LA VITA DELLA FORESTA | 1987 | W. H. HUDSON | EUGENIO MONTALE

Green Mansions by W. H. Hudson is a lyrical, romantic novel set in a lush tropical forest. The story follows Abel, a young Venezuelan man fleeing political turmoil, who encounters Rima, a mysterious forest girl believed by locals to be a spirit. Rima lives in perfect harmony with the natural world, attended by the forest’s animals and flora, and Abel becomes entranced by her ethereal presence. Through his journey into the forest, themes of nature vs civilization, innocence, superstition, love, and destruction emerge. Hudson’s prose richly describes the forest’s life — its sounds, colors, and subtle motions — creating an immersive sense of place. The Italian version translated by Eugenio Montale, posthumously published, brings a poetic sensitivity, emphasizing the novel’s atmosphere and giving voice to its ecological and romantic dimensions.