and not have compassion. What a fascinating look at an immigrant who comes to America with big dreams and sets his sight and his family’s on coming to a new country with eyes wide open for a better life. Exposed to a world that is entirely different from where he came from in Cameroon to start anew. Jende, with the help of his cousin, who is already established in New York City, finds what he believes is the job of his dreams, working as a chauffeur for a man who works on Wall Street. Think back to 2008, right before things imploded. Jende's wife and young son soon follow. They all become involved in his employer’s family in one way or another and the drama, oh the drama. They might live in the same city but they are worlds apart from his employer. ​ Mbue’s writing is magnificent. Her ability to tell a story is astounding. I was enraptured. I felt like I knew these characters inside and out. Even after I finished the book, I could not get Jende out of my head. I felt like I had seen a play and studied every scene. When he spoke about his love for this country, I saw it through his eyes. When he felt pain, I cringed. When he felt joy, I was elated. Behold this book. If I could give the book more than 5 stars, I most definitely would.

Brief summary, no spoilers. This story is told primarily from the point of view of an African couple from Cameroon who have come to New York just prior to the stock market crash in 2007. The couple is Jende and Neni Jonga. They were unable to marry in Cameroon because Neni's father didn't find Jende of high enough status to marry his daughter. Nene previously had a daughter with Jende who had died shortly after her birth but now also has a young son named Liomi who leaves with her for New York. Neni had arrived earlier to the US with Liomi and when Jende joins them in their home in Harlem, they are able to marry and he is able to find work as a chauffeur for a wealthy executive named Clark Edwards at Lehman Brothers. They both seem to be living the Great American Dream. Nene has her heart set on becoming a pharmacist and she does exceptionally well at school. She also works for Clark's wife Cindy - a spoiled yet unhappy woman with a part-time home in the Hamptons. Neni loves the US and all its potential - she never wants to leave despite any hardships. Over the course of the book, we go through the troubles and tribulations of Jende as he not only faces deportation, but also loses his job as Lehman Brothers dissolves. On the good side, this book does a good job putting us in the shoes of an immigrant desperately fighting to gain residency status in the United States and the obstacles he or she must face. Your heart really goes out to Jende and Neni both and you will definitely find yourself rooting for them. In critique, other than Neni, and at times Jende, the characters never truly came alive for me. I thought the white characters were all very stereotypical and in particular, the mother Cindy seemed so one-dimensional. Clark was not much better. The conversations between the characters - especially those between Clark and Jende - felt so stilted and at time really more to give the reader an understanding of what was happening in the world (stock-market in particular) at the time rather than an organic discussion between two people. These conversations between most of the characters served more explain what was going on and to move the action forward more than anything else. There really is a great story here, but the writing often felt a bit amateurish and not all that sophisticated. Recommended for book club discussions. There is definitely a political message here (not subtle at all in this book) so be aware of that.)

Another book from the burndown pile. During the pandemic, I have been finding most books about past disasters over-wrought and with an inability to stand up to time. Not this one. It is a great story. "Behold the Dreamers" follows two African immigrants and their children. leading up to and after the recession of 2008. There are some copy-editing errors regarding Lehman Brothers and banking locations throughout Manhattan, but other than that the story was great. Sometimes it is worth taking your time with a book. This one especially since the plot is in the details. Additionally, while I wouldn't call it a twist, the author does a good job redefining an ending. The final story element was neither good nor bad, but definitely made you think. The only reason this is not the perfect novel is at times the character's naivete seemed to render them almost stupid. It does put you in the shoes of how difficult the cultural gap can be coming into the US, but foiling this naivete against the mention of behemoth banks was awkward. Based on the little insight we get into the rich family of employ, they could have worked for just about anything, and the Lehman/Barclays connection felt forced or trite.

I really loved this book for its narration and characters. With all the talk of immigration and the sentiment against it, this book reiterated what it means for people to come to the United States and try to make it home. This is an engaging and beautiful portrait of an immigrant family from Cameroon, and their sojourn in NYC. Their reactions to their surroundings is fascinating, as is their conflicting feelings about staying vs returning home. I found the husband and wife quite poignant in the difference with which they each examined what returning to Africa would mean. The wife knew she could never have the kind of profession she wanted in the home country, even as a rich man's wife, whereas the husband could carve out a proud existence for himself amidst the old customs. "Behold the Dreamers" isn't just about the Jonga family, but also the Edwards family. Clark Edwards works for Lehman Brothers, and he and his socialite wife, Cindy, and their two sons, live the privileged life of the rich and successful; the 1%. As the story begins, Jende has gotten a coveted job as a driver for Clark Edwards. The year is 2007 and so the reader knows what Jende and Clark do not; the imminent demise of Lehman and the destruction of the US economy. While driving Clark, and his family, Jende learns of the perks and privileges of the rich. ​Soon Neni is asked to help Cindy in the Hamptons over the summer and she, too, learns about the "lifestyle" of the rich and prosperous. ​These passages are among my favorite because they highlight the acute differences between the lives of the rich and the lives of the poor in the US. What Clark and Cindy find to be huge problems, Jende​ and Neni​ can only puzzle over. The way ordinary people perceive "rich people's problems" is fascinating.​ Yet, Mbue doesn't paint the Edwards family as being callous or intentionally cruel; the are portrayed as having their own demons - real to them. ​In fact, neither the Jongas not the Edwards are portrayed as saints. Mbue gives all her main characters realistic human vices and virtues. All seems well until Jende and Neni are suddenly thrust in the middle of Clark and Cindy's marriage, which has become chaotic. Each is keeping a secret from the other, and only Jende and Neni know these incendiary secrets.As the novel rushes to conclusion, we are left to question not merely the American verses the African condition, but our shared human condition as a whole.

