In this magical novel a Milanese count stumbles upon a desolate community of lost noblemen on an uncharted island off the coast of Portugal. When he discovers, to his utter amazement, that their ill-treated servant is in fact a maiden iguana, and then proceeds to fall in love with her, the story of Aleardo, Estralitta and don Ilario becomes universal -- the fantastic merges with the commonplace until a resonant reality emerges with subtle distillation. From first page to last, the reader is given a tale of tragic love and delusion that ranks among the most affecting in contemporary literature. The Iguana has the force of "The Tempest," and is written with a grace comparable in every way to the works of Izak Dinesen and Djuna Barnes. Little wonder, then, that this novel was called by the noted critic Pietro Citati, "one of the very few books destined to redeem the honor of Italian literature since the Second World War." First published in Italian in 1965, where it was awarded the Fiuggi Prize, this masterpiece is by one of the original Italian "magic realists."
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A voyaging count stumbles on a tiny, uncharted island off Portugal. Taken in by the ruling family, he is offended by the cruel treatment of a servant who at first appears to be an old woman but is actually a young iguana. PW called this dazzling work by a much acclaimed Italian writer "a complex fabrication."
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
When young Count Aleardo di Grees sails from Milan, he chances upon an uncharted island off the coast of Portugal. The island is Ocana, said to belong to the devil. Intrigued, the Count drops anchor and is welcomed by the young Portuguese marquis who lives there. That evening, dinner is served by the family's servant, Estrellita, a "shrunken old woman" who is actually an iguana dressed in women's clothes, her snout hidden by a dark cloth hanging from her head. The Count is fascinated by this creature, and his fascination becomes pity, obsession, even desire. Is Estrellita indeed the embodiment of evil, as the marquis seems to believe, or is she simply an innocent beast most cruelly maligned? This strange and lyric novel, first published in Italy in 1965 and winner of the prestigious Fiuggi Prize when issued there in paperback last year, has been beautifully translated. Highly recommended. Marcia G. Fuchs, Guilford Free Lib., Ct.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
When you need something cerebral,
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This review is from: The Iguana (Paperback)
The Iguana is not easy bedside reading, to be sure. I picked this up not knowing what it was and was immediately hooked. It took me longer to figure out what I was reading and I'm not sure I understand it all yet, but it made me think. The characters are surely unique. Syntax can bog you down, but I think it's worth the work. I'm eager to read her newest...
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