A review by for_esme_with_love
What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

challenging funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Magical realism as a genre can be a bit of an acquired taste. It takes a lot of trust to allow an author to take you by the hand and drop you in a setting where strange and inexplicable things happen without the rules of a magical system, or indeed any rhyme or reason. Helen Oyeyemi is absolutely deserving of this trust. “What is Not Yours is Not Yours” is a wonderful collection of fairy tale-like stories loosely tied together with the motif of locks and keys which pop up in each story to raise the question, to whom does anything truly belong? This collection is surprising and delightful in bounds - HIGHLY recommend to add some much needed playfulness into your year. 
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