Initially I was finding this book to be a slow read but as I got further into the book I became very enlightened on the plight of the immigrant. I think sometimes when we hear of immigrant problems in America we see them as a mass and turn our attention elsewhere. We forget the individual and their problems. As a white person "many generations from this country " I could hardly imagine what some people have to go through to have what we've always had ,the "right to pursue happiness ". I believe ( I think) that Oprah herself said that good books are enjoyable and you may learn some things. A great book makes you truly think and may open your mind to new arguments. This book doesn't solves the world's problems but it was pretty great

Mbue writes a captivating novel on the immigrant’s perspective of moving to the United States and attempting to build a life in a new land. From the beginning of the book where the Jongas arrive in Harlem and are on the lookout for jobs to the end of the novel where the Cameroonian couple return to their homeland, Mbue takes book readers into the Jongas' minds representative of some immigrants as they navigate the United States on their own. The story of the Jongas, the Cameroonian couple the book is based on, reminds me of the stories from family members as they traveled from their respective countries in the Caribbean and sought jobs that did not need proof of citizenship. Additionally, the book also resonated with me through its discussion of immigration as I am the son of immigrants. Aside from the book touching on aspects of immigration, issues of both race and class are societal aspects Mbue touches on as well. More specifically, Neni points to their being African and Jende's being undocumented as the reasons for Jende's firing from his post as the Edwardses driver. Additionally, "Behold the Dreamers" also engages with various discourses in African Literature that we have discussed in class. Most recently, Siyanda Mohutsiwa published an article entitled, "I'm Done With African Immigrant Literature." In the article, she emphasizes her frustrations with books about characters that are set in an African country and ends with those characters traveling to the United States or any Western country. This book technically fits into what Mohutsiwa is frustrated over. However, the novel's plot still demonstrates African literature as its plot centers around the dream of immigrating to earn a better quality of life. Mbue embraces this particular storyline and publishes this book in tandem with Shadreck Chikoti's criticism of Mohutsiwa's article, where he too embraces the variety of stories published by African authors with no restrictions.

Narra las experiencias de los emigrantes con un lenguaje sencillo. Vale la pena leerlo.

Perhaps the headline of this review doesn't make it sound too interesting, but I truly couldn't put it down. Cameroonian immigrant Jende Jonda, his wife Neni and their six-year-old son Liomi live in Harlem and struggle to make ends meet until the day Jende lands a job as a chauffeur to a rich Lehman Brothers stockbroker. Clark Edwards, his wife Cindy, and their children appear at first the exact opposite of Jende and Neni-- privileged, affluent and a very attractive couple with plenty of means and leisure time to impress their large circle of friends. But the longer he works for the Edwardses, Jende and Neni (who gets a summer job with the family as a cook and nanny to the Edwardses young son), become more and more aware that the rich couple have their own set of challenges. When the stock market collapses, double tragedy strikes. A sad but beautifully written and thought-provoking debut from Imbolo Mbue.

What a Beautiful book!!! I just finished reading it and I am smiling from ear to ear. This is the best thing I've read in a long time. Thank you Imbolo Mbue for both ur beautiful books. I had sad days, happy days....I cried and laughed reading both of them.

What a great human story this is, of this young couple from Cameroun battling to survive and live the American Dream in New York City when the financial crisis of 2008 hits. The author truly brings these african voices to life and puts us firmly by their side. Fascinating and truly assured writing for a first-time novelist.

Outstanding. Gladly lived up to expectations. Plotline was gripping and the characters had real heart which made me root for them throughout. You could not help but want them to better themselves or find peace, and in this case, it was about being happy – but happy with their lot. Each is put up against their moral convictions and has to reassess their future, and the reality and starkness of their situation. Being faced with losing everything and having to start from scratch, this increased the sense of urgency, desperation and genuineness of their reactions. The study of all the characters, including the wealthy, Wall Street Edwards family, showed complete humanity, in that they were similar and yet totally different. Status became irrelevant. Beneath it all these are people just trying to make it through life, and by doing the best for their families, hopefully in the name of GOOD.