Reviews - What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours

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1.08k reviews for:

What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours

Helen Oyeyemi

3.76 AVERAGE

charlesalexander's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

this book gave me goosebumps!!! I’ve never read anything like it. it was this nightmarish fever dream that I couldn’t stop reading. there was something sinister about it all. It was great :)
I tried explaining it to my friend but I ended up getting hysterical.
there ARE a lot of names to remember.

mmg2705's review against another edition

4.0

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

kyzclaw's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

blaze_o_glory's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

It could have been me, but I felt that most of the stories in What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours lacked focus. The only story I enjoyed was Presence and it was incredible.

jcoker10's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed the stories but I don’t think I am smart enough to fully understand them

cebolla's review against another edition

2.5

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Many great philosophers have said that the only constant in life is suffering, and I believe this to be true. We're surrounded by death, poverty, pain, hatred, cops, and an uncountable amount of other bullshit. So, why then do I keep reading books of short stories? Maybe because if there's going to be suffering in my life it might as well be something I control. Maybe I'm just hopeful; I have read decent short stories in my life. Or maybe I secretly hate myself and don't think I deserve to be happy. Whatever the reason is, I'm committing to myself right now to go at least a year without reading another book of short stories.

I was intrigued by a lot of the reviews that called What is Not Yours is Not Yours confusing, because I think that most people aren't that bright, and what they considering confusing is actually interesting. I was right that the stories weren't confusing (the only things I;m confused about is why they were published and how they ended up on my book shelf) but I was dead wrong about the interesting part. A lot of them just felt like a waste of time and some started off boring, began to have some flavor, and then abruptly ended. I can't think of a single one of the nine stories that I would recommend. The writing was fine, the characters had some redeeming qualities, but the stories were just meh.

Who knows though; I'm not someone who's opinions are widely respected, and a lot of those who's opinions are (NPR, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post to name a few) thought this book was pretty good. If you buy it and don't like it, don't blame me. But if you don't buy it and would have liked it, maybe that's my fault.