What readers think of Meet Me at the Museum, plus links to write your own review.

Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson is unusual in that the entire story unfolds through correspondence between two people who have never seen each other, one in England and one in Denmark. I thought the premise of starting this correspondence because of a prehistoric man, 2,000 years old, was odd. I really never understood the significance of the Tollund Man to the story, except it got things going and it was something that had made Tina feel special because the archeologist who discovered the man dedicated his book to her and her classmates. The author had a personal connection to the find and so it must be her inspiration for creating this two people. I found the book thought provoking as these two unlike individuals, Kristian and Tina, became best of friends. Both of them were at a time in life when both have less time ahead then they have behind them. Both are questioning if they have made the correct choices in their lives. A reader of a certain age may find they also may have these same questions about their own life. As Tina and Kristian share their lives, their observations, and their hopes for their futures, they help each other make things clearer. The reader may also find some live questions become clearer. The writers are working through sadness, regret, but the message is a hopeful one. Should a person stop to pick the raspberries along the way? Should one look for new ones to pick? Does age matter when changing direction in a person's life? The characters are likable, believable, and the reader will cheer them on. I enjoyed the book.

Enjoyed this book immensely. Living in 2 different countries, an older couple write to each other about a common interest. They share their past and current lives. The beauty of this book is its elegant simplicity.

With thanks to BookBrowse for the chance to review Meet Me at the Museum. The photo of the author, Anne Youngson ,is close to the image I had of her main character Tina Hopgood. Both are grandmothers living on farms in England but I hope that the author has a happier marriage and enjoys her life choices more!

Tina's marriage has been more duty than love and when she begins an unexpected correspondence with a Danish Museum director everything begins to change. The book is written in the form of the letters that they exchange...opening themselves to a new friendship and understanding.

It is a charming story celebrating second chances. Not sure if my book club would find it to their liking but it would open a lively discussion to their own dreams and realities.

Having reached the age the author refers to as being "more behind us than ahead of us", I have a policy of giving a book a short period of time to engage me. If it fails to, I put it aside, however as I had a review to write, that was not possible. While the book was a slow starter, I soon found myself looking forward to each letter as much as Tina and Kristian. Their long distance relationship provide much food for thought and I enjoyed the book

This tale is told by letter writing over a 15 month period between an English woman who is married and not happy in the marriage and a Danish widower, both in the autumn of their lives. Both are lonely and looking for something more in life.. The letter writing makes them see things a bit clearer about their past lives and what will be next. I particularly like this quote, "Whenever I pick raspberries, I go as carefully down the row, looking for every ripe fruit. But however careful I am, when I turn around to go back the other way, I find fruit I have not seen. Another life, I thought, might be a second pass down the row of raspberry canes." It is refreshing to read a novel about older adults that have been down the road of life. This be a great book club selection

I had the privilege to read Meet me at the Museum. I really did enjoy this book. At first when I started reading it, I must admit I was a little bored with it. I didn't really understand where the writer was going with this story, but as I continued to read it I grew to love it even more. The way the story started with a letter to a professor regarding the exhibit of the Tollund Man. I have never heard of this before, but I was very intrigued to learn more about him. I feel like this book would appeal to anyone who loves history, museums, or someone who loves books in general. This book has something for everyone I feel. I haven't read anything like this book before.

I have to say, if I hadn't agreed to review this book, I wouldn't have read beyond 20 pages. Though the epistolary style is not my favorite, I have enjoyed other books written this way.

Waiting at the Museum has as it's premise a backstory that just barely serves to give the characters reasons to begin writing to each other, though it is loneliness that keeps the correspondence going. Unfortunately, the author continues with this story(discovery of the Tollund Man) though it does nothing for the plot.

The book gets better as the letters get more personal and we begin to see the characters more fully. There is the occasional profound observation or compelling question. Also, a telling of the Ragman story serves as an allegory for the book - the characters are sharing pieces of each other which fill a need in each.

Eventually the letters begin to sound more and more like love letters, though towards the end the male writer pre-emptively denies such love. the end came across as a bit flat, which disappointed me, as a good ending will often change my opinion of an entire book.

Meet Me at the Museum is an enjoyable exchange of letters between two middle-aged people who start out as strangers and gradually progress into a powerful friendship. At times, the story is very informative about primitive peoples and their culture. At other times, quite relevant and current. Although there is not much movement in the story, I very much enjoyed getting to know the characters and their vastly different lives.
I love the format of the writing - the exchange of letters has had me since reading Jane Austen and Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. As this is Anne Youngson's debut novel, I trust that the next will be that much more engaging - Meet Me at the Museum was certainly gaining its stride by the conclusion.
I do have to say that I adored the conclusion. I love it when an author provides enough to allow me to continue to consider the possibilities, but not so much as to tie it all up in a tidy bow.