Lovers at the Museum (by Isabel Allende)
I acquired Isabel Allende’s short story “Lovers at the Museum” through Amazon First Reads, a feature included with our Amazon Prime Membership. The story unfolds in the locked fortress of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum after hours, where runaway bride Bibiña Aranda awakens in her wedding dress, entwined with the enigmatic Indra Zubieta—a stranger whose arms feel like destiny. The couple recounts their whirlwind night of love-at-first-sight and dreamlike wanderings through enchanted exhibits to a skeptical Detective Larramendi.
While “Lovers at the Museum” was just okay for me, I struggled to connect with the story and found the writing unimpressive. It’s not uncommon for short stories to fall flat for me, but this one nearly caused me to give up. I only finished it because it was so brief. The couple who fell in love at first sight were endearing yet a bit strange, while the detective was completely unlikable. His gruff personality seemed over the top.
This is the second book of Allende’s that I’ve read, the first being “Ripper.” I’ve learned that Allende’s writing simply isn’t for me. Despite my desire to enjoy her books, I didn’t find either of these stories compelling enough to continue reading her works. Over the years, I’ve added her books to my wish lists but have been cautious due to my negative experience with “Ripper.”
I’m glad other readers enjoy her books and that she’s an accomplished author with numerous accolades. I’m content with crossing her off my list of authors to read. My TBR is already overwhelming, so having one less author to juggle provides me with some relief.
My talented artist husband created the partially pictured painting titled ‘What You Are Is Beautiful.’ You can visit his website, lostthepath, to view the painting in its entirety. Additionally, you’re welcome to explore his other works, which include paintings, watercolors, drawings, and photography, on the website.
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