The Whole Book Was More or Less a Walk Down Seraphin’s Mind | A Review of The Eternal Audience Of One

The Eternal Audience of One is a comic relief written by Remy Ngamije. Based in
various settings. From Rwanda to Namibia to Cape Town and even the city of love; Paris.
Shedding light on the strains of the ward and being a refugee. The nostalgia and pain of being away
from home while trying to find one’s footing wherever one finds oneself. He weaves all these
with comic scenarios and lightens the mood in the process. Making what would otherwise have
been a sad atmosphere a very comical one.

Seraphin isn’t your regular young man. He’s one with about 6 other Seraphins within him. In a space of their own. Deciding his life for him, giving solutions to his problems and holding conversations with hot girls on his behalf. Which probably explains why he was always such a quiet child. You can’t have a party going on in your head and still want to talk all the time in the real world. That’s just a little info on Seraphin, born in Rwanda, living in Namibia and studying in Cape Town, who would do anything possible to stay where he’s studying considering he can’t go back to where he was born and would rather not just go back to where he lives. But he has no choice because Cape Town firms don’t like getting involved with refugees. Seraphin embodied his refugee status a bit too much, considering he was willing to continue being one even when he didn’t have to, anything to escape his overbearing mom, quiet dad and siblings he barely talked to.

               So, he’s back in Windhoek for Thanksgiving with his family. During his stay at home, before he heads back to Cape Town for his final year, we take a walk down memory lane with Seraphin. Experiencing with him, memories he’s had. Fun ones, happy ones, sad ones as well as embarrassing ones that rendered him quiet for a long long time. Later on, we move to escapades with The High Lords of Empire land in Cape Town. From the literally unspeakable ones to parts of him never to be unravelled. Flames of the past reignited a test of friendship and reunion with family and loved ones.

                The writer makes a wonderful and strategic use of flashbacks. The book has its story based on flashbacks and they flow into one another without confusion of any sort. As disorderly as the sequence of the story could have turned out to be,  he managed to keep readers in the loop while intriguing them at the same time. The characterisation was mind-blowing. The way characters were introduced and developed. The whole book was more or less a walk down Seraphin’s mind. Infused with wit and humour. You’d find yourself laughing out loud unconsciously. Pressing issues were presented and analyzed without the usual gloom that surrounds it. Wars, migration and being away from home were issues that were all portrayed, but with Seraphin as the narrator, it might as well have been a situational comedy, addressing emotions but not downtrodding them in the bid to keep the vibe light and humorous.

          The writer’s diction is very impeccable. The use of puns and other literary figures added spice to the read. One would literally be wondering ‘Why does this Seraphin guy think like this.‘ Bits of dark humour here and there just made it so much fun to read. Seraphin sure is one funny guy.  This book is nothing short of a masterpiece. The only problem I might have had was the excessive use of flashbacks, which was handled just as well. Even though it could have been an enormous problem, and can be at a point when one isn’t paying attention. But it wasn’t too overbearing.

           This book is highly recommended if you just want to chill and relax, with a sprinkle of stories that touch the heart. A feel-good book with depth, which is quite unusual. You’d find yourself laughing really hard with how witty the diction is. A fun and insightful read. Definitely a 10/10.

About the Writer: Moyosoreoluwa Azeez is a student who adores literature and has discovered joy in reading and reviewing books. Her critiques take readers on journeys through various stories, sharing her genuine passion for the enchanting world of literature.