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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked up Inferno mainly for Katabasis prep (iykyk), but I ended up having way more fun with it than I expected. The format of this edition was really well done for a newbie: each canto starts with a short summary kind of like a primer to set the scene, then the translated stanzas, and finally the footnotes. The structure really helped me know where I was and what to look out for.
The translation itself was also fun to read. I like to read poetry aloud, and this one had such a great rhythm and rhymes. The footnotes were PACKED with context, and it felt like I was getting not just the text but also a mini crash course in Dante. Ciardi’s notes ranged from historical background to his thoughts on Dante’s tone/writing style, plus explanations of why he chose certain phrasing.
Also, not gonna lie, Dante’s punishments are supposed to be horrifying, but from a modern reader’s perspective, they’re kind of hilarious. It’s gruesome, but also cheeky in the way he chose everyone’s punishments. The edition I had also included illustrations which helped picture the underworld.
Finally, as a Greek mythology fan, I loved all the crossovers when familiar characters popped up. Honestly, now I kind of want to keep going and read Purgatorio and Paradiso too…
The translation itself was also fun to read. I like to read poetry aloud, and this one had such a great rhythm and rhymes. The footnotes were PACKED with context, and it felt like I was getting not just the text but also a mini crash course in Dante. Ciardi’s notes ranged from historical background to his thoughts on Dante’s tone/writing style, plus explanations of why he chose certain phrasing.
Also, not gonna lie, Dante’s punishments are supposed to be horrifying, but from a modern reader’s perspective, they’re kind of hilarious. It’s gruesome, but also cheeky in the way he chose everyone’s punishments. The edition I had also included illustrations which helped picture the underworld.
Finally, as a Greek mythology fan, I loved all the crossovers when familiar characters popped up. Honestly, now I kind of want to keep going and read Purgatorio and Paradiso too…
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
J'ai lu ce livre deux fois, et les deux fois étaient dans le cadre de cours. Je me suis traînée au travers des cercles de l'enfer avec bien moins de détermination que Dante.
i got lazy ngl ill try it again another time
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Achei uma leitura bem interessante, toda a construção que Dante fez do inferno, a jornada passando pelos círculos e expondo os pecados e toda a crítica política, o ápice é ele colocando os desafetos no inferno.
Curioso pra ver o que vai ser desenvolvido no purgatório e no paraíso...
Curioso pra ver o que vai ser desenvolvido no purgatório e no paraíso...
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*4.5/5 stars*
It's the first Classic that I read and truly enjoy, yeeeey! I'm excited to read the rest now :D
It's the first Classic that I read and truly enjoy, yeeeey! I'm excited to read the rest now :D
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't feel comfortable rating this, mainly because I know that this book goes over my head. Yes I understood the plot, but this isn't something I typically read. There are gaps in my knowledge in the Bible, Christian theology, Greek epic poems, Greek Mythology, Medieval Italy, and Roman history, and that impacts how I read the book. Many times the footnotes did not help 😭
I'm glad to to have read it. It's good to read challenging work. Plus I always wanted to read Dante's self insert Bible fic. I look forward to read the rest of the Divine Comedy and I will read Inferno again, but with a dictionary and a notebook next to me next time.
I'm glad to to have read it. It's good to read challenging work. Plus I always wanted to read Dante's self insert Bible fic. I look forward to read the rest of the Divine Comedy and I will read Inferno again, but with a dictionary and a notebook next to me next time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes