This one took me a while to get into, but I liked it once I was a few chapters in. The author has a talent for description that flows breezily along, not seeming labored or too intentional. He relies quite a bit on repetition, as one particular event repeats at the end of many chapters, which is an interesting, not-so-common way of organizing the narrative. I think it works well.

For me, this book is more about characters and settings than plot. It focus on Séraphin, a Namibian student studying law in South Africa. He and his family were refugees to Namibia from Rwanda at the onset of the Rwandan genocide, and the question of identity appears frequently throughout the book. His parents worry that he's not Rwandan enough, he's torn between Namibia and South Africa... lots of food for thought here.

I enjoyed this book and the characters. The plot was a little all over the place and didn’t feel like much happened in the novel.

I loved this book and read it in one sitting.
The writing is smart and propulsive. Some of it bordered on beauty. I felt like I was getting the inside scoop on the millennial perspective. It was fresh and real and kept moving.
There isn’t too much of a plot, but the main character, Seraphin, really grew on me and I enjoyed his interactions with the other characters; his family, college friends and girlfriends. I felt invested to the point I really wanted to know what happened to his entire group. I especially loved his mom! Seraphin is smart, funny and has that arrogance that only youth can portray.
It’s a coming of age story different from any I’ve read before. The creativity evident with such tactics as The Council of Seraphins was impressive and fun to read. I enjoyed learning about Rwanda, Namibia and the refugee experience in South Africa. Issues such as race and identity in a post Colonial world were woven into a clever narrative that kept me engaged throughout.
My only criticism is that the ending seemed rushed and didn’t really satisfy this reader. Otherwise, I think anyone interested in a good story with excellent characters set in South Africa will enjoy this novel.
Ngamije is an author I will be adding to my must read list. Thank you, Gallery Books for the preview. I will be talking a lot about this book!

Seraphin is an immigrant who fled Rawanda to Namibia with his family as a child. The story flashes back and forth from his childhood to present day graduate student and the many choices a young adult is faced with. We've all been there trying to make decisions, but what is unique is that Seraphin's decision making is put forth to the reader as voices 1, 2, & 3. I enjoyed the humor, but found myself getting tired of the college aged conversations and activities with and around women in the last 1/3 of the book, which is why I'm giving it a 3.

I've built my career around working with international students and immigrants in the United States, and I'm interested in the experiences of immigrants to other countries. I selected this title because I wanted to know what I could learn about a Rwandan immigrant's experience in Namibia through Séraphin's story, and how that compares to similar experiences in the United States. Since Rémy Ngajime was himself a Rwandan immigrant to Namibia, I was also interested in the way he writes about that journey and how that might compare to the way immigrants share their stories in the U.S.

Unfortunately, his approach didn't really work for me. Recently I was listening to Bill Hader talking about plot construction on Mike Birbiglia's podcast "Working it Out." He said the key to a strong plot is a "so then" sequence instead of a bunch of "and thens," which is what Ngajime has created in "The Eternal Audience of One." There is good material in the book, but it would have been stronger if the author hadn't meandered so often into long GChat and text exchanges (oddly written in standard English rather than textspeak) or bogged it down with meaningless relationships, and characters that were introduced for no good reason (particularly in the second half of the novel which focuses on Séraphin's sexual escapades). It also wasn't clear to me that the climactic event really influenced the conclusion. It didn't actually seem to change much for Séraphin in terms of where he ended or what he learned about himself or others. While I did get a sense of what Rwandans might experience while living in Namibia or South Africa- and kept reading partly because of that, I had to skim through long sections of the book that seemed to have no interest in contributing to the "so what" of the novel.. If I hadn't been obligated to review this book for NetGalley, this likely would have landed on my DNF pile.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this advance reader copy.

