When the Museum is Closed

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

A quirky, joyful queer love story about a lonely museum worker who falls in love with a statue of Venus, from the author of cult hit 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. A joyful queer love story, this fresh and original new novel confirms Emi Yagi as one of the most exciting Japanese writers published in English today.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9781787304642
Published: July 2025

Number of pages: 160
Width: 135 mm
Height: 215 mm
Depth: 13 mm

Publisher: Vintage Publishing