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bookishlysophie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An absolute classic. I really found the translator’s notes helpful in understanding what is otherwise a very tricky book to read. The depictions of the sins are so vivid and the punishments reflect the sins themselves but the historical nature of the book just adds another layer. I’d highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Excrement
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Suicide and War
wanderingdeviant's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
this poem is essentially dante attacking the catholic church (which is so iconic, good for him!!) for the hypocrisy of its leaders. it gets tedious and exhaustive in parts, i think, but the imagery is really interesting and impressive. i liked how dante emphasised his sympathy for certain sinners, like francesca and paolo, and made an effort to understand the tragedies of their lives- especially the people who ended up in limbo for the awful, evil, treacherous crime of being born before christianity was invented :/. ”suppose the sovereign of the universe were still our friend, we'd pray he grant you peace.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore
megb64's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Grief, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Islamophobia
raru's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Torture
issyd23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The OG bible fanfic full of Dante’s fanboying and self-inserts 4⭐️
Also the translator Mark Musa did a great job keeping the tone and plot in this version 5⭐️ for the translator!
Also the translator Mark Musa did a great job keeping the tone and plot in this version 5⭐️ for the translator!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Death, Antisemitism, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Gore, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Torture, Suicide, and Excrement
lin3han's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I see a lot of comments talking about Dante roasting most of Florence. Just wanted to add that he’s doing so because he was exiled and this was a method of revenge and slander. It’s supposed to be tongue in cheek which Pinsky translated beautifully!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Child death, Murder, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Excrement, Sexual assault, Abortion, Body horror, Cannibalism, Addiction, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
hellssecretary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
reading this as translated version and i cant help but wonder how actually it is in the original italian version
dante's writing style factually fractures between giving too long not-so-important explantations and comparisons that can piss you off as you read it, and then not explaining important points and people even a bit, as if he thinks everyone already knows all of the secrets of every rich/important italian men had. jesus.
constant mentions of roman gods and legends and talks about them sometimes got me fully overthinking this entire book, mainly because while being based around God it casual mentions pagan gods, like this was all some multiverse and both God and those gods parallely had contolled the earth. like?! basis of the book is God, but yet all those roman god are mentioned, and aint the point of christianity - one god and no others?🤨
i aint christian enough to waste my sleep over it but damn that confused me
there many things that made no sense and were just outright weird and uncalled for and there were so many that i thought would be more complicated and explained better but were fully watered down, either by poem's boring style or translation (probably both)
would i have picked it up if it weren't for writing exam im having in three hours? probs no.
right now it seems really overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time.
i did like it more than most of books i read for school tho
dante's writing style factually fractures between giving too long not-so-important explantations and comparisons that can piss you off as you read it, and then not explaining important points and people even a bit, as if he thinks everyone already knows all of the secrets of every rich/important italian men had. jesus.
constant mentions of roman gods and legends and talks about them sometimes got me fully overthinking this entire book, mainly because while being based around God it casual mentions pagan gods, like this was all some multiverse and both God and those gods parallely had contolled the earth. like?! basis of the book is God, but yet all those roman god are mentioned, and aint the point of christianity - one god and no others?🤨
i aint christian enough to waste my sleep over it but damn that confused me
there many things that made no sense and were just outright weird and uncalled for and there were so many that i thought would be more complicated and explained better but were fully watered down, either by poem's boring style or translation (probably both)
would i have picked it up if it weren't for writing exam im having in three hours? probs no.
right now it seems really overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time.
i did like it more than most of books i read for school tho
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury
idreamofdragons's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Absolutely delightful! Dante and his stalwart companion Virgil trape through a very hell, where we learn hard truths like the fact that devils play their farts like instruments and the place it has (in fact) already frozen over. A short read that will clear away the years of pop culture distortion crusted on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Cancer, Cannibalism, and Blood
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