Fresh and different - this book takes us away from the US centric or WWII historical fictions of late. I was hoping for more insight into the culture of South Africa like The Henna Artist but this is not that book. This is a coming of age story first and everything else is an accessory. It was hysterically funny, as I found myself giggling in the library reading it. Its fresh and fun and that's what I liked about it. As I read advance reader copies to find our next great book discussion, I would be hesitant to select this one for my particular group - as there is a lot of language and teenager-like conversations, especially early on, which could turn some readers off. The book ages well, meaning it gets better as it goes on. I think if readers give it more than 25%, they would enjoy it.
3.5*

The descriptions for books are too often overlooked and underrated. If you’re unfamiliar with an author or are looking for a new book without the recommendation of a reliable friend, you really only have the cover and the description to go by (and they do say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, though the cover is invaluable when it comes to catching a potential reader’s attention). In the case of Rémy Ngamije’s The Eternal Audience of One, yes, the cover caught my eye but it was the description that truly captured my interest. Lifting two sentences from the first page of the first chapter about the nature of stories and the characters’ relationships to both beginnings and endings, the description provided the smallest taste of the prose and narrative voice and that alone was enough to get me hooked as a reader. Luckily, that taste was not a manipulative tease but a wonderful encapsulation of Ngamije’s humorous and clever approach to a story that demonstrates the ways we confront and hide from difficult realities about our lives, our situations and ourselves.

Séraphin, a university student in Cape Town, faces the all-too-familiar prospect of an uncertain future as his graduation from law school looms just a few months away. His family back in Namibia have high hopes and expectations for him, especially his parents who have had to compromise and sacrifice since fleeing Rwanda for the safety of their young family. Luckily, his close circle of friends is incredibly understanding and supportive of his lack of direction as they plot their futures with varying degrees of drive and direction themselves. But the uncertainty, the stress of school, and coming from such different backgrounds also force some rifts among the group of friends to the surface.

The Eternal Audience of One really captures the ways that personal experience affect how we react to just about everything and how being able to relate to the personal experiences of one another can reinforce relationships… or cause them to fall apart. Because it isn’t just about the ways that personal experience inform our reactions but also how self-aware we are and how conscious we are of other people and their feelings when we react. Séraphin is a storyteller, and in retelling stories – especially about himself and his exploits both good and bad – he has some control over how he is portrayed. It’s a level of control that is lacking in other areas of his life as a young black man and immigrant/refugee in a country still grappling with the legacies of colonialism. And while the drive for control is understandable, Séraphin must learn when giving up control will actually make him happier (and how to do it when it may seem like that’s all he has).

The interactions of privilege and community play out in a variety of forms throughout The Eternal Audience of One. As the narrative jumps from Séraphin to various people in his life, it gives glimpses of experiences that helped shape the people they became, from his parents at several key times to a school teacher to other friends in his circle. The novel shows the ways that privilege in a world where racism and prejudice run rampant can infiltrate the spaces between friends and widen cracks, especially where those with privilege grow defensive or remain incapable (or unwilling) to see it. Through Séraphin’s occasionally self-destructive actions, it also shows the quick and ready dangers for those the system is already stacked against – a little self-destruction or frustration can do a lot of damage. A community of friends is not inherently a community of equals and how and whether that gets addressed within the community (and who does the talking and who does the listening) impact how the friend group evolves. The in-jokes and dynamics of Séraphin’s friend group are thoroughly relatable and entertaining, even as tensions rise and the internal balance shifts in potentially irrevocable ways.

The Eternal Audience of One will be available August 10, 2021 in the US and Canada and late September for the UK and Australia.

The setting. A coming-of-age tale. A young man, whose family flees Rwanda and relocates to Namibia. Seraphin must now "make sense of his reality" and find his place. He ends up in Cape Town for law school, not necessarily a good fit. Absolutely a "...tale of family, migration, friendship, war, identity, and race following the intersecting lives of Séraphin and a host of eclectic characters from pre- and post-1994 Rwanda, colonial and post-independence Windhoek, Paris and Brussels in the 70s, Nairobi public schools, and the racially charged streets of Cape Town."

Though touted as "laugh-out-loud funny" and "wildly funny"--I beg to differ though there were some haha moments. Consider:

"If the Spanish Inquisition was deemed barbaric, it was only because nobody had ever written about conversations between East African parents and their children."

