Own Side Now

"The heroine in “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” is a remarkably active character who takes up a quest with no guide, no resources, and little hope. No wonder it caught my attention as a six-year-old; no wonder it captures my attention and admiration now.

In that movie I saw a long time ago, the princess stumbles through the forest and the river and the rocks. When she meets her mother-in-law and her children, they feed and clothe her; they give her advice, and magic shoes. None of them acknowledges that in order to reach their camp at all, she'd climbed halfway up the mountain barefoot and alone.

They take it for granted she'd make it that far."

Genevieve Valentine

https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/will-seek-east-sun-west-moon/