I didn't know this book was going to be published this soon. I had it down as an August release for some reason.
Anyhow, better late than never. The author basically lays out a treatise for a life of enchantment as opposed to life within the matrix. I didn't pick up on actual practical advice for how you can jump ship and center yourself in an enchantment mindset, but her vivid descriptions make you want to. There is a lot here to chew on, and I highlighted the heck out of my digital review copy. This is worth a read.
Verdict- borrow
Please note that I received a free advance E ARC of this book from NetGalley without a review requirement or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and House of Anansi for the advanced copy of this book - all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Enchanted Life is an incredible deep dive into a conversation about living a life of satisfaction vs. living a life of disenchantment. Sharon Blackie has done some considerable work to present her thoughts on how we, as a society, can get back to living an authentic and more satisfying life.

Full disclosure - this book is heavy - I would not suggest in any way that this is a light or easy read. There is terrific information, terrific suggestions and terrific advice in this book, but you need to be prepared to delve into a fairly solid mass of science, philosophy and debate to get at it. Sharon is, as she would call it, a reformed academic, and that is clearly reflected in her writing style.

That being said - I genuinely enjoyed the storytelling she sprinkles throughout the book. The stories in turn have led me to other authors and philosophers that I wouldn't have otherwise stumbled upon, and I now have a list of additional reading that I am excited to jump into.

This won't be a book for everyone, but for those readers who love science and philosophical based works, this is a terrific perspective to indulge in.

I loved the blurb for this book. However, upon reading it I was disappointed. It did give god tips, but they were lost in the writing.

I would like to thank netgalley and publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

The Enchanted Life
unlocking the magic
of the everyday
By Sharon Blackie
On Sale February 27, 2018

The title caught my attention and I knew I had to read this book. I am on a quest to celebrate the art of ordinary moments. I believe in my soul that there is magic in the everyday, if we only take the time to see it. And, those thoughts are what Sharon Blackie illustrates beautifully in her newest book. Reflecting back, I almost do not know where to start because she covered so much in the pages of this book. She opens the book with the story of two women walking in the woods, one distracted by modern technologies and business, and one fully present. This illustration captured my attention immediately. Blackie defines enchantment as to fully participate in the world, to be open both to its transparency and its mystery. She discussed our path to disenchantment from childhood to adulthood. As children we are open to wonder and discovery, but to be considered fully adult and to be accepted as such we must fit within cultural norms which do not include enchantment. I love the way children play, with creativity and awe. The books that are written for children that allow them to escape in to worlds of wonder. The way they are enamored with chasing after a mystery that sparks their curiosity. Why are play, discovery, and fairy tales only for children? Blackie encourages the reader to get lost in a story of fantasy and delight. She argues that, “if we can create a shift in the fundamental ways in which we see and approach the world, so that we come to feel again that sense of wonder, awe and belonging that we felt when we were children, then we will dramatically enhance the quality of our own lives and increase our sense of wellbeing.” She travels from there, to our place in the living world. She says that, “because enchantment, by my definition, has nothing to do with fantasy, or escapism, or magical thinking: it is founded on a vivid sense of belongingness to a rich and many-layered world; a profound and whole-hearted participation in the adventure of life.” It’s about being fully engaged in a place, in a community. She encourages us to slow down and truly find our place in our home, in the ecology of place. I loved the way she discussed belonging as it relates to our sense of connectedness to the ecology of our place, to how well we really know our surroundings. She believes that our disconnection from nature plays in to our increased levels of anxiety and depression. In fact, she lists as one of the four major components of enchantment to be, “a sense of fully participating in a living world-a feeling of belonging rather than separation.”
This beautiful book is full of highlights, and is one I will not only continue to reflect upon, but go back to often. There are beautiful prompts and questions throughout the book to help readers re connect to their sense of wonder and enchantment. I highly recommend this read, as someone who values play and is on a quest for beauty-this book truly spoke to my heart. I want to reconnect with my childhood sense of awe and magic. I will continue to build blanket forts, I will spend more time getting to know-really know the ecology of my home, and I will curl up with a fairy tale tonight.

This book is an argument for adding more curiosity, focus and leaps of faith to life. The author has some lively and poignant nuggets. However, the style of the writing changes from poetic prose to clinical analysis and back again. Ancient Greek philosophers, modern sociological studies, organizations that promote wonder and personal anecdotes are thrown in in a great mush mash of information and argument. There are a few self-help techniques as well as some bullet point lists of questions. All in all, this strange mix of writing was just disjointed.