ATHEISTS WHO KNEEL AND PRAY

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray
by Tarryn Fisher
Self-published | July 13, 2017

     Yara Phillips is a wandering muse.
     She dates men who need her, but always moves on to something new, never staying in one place for very long.
     David Lisey is in need of a muse.
     A talented musician lacking lyrical inspiration. When he first sees her, he knows he's found what he's been looking for.
     Yara believes she can give David exactly what he needs to reach his full potential: A broken heart.
     David’s religion is love.
     Yara’s religion is heartache.
     Neither is willing to surrender, but religion always requires sacrifice.

Possible minor spoilers?

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray is an avalanche that wreaks havoc at great speeds, and makes me speak in metaphors, gross. The story begins with an intense pining that overwhelms you. A "love story" built on insta-love develops, then heartbreak, and finally making up because this is Romantic Fiction after all! As Amanda Liston mentions on Goodreads, this novel is written in the Manic Pixie Dream Girl point of view. 

Yara wallows in doubt, and it's unappealing. Wow, judgemental much? Yeah, like calling another person a whore repeatedly isn't judgemental and rude. Well, that woman was "coming for her mans," while they were in a relationship... She's wrong for pursuing the man, but is it necessary to constantly berate her (calling her a slut, whore, etc.), and have her control your life? Are you going to blame her for everything because you're insecure? It angered me, though they're all at fault-Yara, David, Petra, and Ferdinand. 

Tarryn Fisher's novels always make me pull my hair, but I come back for more. She writes about twisted, self-loathing, depraved individuals. She writes about traits we want to ignore, and I enjoy her darkness. However, this novel lacked "depth." It tried to be edgy, and it was insincere. Hipster bars, trying hard to be "punk-rock," being unable to understand oneself, and running away from problems. The main character is also ingenuine and selfish. I'm accustomed to Tarryn's beautiful, tortured metaphorical writing style, but it's not as omnipresent in this novel. The writing is different, it has more sex, and one-liners. This novel's storytelling failed to leave the same impact as Mud Vein. 

I got through this book quickly because it was mostly dialogue. I've seen many reviewers state how there was excessive psychoanalyzing, which I agree with. It's somewhat pretentious and forced. I thought the psychoanalyzing stripped the characters' ability to experience and feel fully. I love logic, but love should not be logic-based. It's a FEELING, so put some feeling into it! I just puked a little... I also agree that the second half of the "novel" is better than the first. One final complaint, what was that conversation at the market? It's confusing and needs to be omitted.