Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read. This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter. - Reading time of the complete text: about 5 hours - Reading time of the summarized text: 16 minutes "Colomba" is a novella by Prosper Mérimée that was first published in 1840 in the Revue des Deux Mondes and later as a single volume in 1841. The story is set in Marseilles and Corsica in the early 19th century and explores the theme of the Corsican vendetta. The protagonist, Orso, is faced with the decision of whether to avenge his father's death, which he believes was caused by the Barricini family. His sister, Colomba, uses her cunning to ensure that he does. An Englishwoman named Lydia Nevil tries to dissuade Orso from committing murder. Other characters include Brandolaccio "Brando" Savelli, a friendly Corsican outlaw, and Giudice Barricini, the head of the Barricini family. The novella also features Brusco, Brando's dog, and le Curé, a former theology student turned outlaw.