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This is so boring man like granted I am speed reading for class but I loved the Lais. This is just kinda ass and nothing happens
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…
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
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cathedrals's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 18%

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...

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
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. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
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