(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“…the normal state of lovers, of couples, is not together. Together is a transient state. The normal state of things is as much about ending and leaving as it is about beginning and staying. The normal state of love is living with the possibility that everything can, at a moment’s notice, come tumbling down.”
As I started reading The Museum of Lost Love, I immediately remembered the story my son told me upon returning from the Balkans a couple of years ago. He visited the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb which left a lasting impression on him. Keepsakes representing broken relationships along with a written explanation are donated from people around the world. Thinking of his experience, I had high expectations for this novel, and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, this book exceeded my expectations.
In this story, we follow three people. Katia is a therapist who was born in Brazil but adopted by white American parents when she was a week old. Goran, a PhD student and university instructor was a young teenager during the Bosnian war and fled with his mother to Chicago. The two become lovers and eventually travel back to Goran’s homeland where they discover The Museum of Lost Love. Goran finds a very personal exhibit that bring back memories of his past that he can’t ignore. This entices Katia to go back to Brazil, to visit the favela that her blood-relatives were from. With these discoveries they not only learn about their pasts, but a lot about themselves and new and old loves.
I did mention a third character, and that is Tyler, a patient of Katia’s who is an Afghanistan war veteran suffering from PTSD. He discovers he has a four-year-old son who was practically dropped on his doorstep.
The structure of this novel adds to the depth and enjoyment. We go back and forth with these three characters and in between we read diverse, often heart wrenching stories from the museum exhibits. There is a lot going on, but not too much for the story to become confusing or overwhelming. It’s complex but easy to follow.
The Museum of Lost Love brings together emotion and world culture in a mesmerizing story. It presents all-to-real situations that everyone will be able to relate to. Most of all, it reminds us how love and life can be complicated.
