Lovers at the Museum - Allende
4 stars

An early morning cleaner at the Bilbao Guggenheim museum sees what she initially thinks is an art installation of a naked man and a woman in a torn and dirty bridal gown. When the ‘installation’ wakes up as she mops around it, the police are called to arrest the intruders.

But, how did they manage to be in the museum all night? How is it that they are not seen on any of the security cameras? If the girl is a bride, how is it that the young man is not her groom? Exactly what crime have they committed?

Poor Inspector Larramendi. How does a serious police inspector write a report for a crime of passion?

This was a perfect short story. I loved the humor and the magical mystery of it. I’m familiar with Gehry’s design of the Disney Hall in Los Angeles. This story had me searching for pictures of the Bilbao museum. I can easily believe it as a setting for the weird and wonderful. Allende gave it just the right touch of magical realism with this story. ( )

Got 10 minutes? Read this. It’s just so sweet. Keeps you wondering right to the last word. But then, it is Allende, so what would one expect? ( )

Isabel Allende - I’ve been in love with her work since I first encountered her “House of Spirits” decades ago. I still feel its echoes in my soul.

At a mere 5414 words, this is the shortest story of hers I’ve read but it is quintessential Allende: Charming, magical, life-affirming, and just plain fun!

Go on and read it - if you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you get it for free. Everyone else gets it for a fair EUR 1,99.

Five stars out of five.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam ( )

Allende is a good writer, but given her fame I did expect more from this short story which is slightly forgettable

Funny though ( )

Lovers at the Museum is a very short story beautifully written by Isabel Allende. Two people, a woman in a wedding gown and a naked man are found asleep on the floor of Guggenheim Museum in Balboa Spain shortly before the morning opening. Now, a no-nonsense, blustery detective must find out how they got into the locked museum or spent the night without showing up on any of the numerous security cameras.

This is a story of love, or perhaps, lust at first sight imbued with a touch of magical realism, whimsy, and humour. The detective’s brash and somewhat frustrated talk provides a fitting contrast with the lyrical prose of the lovers’ speech. The story provides a satisfactory and happy ending for everyone including the detective..

I received a copy of this story from Netgalley and Amazon Short Stories in exchange for an honest review ( )