"Family is a synonym for drama."

"His boots and trousers were so tight they made him look like a tube of toothpaste squeezed into his torso."

For me, humor was not the crux of this book.

An easy, informative read of the times and culture. I liked parts of it a great deal, others not so much. Found the [numerous] sections of texts somewhat of a distraction to the flow of the story [which--was nonlinear]. And the multiple voices--of Seraphin--until I got into the rhythm and reality--somewhat annoying.

3.5 but not rounding up.

Gripping from the first sentence. Ngamjie is a wonderful storyteller. I couldn't put the book down once I started it. A wordsmith is in the building, lol.

I was given an ARC by Netgalley. This is a glimpse into a life of an eldest child, Seraphin, whose family abruptly left Rwanda prior to the end of Apartheid. The family eventually ends up in Namibia. The reader experiences his day to day life and educational journey as he tries to straddle just being a teenager and eventually college kid against being a refugee in Namibia while highlighting the societal constraints of not really being Namibians or South African (where he goes to university) and trying to please parents and himself along the way. I enjoyed this book. It sounds heavy but is delivered with a masterful use of description and a lot of humor.

I couldn't get into the book and did stop reading around 15%, but I can see why a lot of people like it. We will definitely put copies in our libraries. Should it continue as it's going, a very easy 4 stars, probably 5. The pace was great, the language was descriptive, and it definitely paints a picture as you read.

I love coming-of-age novels but had a little trouble getting into this one as it vacillates from present to past without much notice, but I did end up liking it a great deal! Seraphin lives with his family in Windhoek after fleeing Rwanda. Now is he off to Remms Law School in Cape Town, to flee from home as well as live the "college experience" which of course, involves friends, drinking, and girls. It resonated with me as I visited Cape Town in college as part of Semester at Sea, traveling the world. Apartheid was in full swing then and it was a rude awakening for many of us as we had to take separate taxis into town and eat in separate restaurants. Of course I knew it existed but being in the middle of it was eye-opening. So I appreciated Ngamije's novel as we see Seraphin struggle to find himself but keep his family close as well. It's very lyrical and funny as well; certainly worth your time!

The Eternal Audience of One by Rémy Ngamije
Simon & Schuster, 2021 (2021)
Hardcover, CD, e-Book
Reviewed by Barbara Lingens

Rémy Ngamije has written a story with lots of verve that is entertaining from start to finish. Séraphim, originally from Rwanda, is making his way through college in Cape Town and it's the first time he's been away from home.

Séraphim's family escaped to Namibia during the time of all the killings. Through hard work, his parents have been able to provide well for their three sons. We are in a rich though racist world. Cape Town's delights are all sampled and in the friends' banter we learn about the pluses and minuses of coming from there or Kenya, Zimbabwe, or Nigeria.

According to Séraphim, his parents do not understand him and neither do his many friends and girlfriends. He has trouble understanding himself, and so to help out, he has imaginary selves who speak up when the going gets rough.

Ngamije's voices ring true, as do the actions and the Tweets. I'm looking forward to his next work, especially if it has a more complicated plot.

Read if you: Want an engaging, at times funny, at times maddening, and at times sorrowful story of a young Rwandan refugee leaving his home in Namibia and attending law school in Cape Town.

I enjoy reading novels by authors from different countries, so this caught my eye. Readers will need to be a little patient with the storyline and storytelling--some things might not make sense at the beginning with multiple Seraphins. However--it's definitely a rewarding experience!

I really enjoyed how much this was about modern, young Africans; although what Seraphin and his family endured in Rwanda is definitely a part of the story, it's not the main aspect of the story. Would definitely love to read more novels like this.

Remy Ngamije was born in Rwanda and (I believe) currently lives in Namibia; this might have some autobiographical elements to it.

Librarians/booksellers: Definitely purchase in order to expand your collection of modern literature from Africa.

Many thanks to

3.5 stars. This book was a really nice change of pace from the usual US- or European-centric books that I come across most often. I was very young when the Rwandan genocide occurred and when apartheid ended in South Africa. It gave the story a unique perspective to be following a family that escaped Rwanda to Namibia.. and then to have the main character be trying to find himself in South Africa.

