298 Quotes by Helen Oyeyemi

I tend to prioritize emotional realism above the known laws of time and space, and when you do that, it's inevitable that strange things happen. Which can be quite enjoyable, I think.

I think I started writing about identity, and I used to believe that identity is the story. But now I'm not so much subscribed to that. I mean, with 'Mr. Fox,' it has a feminist agenda as well. And so, as I sort of been away from writing about identity, I still feel that kind of tug of roots and, you know, cultural background.

Fairy tales, because they have a very clear structure, are easier to interfere with. Also they have this really weird logic: the kind of logic that you only really experience when youre not feeling very well, or as a child.

I've always felt happy in my own company. It's only when I get around other people that things get sticky.

I do tend to feel more connected to dead writers, perhaps because they have finished their work.

I love character and voice, and my favourite books have been the ones in which I've become completely absorbed.

I love taking things out of context and playing with them and chopping up rules.

The way I live now is that I only write, which means that I'm very poor but very happy. Everything in my life is the way I want it to be.

I don't think anything can help me socially, to be honest: I have this terrible personality. I don't really know how to describe it... maybe I'll go with surly.