In Ripening Dr Sharon Blackie starts from the beginning, and writes about a woman’s journey to midlife using European fairy tales as inspiration. Ripening is a book about thriving in the first half of life. It’s a book about taking back our stories, and navigating a hazardous world with confidence, strength, resourcefulness – and maybe even a little panache. From her perspective as a psychologist and folklorist, Blackie argues that fairy tales present us with characters and images that inspire us, capture our hearts, and help us to imagine how much-needed change might be possible. They can shine a light on our traumas, but they can also shine a light on our natural transitions – on all the stages of an ever-metamorphosing life.

This book is the culmination of decades of research uncovering the cultural meaning of fairy tales and the reasons for their deep psychological resonance.