The Council of Séraphins is a creative way to turn inner conflict into more of an illustrative narrative. I thought it was a weird tool to use when dealing with heavy topics though. It felt like it was bringing levity to what was happening between Séraphin and Soraya, and it really did not feel like the time or place for levity. I thought it was a good tool for younger Séraphin, with a very important exception: the author said the Council was color-coded based upon the Power Rangers, and then forgot Trini, the yellow ranger!

I do admit that at times, the Council of Séraphins was confusing though. It took me longer than I care to admit to realize some of the things being said by the multiple Séraphins internally were being said out loud.

I found the nonlinear storyline to be helpful in terms of background, but it was difficult to the overall story. It would take me out of the moment and by the time we came back to the present, it took time to reorient myself. I also feel like the story ended without ending. The conflict with Silmary was apparently resolved, but we never got to see it. Séraphin apparently went home, and it sounds like he decided to become a teacher, but it was really glossed over. The author even inserted a big conflict into his parents' marriage at the very end of the book and then kind of brushed it off like it was never said. This particular portion of the past felt like was used specifically just for the surprise factor. It didn't really add anything to the story, and it didn't drive it anywhere. It was never even explained. It just cast a shadow over a marriage that seemed to have been a very happy one.

Rémy Ngamije has written an intriguing and painful coming of age story about an intelligent and unusually insightful young man. His name is Séraphin, born in Rwanda to educated, prosperous parents who were forced to flee their country, along with their three sons. Séraphin has memories of living in different places, before settling in Windhoek, Namibia.

Everywhere his family has lived, they have been treated with diminished respect for being immigrants, sometimes called refugees, which in some places has a derogatory implication.Séraphin, always atune to his surroundings, is very sensitive and easily angered by this unfairness. Additionally, he is verbally talented and able to interpret and articulate what he sees.

During most of this novel, Séraphin is attending law school in Cape Town, South Africa, and dreaming of remaining there. As we follow Seraphin's adventures with his group of friends, we see a South Africa in which Apartheid has ended, but racism is still very much apparent.

Rémy Ngamije's writing style is beautiful, I love the inner dialogue Séraphin has with himself, and the characters of his friends are well developed and interesting. Their conversations are sometimes hilarious and usually philosophical. We are in brilliant company.

Also, I love the way we are let into the stories of the adults in Séraphin's life, especially each one of his parents. They, too, were bright young people, working hard to achieve their dreams. And suffering in similar ways.

This is an extraordinary coming of age story. There may be some instances when Séraphin might be immature and not totally likeable, but then, just like any other person his age, he must do his own growing up. In Séraphin's case, growing into himself is full of a number of mean, grievous obstacles, but he is up to the challenge.

I highly recommend this. It is both thought provoking and beautiful. For me, it was an educational peek into another culture, as well.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read a magnificent book I might not have discovered, otherwise.

The book’s title The Eternal Audience of One would seem to refer to the unrepentant self-centeredness of the young male protagonist Séraphin Turihamwe. At an overview level, focusing on entertainment value, the storytelling is a familiar coming-of-age plot, a series of hookups, mostly casual and a few intense – soft-core graphic. What’s exceptional about author Rémy Ngamije’s version are the intrigues of and insights on sexual, racial, and geopolitical strife in today’s southern Africa. Séraphin was born Rwandan, but his educated family emigrates to Namibia in search of both safety and prosperity. As a result, the label refugee gets appended to him, when he and his family expect to be regarded as residents who deserve a place in the country’s rapidly emerging middle class. But no sooner does overachieving student Séraphin begin to adjust than he decides to attend law school at Remms in Cape Town, South Africa. There he is rapidly thrown into a sophisticated urban environment, along with the predictable pressures of trying to balance the obligations of academic achievement and serious partying.

