[Review] Women who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés Ph.D

I first heard about this book through meditative teachers and yogi friends of mine who were eager to get their hands on this spiritual study of the archetypal woman. This book has welcomed me into a world of mythology, folk-tale and ancient story-telling through famous tales such as ‘Bluebeard’ and lesser known ales from ancient tribes across the globe.  Estés tells these tales of instinct, intuition and infallible femininity that capture the multifarious spirits residing in women. She embeds them within streams of hyperbolic analysis which serve to call upon the wild woman within us which has been oppressed and tamed by modern society.

This book fails to be a smooth, mellifluous read given the deeply spiritual terrain of the study and the analysis that flows throughout which can be largely off-putting. Her torrent of evaluations often offer a honeyed view of how a wild woman can thrive within the restrictions of modern society, and at times feel more sensuous than viable. For me, it poses as a theoretical text book of feminine power for those interested in the female psyche, feeling unfulfilled in a modern world of conformity.

I did relish having this book to pick up when I felt like reading something more spiritual and challenging given the well-researched content. I would recommend to dip in and out of this pool of spirituality when you feel the urge, otherwise you may be met with an inundation of insipid analysis!

Mia Karam

Mia is a Literature BA and Environmental Politics MA graduate. Born in Surrey, England to a British-Persian parentage, Mia is currently living in Hanoi working as an ESL teacher and has had experience in music journalism and book reviewing for online sites since first graduating University in 2016.

Blog: https://mia-karam.com 

Instagram: @littlepageofprose

Buy this book at: https://www.bookwormhanoi.com/women-who-run-with-the-wolves-1