Stories from Merimee

by Prosper Mérimée

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Genres: France

Paperback

First published June 7, 1976

About the author

Prosper Mérimée was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. He is perhaps best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen.

Mérimée loved mysticism, history, and the unusual, and may have been influenced by Charles Nodier (though he did not appreciate his works), the historical fiction popularised by Sir Walter Scott and the cruelty and psychological drama of Aleksandr Pushkin. Many of his stories are mysteries set in foreign places, Spain and Russia being popular sources of inspiration.

In 1834, Mérimée was appointed to the post of inspector-general of historical monuments. He was a born archaeologist, combining linguistic faculty of a very unusual kind with accurate scholarship, with remarkable historical appreciation, and with a sincere love for the arts of design and construction, in the former of which he had some practical skill. In his official capacity he published numerous reports, some of which, with other similar pieces, have been republished in his works.
He was also responsible for several translations of Pushkin and Gogol, when they weren't known in Europe yet.

Reviews

[Winry Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've picked this collection because I felt the itch to re-read The Venus of Ille as it came up in a certain discussion of mine. And I've been amazed by how much I remember, since I've read it some 10+ years ago. The fact that I recalled a lot of details and that I already knew the solution did not lessened the impact this short story has on me. It's superbly crafted, a true 5 star material.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I've read Mateo Falcone already - perhaps? This one is... intense. It's very short, and I quite like that Mérimée, as an author, does not judge or attempts to excuse the actions of his characters, however appalling they might seem. I'd say 3 stars.

The taking of the redoubt reads like a true military story. That is to say, like a story told by someone who served in army. It doesn't exactly overflow with details, but it rings true. Again, 3 stars.

Big surprise for me was Carmen, which I did not know at first is that Carmen, the inspiration behind the famous opera of Georges Bizet. I'm fond of this old-school type of winding storytelling, the story within a story framing, and the slow way the narrative unravels. 4 stars from me.

[Jeff Hobbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mateo Falcone --3
The taking of the redoubt (aka How the redoubt was taken)--2
Tamango --3
A game of backgammon --2
The Etruscan vase --2
The Venus of Ille --3
***
Federigo --3
The blue chamber (aka The blue room)--3
The pearl of Toledo --2