Rwandan born Namibian writer Rémy Ngamije’s prose is powerful; almost poetic. Truly a delight to read. And the story of the Namibian immigrant family, driven from Rwanda during the nation’s ethnic strife, starts out strong, promising and engaging.

The Eternal Audience of One is a coming-of-age story, that of Séraphin, the eldest of Guillome & Therése’s three sons. Moving from Windhoek, Namibia to Cape Town, South Africa, Seraphin pursues girls more diligently than the law degree at Remms University.

Sadly, for me, the incessant and indiscriminate sex, and meaningless relationships of Séraphin during his sojourn in Cape Town, which make up the bulk of part 2 of the story, became painfully tiresome. Not even Ngamije’s crisp English, laced with a subtle humor, thought provoking wisdom, and the elegant portrayal of the racial undercurrent in South Africa, could alleviate my disappointment.