“WILD FREEDOM is much more than a simple story. . . the essays are really the heart of the book”
“WILD FREEDOM begins as a fairy tale about a young princess searching for her true name, but it's much more than a simple story.
The first half of the book is the fairy tale itself, exploring the power of imagination, creativity, and finding your authentic self. The second half shifts into a series of reflections on the story, with interpretive essays by Jungian analysts, before ending with a final reflection from Kushner.
This is not for those expecting just a fairy tale. While you can certainly close the book once the story is over, the essays are really the heart of the book, tying the fairy tale back to Jungian psychology and the idea of individuation, the lifelong process of becoming your authentic self. I knew very little about Jungian psychology going into this book (other than what I learned while reading it), but I found the latter half surprisingly interesting. It was fascinating to see how each contributor pulled something different from the same story, connecting it not only to Jungian thought but to other psychological perspectives as well.
Definitely a niche read, but if you enjoy fairy tales with deeper psychological themes and don't mind a more scholarly second half, it's well worth picking up.”
—Ashley L, Reader
