Anna Maria Ortese’s 1965 novel L’iguana (translated into English from the original Italian as The Iguana in 1987) tells the tale of Count Aleardo, a wealthy young Milanese aristocrat who arrives on a tiny island off the coast of Portugal named Ocaña. The island sole inhabitants are three impoverished Portuguese aristocrats and a much put-upon servant girl, Estrellita, who happens to be an iguana. Before long, in spite of their very different stations in life, Count Aleardo finds himself falling for the reptile’s innocent charms…