Séraphin hangs with a posse of fellow students. These men call themselves the High Lords, facilitating their exploits with alcohol but not drugs. He has left an Afrikaner girlfriend back home in Windhoek to stumble into a series of hookups with young women who are variously white and black. Although he and his fellows don’t discriminate racially as to their choices in partners, they do share stereotypes among themselves about the characteristics, charms, and preferences of each. For example, a group they call the Benevolent White Girls would not think of sleeping with any of them, but they are avid notetakers in class and are eager to help their black brothers crib. As with Séraphin’s chagrin at being called a refugee, many of his mates, although from indigenous ethnicities in neighboring countries, are regarded as foreigners in Cape Town.

So, it’s mostly partying and texting, along with falling in and out of bed, if not in love. Spoiler alert: chick-magnet Séraphin doesn’t quite settle down when the Epilogue wraps, but one can expect, if there is a sequel, it will be set in Windhoek and he will be pleading with the High Lords to stand at his side for the ceremony. Or not.

- Gerald Everett Jones, author of Harry Harambee’s Kenyan Sundowner

What I enjoyed the most about this novel is that the main character, Séraphin lives in his head, like a lot of us often do. Somehow, Ngamiji has expertly written a character that is sarcastic, inquisitive, bashful, bold, flirty, self conscious, innocent, hilarious, confident, and confused. He has numerous versions of himself which is actually his counsel that he refers to as “The Department of Dealing with Shit”. And deal with shit they do. Throughout the story, Séraphin often defers to and convenes with all of these different versions of himself to make decisions and sometimes he even allows them to speak or act upon his behalf. That is not to say that he has multiple personalities, it’s just that he truly is introverted and doesn’t rely on or ask often for outside opinions or perspectives sometimes to his own detriment.
When Séraphin was young, he and his family had to flee Rwanda because of the Civil War. Ultimately moving to Wind Hoek, Namibia where he has never truly felt at home. And little changes for him when goes away to college in South Africa, except when he is away from home, he is free to just be.
For a good portion of the book, Séraphin is being an absolute smart ass or captivating his audience with a retelling of a story. However, when he’s not being an asshole, he is fretting about various things that have happened, may happen, and are currently happening in his life.
In the midsts of Séraphin own coming of age story, we also are treated to stories in varying timelines of other characters in the book such as his mother and father, his teacher, family friends that also fled Rwanda, and other people who have been pivotal in his life.
There’s so much to unpack from this novel, such as the roles we play and accountability we have in the failure of success in our romantic, familial, and plutonic relationships, PTSD, colorism, colonialism, identity, and gentrification. The dialogue and internal conversations that Séraphin has are full of snark, wit, and humor. I savored this book. I read it in small pieces trying to keep it from ending, but it was so hard to do! From beginning to end, The Eternal Audience of One is such a fun and entertaining read.

Some of my favorite quotes/parts that I think do a great job of capturing the essence of a couple of the characters:

“It occurred to Séraphin, as he sank lower into the uncomfortable three-seater sofa in the lounge, and not for the first or last time, that family was something that had to be survived.”

“No,” she said, fiercely. “If you want to go into the future you must be prepared to lose something.” -Therése

“...the purpose of home is to be left.” -Séraphin

A solid debut novel. Strong writing but the plotting is uneven here and the protagonist not very likeable. Overall entertaining read.

Remy Ngamije does a magical thing with The Eternal Audience of One — he turns what most American readers consider foreign (Africa) and makes it feel universal. The story basically spans Séraphin’s last year of law school in Cape Town with his rowdy and diverse group of friends but fills in the backstory for many characters with brief flashbacks. Séraphin’s family are refugees from the Rwandan civil war living in Namibia, and he can’t wait to be anywhere else. College and law school in metropolitan Cape Town seem like just the thing, but Séraphin struggles with the twenty-something angst of not knowing who or what he wants from life. Ngamije’s style and attention to details range from laugh-out-loud funny to emotionally beautiful, and his ability to nail a character’s essence in the short backstories is priceless. The Eternal Audience of One is a funny coming-of-age story that still manages to explore deep themes of racism, xenophobia, family, and African history. A huge recommendation from me--can’t wait to give it to readers.