Meet Me at the Museum

Meet Me at the Museum
by Anne Youngson
New York : Flatiron Books, [2018]. 272 pages. Fiction

When the curator of a Danish museum responds to a query about ancient exhibits, he doesn’t expect a reply.

When Tina Hopgood first wrote it, nor did she …

Professor Anders Larsen, an urbane man of facts, has lost his wife, along with his hopes and dreams for the future. He does not know that a query from a Mrs Tina Hopgood about a world-famous antiquity in his museum is about to alter the course of his life.

As each letter is exchanged, the reader receives an increasingly intimate view of the budding relationship between two strangers who bond over loss and love. Intimacy, in this case, makes for a slow-paced read due to the focus on the subtle changes in growth between characters Anders and Tina. This is not a book that will launch the reader into page-turning insanity, but is instead the kind of book meant to provoke self-reflection with the revealing of each life-lesson. 
I selfishly wish the museum played a larger role in the book. The Tollund Man (Silkeborg Museum) provides the spark to Anders' and Tina's relationship, seemingly disappears after the first few letters, and plays a non-consequential role at the end. Even so, this book is a charming and gentle read that is sure the warm even the coldest of hearts. I also recommend listening to the audio book version, as it adds dimension to the characters of the book. 

NS