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Ripening

Why Women Need Fairy Tales Now

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Ripening

By: Sharon Blackie
Narrated by: Sharon Blackie
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$8.99/month after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offer ends on 29 July 2026 at 11:59 AEST.

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'Fairy tales matter because at the heart of every one of them is transformation.'

In a world in which all the old certainties seem to be crumbling, it's hard not to feel we have lost our way. In Ripening, Sharon Blackie insists that fairy tales are precisely the stories we need for such times.

Long before they became bywords for people-pleasing princesses, these old stories – passed down to us through generations by our peasant ancestors – told us everything that women need to learn about the world. They might be set in difficult and dangerous times, but they require their heroines to face the unfaceable and dig deep for previously unimagined inner resources. They teach us to be savvy, inspire us to grow in confidence, show us how to be bold and claim the future we dream of.

More than anything, fairy tales are soul-food. They show us how to take hold of our own personal narratives and transform them into stories that might begin with trauma, but end with empowerment. They offer us images of startling resonance and beauty, whilst showing us how to recognise and make use of the possibilities that rise to the surface when broken systems are cracked open.

©2026 Sharon Blackie (P)2026 Duckworth Books Gender Studies Personal Development Personal Success Self-Esteem Social Sciences Women Fiction Fantasy Magic
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As with all Sharon's work this book was thought provoking, empathetic, compassionate, challenging and above all gave some guiding light to the path of one's future. I also appreciate the small, fine threads of her previous works woven into this book. Well worth reading.

A Wonderful Read.

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I have swallowed this book in just over 1 day. It is fantastic! I loved every minute of it and have just purchased all of the other books written by Sharon. This was my first introduction to the author.

What I really appreciate about this book is that it really dives deep and explores very different angles of how we could interpret the fairytales of our childhood. And I love how it is not “all bad” because some of those stories are very insightful and uplifting actually.

I also loved the narrative which takes you through the journey of growing up and maturing for a woman and linking it to a range of stories and heroins we can relate too. Very nicely done!

The narrative is very logical, very smooth, creative, and I also appreciate the inquisitive questions the author asks us throughout, intertwining with psychology and philosophy in some parts, asking us a question which we then reflect on and come up with an answer. The helpful tools are also great. I have quite literally got myself a notepad and started coming up with my own life story as a fairytale. This is a very inspiring, interesting and reflective book. I resonated with it very much, and I loved it! :)

Phenomenal! I absolutely loved the storytelling.

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