Book Description
A quirky, joyful, feel-good love story about a lonely museum worker who falls in love with a statue of Venus, from the author of international bestseller Diary of a Void
Rika Horauchi’s new part-time job is to converse with a statue of Venus—in Latin—every Monday, when the museum is closed.
Initially reluctant, Rika starts to enjoy her strange new job. Recommended by her old university professor for her exemplary language skills, Rika leads an otherwise unassuming life, working the rest of the week in a frozen-food warehouse. As Venus comes to life in the quiet of the museum, they talk about everything. Venus opens up new worlds for Rika, both intellectually and emotionally. They soon fall in love. But when the museum’s curator, Hashibami, makes it clear he wants to keep Venus for himself, what will Rika do?
When the Museum is Closed is by turns charming, funny and surprising, a surreal take on our most real emotions and concerns: love, loneliness, freedom, perceptions of beauty and how women are seen in society. This uncommonly original new novel confirms Emi Yagi as one of the most exciting Japanese writers published in English today.
Praise For This Book
Vulture, A Must-Read of the MonthThe Orange County Register, A Most Anticipated Book
Autostraddle, A Most Anticipated Queer Book of the Month
Literary Hub, A Most Anticipated Book of the Year
“[A] unique, witty novel about love and loneliness.” —People
"This novella is a tender, surrealistic, delightful masterpiece . . . Yagi’s storytelling style is perfect for fans of Lydia Millet and Ted Chiang . . . One to reread on the rainy days, the overwhelming days, or the lonely days." —Sophie Richmond, Yakima Herald-Republic
"[T]hickly complex . . . Ultimately, When the Museum Is Closed is both a love story and a tale about stepping into the unknown. It asks whether you would willingly throw yourself into an abyss for the one you love. The story questions how we relate to one another in contemporary society, where we are taught to make self-serving, safe choices." —Grace En-yi Ting, The Japan Times
"Yagi and her translator Yuki Tejima have a gift for finding beauty in the quotidian—a kind of ekphrasis of the everyday." —Rhoda Feng, ArtForum
"A fun and (metaphysical) sexy queer love story, Yagi’s latest tackles love, loneliness, and the role of women’s beauty in society." —Emily Firetog, Literary Hub
"When the Museum is Closed is a dreamlike take on desire, loneliness, and the transformative power of being perceived by others." —Linnea Gradin, Electric Literature
"As a slim novella, When the Museum Is Closed might seem initially spare but it's rife with insights on language, communication, love, identity, definitions of beauty, gender roles, and the possibility of true individual freedom." —Terry Hong, Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"This whimsical story is a winner." —Publishers Weekly
“[Its] gentle surrealism nevertheless exposes truths about loneliness, beauty, and queer love . . . Fans of Kevin Wilson’s Nothing to See Here will appreciate Yagi’s blend of dark humor and empathy for her characters, while the unconventional love story may appeal to fans of Sky Daddy, by Kate Folk or Blob, by Maggie Su.” —Booklist
"Yagi’s characters and the world they inhabit are as inimitably charming as they are whimsical. Through them, the author explores weightier themes like loneliness, love, sexuality, and the meaning of art with flair, zest, and a refreshing touch of the surreal. A magical love story couched in absurdist fabulism." —Kirkus Reviews
“After loving Diary of a Void and now When the Museum Is Closed, I can confidently say that I love the way author Emi Yagi’s brain works! Thank you Emi for writing these delightfully unhinged and charmingly unconventional stories.” —Christine Bollow, Loyalty Bookstores (Washington, DC)
