Venus of Ille

“The Venus of Ille” (“La Vénus d'Ille“) is a novella by Prosper Mérimée that intertwines rational and irrational elements, creating an unsettling narrative where strange events disturb both the characters and the reader. The story unfolds in the small town of Ille (inspired by a real commune in France called Ille-sur-Têt) and revolves around the discovery of a mysterious statue of Venus and the subsequent eerie events that follow.