Growing up in Ghana, Jacob and Belinda Nti’s goals are simple: move to America. But when Jacob’s US visa is denied for the nth time, even with his marriage to a woman living in the States, Jacob is filled with rage and jealousy of Belinda. Belinda has achieved what her father calls “what Napoleon could not do,” attending US schools and marrying a wealthy Black Texan named Wilder. Nonetheless, Belinda is still waiting for her green card after a decade.

Following three distinct characters, NAPOLEON is a brilliant work that examines the meaning of the American Dream. Nnuro paints a layered picture of how the promised land makes and breaks each one’s ambitions through the lenses of an African American, African immigrant, and Ghanaian.

I was most drawn to Belinda and Wilder’s diverging views toward America. Wilder’s fights against racism as an African American drive him to believe the US is a country that holds him back. In contrast, Belinda believes promises and bright futures America has for her. As an immigrant, I resonate with Belinda’s POV the most, but I also gravitate toward Wilder’s sentiments as I learn more about US history.

NAPOLEON is a fascinating and refreshing analysis of the potential or lack thereof of this land. While not all characters resonated with me (which is totally fine