Originally posted on Independent Book Review
Check out what Alexandria Ducksworth has to say about this Atmosphere Press spiritual fiction novel.
An enriching cup of tea for the soul
Andrew Housley’s Waiting Impatiently is a hero’s journey. But this time, our hero doesn’t battle dragons or go off on a quest to save a princess in a far distant land. This journey comes on a spiritual level; it’s one of self-transformation. People might not want to change, but life has a way of inspiring it.
The leading character in this spiritual journey is Ian, a yoga teacher. People will assume guys like Ian have it all figured out. They believe he lives in a lovely house and makes good money stretching all day in a yoga studio. In reality, it doesn’t work like that. To him, he isn’t living the good life.
Ian is suffering from a long overdue heartbreak he can’t let go of. He lives in a crummy area with a roommate who enjoys inviting women for his illicit affairs. Ian’s yoga students are not in yoga for the spiritual value. To them, it’s all about looking hot doing downward dog in the latest Lululemon attire.
But a pandemic soon changes the way Ian lives. He begins to wonder where his life is going. He becomes aware of his surroundings, his relationships, and his sense of self. Ian doesn’t like facing his past or anything associated with his deeper problems. Situations keep showing up, forcing Ian to face the music and transform his entire life.
Housley’s prose flows on the page like a gentle stream; invites you to get in touch with your own thoughts and feelings. Waiting Impatiently is thoughtful, raw, and downright engaging.
Housley makes you wonder about spirituality. Is it praying to God that’s spiritual, or is it meditating in front of a Buddha statue for three hours? It doesn’t seem like it’s about strutting around as a Lululemon model. Is it? This novel is an opportunity for readers to connect with their true selves, their spirit. And it doesn’t have to be tied to any religion.
At the beginning of Ian’s story, Ian is tied to Buddhism on a surface level. But he is barely in touch with his spirit. He has to reflect on his heavy-hearted past to become one with his spirit again.
The pandemic can be a difficult setting piece to pull off, but Waiting Impatiently does a wonderful and genuine job with it. This situation has brought out millions of mixed emotions: fear, anxiety, anger, and for some, slivers of peace. The virus has changed billions of lives. Who knows which journey Ian would be on if this didn’t come along?
The biggest lesson from Waiting Impatiently is that change is natural. People are a part of nature, and it changes in a blink of an eye. It grows, blooms, dies, and repeats the cycle all over again. Ian has to let go of what is no longer serving him to become a stronger, freer person during his emotional transformation.
Waiting Impatiently is a must-read for those who love to read spiritual books like Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. Andrew Housley’s words are mesmerizing in their quietness. I don’t want Ian’s story to stop as a reader, but I’m pleased he can get closer to peace, as we all can.
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