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On September 14, 2024, Christian Eboulé’s debut novel, Le testament de Charles, was released by Les Lettres Mouchetées Publishing. This deeply reflective and spiritual work explores the life of Charles N’Tchoréré, a Black soldier who served France during both World Wars. Through a profound journey of memory and self-realization, the novel examines universal themes of life, death, spirituality and the quest for meaning in a world torn apart by war and colonialism.
At the heart of Le testament de Charles lies the story of a man whose life has been shaped by the violent forces of history. Charles leaves his native Africa, seduced by the promises of colonial “civilization,” only to find himself, after years of loyal service in the French military, caught in the grip of two world wars. His journey from Gabon to Morocco and Syria, and finally to his capture by the Wehrmacht in Airaines, reveals a man struggling to reconcile the hopes and beliefs instilled in him by both his colonial education and the wisdom of his ancestors.
A thread is about to break, Charles’s thread. He left his native Africa, lulled by the sounds of colonial music, trumpeting the promise of a dazzling civilization. […] But his grandfather, old Okili, would try to hold the young man close to the oracles and near the well of rites, where a once peaceful world was now suddenly shrouded in clouds.
Charles’s reflections on his life unfold as a powerful meditation on identity and the human condition. Caught between the rationalism of his colonial schooling and the spiritual traditions of his ancestors, he struggles to find meaning in his experiences. In his final moments, imprisoned and tortured by a triumphant Wehrmacht, he revisits his past, uncovering the truths that had long eluded him. As the memories surge like a torrent, he understands what had always been missing from his life: the true meaning of existence and the importance of making conscious choices.
[…] my end is near. The words of old Okili echo back to me: “In the oceans, life sometimes lasts only a few minutes after it hatches. In the same way, we humans quickly return to dust.”
The novel presents a transformative narrative, moving beyond the violence of history and war to explore the spiritual and existential journey of its protagonist. Charles’s path is a testament to the struggle for dignity and meaning, a journey that touches on universal questions of survival, memory, and the role of the individual in history. As the story progresses, readers are invited to explore the depths of human consciousness, questioning the very foundations of existence.
More than the toll of an individual’s demise, or worse, a human failure, it paradoxically represents, for me, the end of a long, deep sleep, an awakening—perhaps even a rebirth.
Christian Eboulé crafts a profound reflection that transcends the historical to reach the spiritual and existential. Le testament de Charles is a sweeping epic that invites readers on an intense, emotional journey through the conscience of a man grappling with the forces that have shaped his life and history.
In Le testament de Charles, Eboulé delivers a sweeping, spiritual epic centered around Charles, a Black soldier captured by the Wehrmacht in Airaines during WWII. As he faces his own mortality, Charles reflects on his life, realizing the profound significance of the choices he made—and those he didn’t. Inspired by the real-life story of Captain Charles N’Tchoréré, the novel is a powerful meditation on memory, dignity, and the search for meaning at the threshold of death.
With its universal themes of life, death, and the search for meaning, Le testament de Charles is a must-read that speaks not only to the past but also to contemporary issues of identity, recognition, and the human condition.
The author: In addition to his literary work, Christian Éboulé has been a journalist with TV5MONDE for over 20 years, where he presents programs both in the studio and in the field. He has produced numerous reports on a wide range of topics, including the fiftieth anniversary of African independence, truth and reconciliation in Abidjan, the vitality of French language learning in Russia, witchcraft, polygamy, and homosexuality in Africa. His extensive experience as a journalist, reporting from various countries, enriches the depth and scope of his novel, which engages critically with historical and social themes.
Christian Eboulé interviewed on TV5 Monde in “Le Journal Afrique”, 14 September 2024:
The Publisher: Les Lettres Mouchetées is a publishing house founded in 2015 by Muriel Troadec in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo. Of French origin and born in Africa, Troadec is committed to promoting a rich and diverse Francophone literature, particularly from young Congolese authors. Despite economic and logistical challenges, this small independent publisher produces works that tackle the social, cultural, and political realities of the continent, while providing a platform for emerging voices. Les Lettres Mouchetées publishes books that defy clichés about Africa and reflect true literary authenticity.
Release date: September 14, 2024
Publisher: Les Lettres Mouchetées
Length: 198
Distribution: Pollen Diffusion (North), Legrandvidegrenier (Africa)
Link to Les Lettres Mouchetées: here
Published by RT