"Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest" by William H. Hudson is a beautifully written and captivating novel that transports readers to the lush landscapes of the Amazon rainforest. The story follows the protagonist, Abel, as he navigates the jungle and encounters the enigmatic Rima, a wild and mysterious girl who captures his heart.

Hudson's descriptive prose brings the tropical setting to life, painting a vivid picture of the exotic plants and animals that inhabit the forest. The relationship between Abel and Rima is tender and complex, exploring themes of love, nature, and the clash between civilization and the wild.

The novel is a compelling blend of romance, adventure, and philosophical musings, making it an engaging read for fans of classic literature. Hudson's exploration of the natural world and his lyrical writing style make "Green Mansions" a timeless and enchanting tale that will linger in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned.

Book Description:

“Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest” is a narration of his life story by Abel, a Venezuelan, to a comrade. Once a wealthy young man, he meddled in politics to the extent of provoking a revolution… which failed.

Escaping into the tropical forests of Guyana Abel takes up gold hunting, then journal-writing, and fails at both. Now with no aim for his life, he drifts until he takes up residence with a remote Indian tribe. Soon he learns of a wood the Indians avoid, as it is inhabited by a dangerous Daughter of the Didi, who, they say, slew one of them with magic. The fellow was in fact hit with a poisoned dart by accident, but his dying belief that she had caught the dart and hurled it at him survived him.

Intrigued, Abel visits the wood repeatedly, and eventually encounters Rima. She indeed is something magical. She seems to have a pact with nature: animals don’t molest her, she speaks in a melodious birdsong (as well as Spanish), and she even makes her garments of spider silk. When Abel is bitten by a venomous snake that acts protective of her, she and her “grandfather” Nuflo nurse Abel back to health.

Both Abel and Rima are wonderments to each other, someone unlike any other person they have ever encountered. They fall in love, a love that is stymied by Rima’s inability to understand the feelings Abel creates in her. On a long trek to discover Rima’s origins, they find that her unique people no longer exist, but they finally confront the magnetism that is drawing them together. Finally they find joy, and make plans… until Rima is murdered by the Indians.

And then it is time for vengeance!