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There are currently 32 member reviews
for Meet Me at the Museum
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Charlene M. (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Meet Me at the Museum
Meet Me at the Museum is not your standard what I call the "can we become friends" book. A letter written, a letter answered, a friendship formed, two lives changed. All because a letter was received by somebody unexpected.
Anne Youngson brings her characters to life. I look forward to reading her future books.
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M K. (Minneapolis, MN)
Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
In 1950, an archeological find by a childhood friend's father finds a fully preserved man, approximately from 375 to 210 B.C, in a Danish peat bog and is given the name The Tollund Man. Now only his head remains.
Tina Hopgood and her childhood girlfriends were enthralled by the discovery, both from curiosity and the fact that the father of one of the girls made the discovery. And the girl's father, Professor Glob, dedicated the book in 1964 to the girls who were curious about archeological finds and had written letters to him. Because of this Tina had always felt emotionally linked to the Tollund Man.
Fifty years later, Tina Hopwood, never having visited Denmark, is still curious and writes Professor Glob. She finds her letter responded to by Kristian Larsen, now curator of the museum, after Professor Glob. And so begins a correspondence between them, initially about the Tollund Man and they continue their letter writing as each of them discovers the meaning to their own past and current histories and a sense, as they reveal themselves to each other, what they have missed in their lives.
The book is the back and forth letters between the farm wife Tina Hopgood and the widowed curator Kristian Larsen and as each of them unleashes themselves from all that has held them back, an emotional intimacy that has eluded them for many years begins. They begin to feel a deep kinship with each other, a love of sorts, more intimate than romantic. I found myself unable to put the book down, almost like a wonderfully woven mystery, wondering what revelations and what secrets would be unearthed in the next letter. Even more than these two characters and the reflection that they bring to each other, I found myself bringing that same reflection to my own life. I liked the book immensely and I know it will resonate with me for a long time.
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Maureen R. (Alamo, CA)
A Treasure of a Book
Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson is a treasure. As a voracious reader, many books pass through my hands. This book is a keeper, one I will have on my shelf and reread many times in my life. Go slowly with this book. Savor each page. Like a museum where each room and display holds a treasure, each page of this book inspires and links us to our humanity and oneness with time and place. At times, I was left breathless and was, throughout, captivated by Tina and Kristian. Like the Tullund Man, whose face holds a timeless tenderness, so, too, does this book. One of my favorite books of all time. Thank you, Anne Youngson!
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Sheryl M. (Marietta, GA)
Meet Me at the Museum
Meet Me at the Museum, an epistolary novel, is a small book that gave me great enjoyment. A chance letter of inquiry from a woman in England reaches a Danish museum curator. His reply launches a casual correspondence that grows into the fulfillment of deep and previously unrecognized needs of both participants.
The worlds of Tina and Kristian begin to expand, reawakening them to aspects of their lives and environments that both have abandoned. The casual correspondence becomes a need.
Though this is the story of two people who are past middle age, most readers will realize that Tina's and Kristian's concerns, interests, opinions and ideas have parallels in all our lives. A careful reading will provide gems of wisdom or at least stimulate thoughts and suggest new options, or renewals, in your life.
While love is not lost on the young, love between those with greater life experiences is delightfully multifaceted. Thank you to BookBrowse and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.
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Gail K. (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Meet Me at the Museum? Definitely!
Epistolary novels have always appealed to me, so I was predisposed to like this one from the start. I wasn't disappointed. The more I read the exchanges shared by Kristian, a Danish museum curator, and Tina, a farm housewife in East Anglia, the more I appreciated the special bond forming between them.
The story progresses fluidly, is, at times, intense and is even philosophical in parts. I read each letter eagerly and found myself fully invested in the characters.
I recommend Meet Me at the Museum to those who are willing to read at a leisurely and thoughtful pace in order to enjoy each letter. As I turned the last page, I found myself smiling gently, and I am still smiling. Read and enjoy.
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Deanna W. (Port Jefferson, NY)
Kindred Spirits
As I am in my 70s it is quite encouraging to discover a debut novel by a 70 year old author. I always enjoy epistolary novels and this is one of the best. I found it almost as absorbing and insightful as 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD.
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Caitlin B. (Saint Clair Shores, MI)
Meet Me at the Museum
A wonderfully written book that I did not want to put down. Anne Youngson did a beautiful job at developing and portraying the relationship between an English woman and a Danish curator all through a series of letters. The book touches on themes of love, loss, family, and life. Highly recommend as a quick, beautiful, and meaningful read.
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