NAHUI
(P. Cacucci, 2005, 2006)
Maria Teresa De Donato’s Opinion
The story of
Carmen Mondragón (1893-1978), also known as Nahui Olin, painter, poet, and
artists' muse, considered "the most beautiful woman in Mexico City"
is described in this compelling novel by Pino Cacucci.
Nahui is a
cultured, intelligent, refined, beautiful, and equally seductive woman who
frequents the most sought-after and prominent environments of the time,
including cultural salons and studios of the most significant artists of her
time by whom she is admired, courted, and even loved. Intense passions and
poignant loves are experienced with absolute spontaneity and authenticity,
without taboos, shame, or false modesty.
It is a novel that
I found particularly fascinating. It is rich in history, and its protagonist,
leading the reader into her own world, reveals herself to him completely. She
shares her rich and tumultuous past and offers him, at the same time, the
opportunity to reflect on fundamental themes of human existence.
The reader will be
enraptured by the charm of the character and of the era, as well as by the
incredible intelligence of this woman who, despite having been condemned to an
old age of hardship and the fading of her beauty, maintains the awareness of
her own value, identity, and dignity intact until the end of her life.
Nahui is,
therefore, not only a fascinating journey into the life of its protagonist but
also an immersion in an era endowed with particular charm and a culture that,
unfortunately, seems to have been lost and that absolutely must be recovered.
This article was also
published at the following link: Nahui.