Scan barcode
shaavit's review against another edition
4.0
Had beautiful moments, and finished the commedia well. Wasn’t as fun to read as inferno, but still a classic.
rissasreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I already knew Paradise was probably going to be my least favorite out of the whole Comedy but it was such a chore for me to get through. Overall, I still enjoyed some of the imagery we got in this but I found the writing to be less enjoyable than the previous Cantos. I know Dante wrote this very close to the end of his life which probably impacted that and he still put something amazing together but it wasn't what I wanted.
I'm not religious nor was I raised in a religious family so some of the references were completely lost on me, but I enjoyed the fact that Dante calls out the "modern" church (for his time) and some of what is said is still very much true about the people that are looked up to. I think more people that are religious should read this. Even though I'm not religious I thoroughly enjoyed some of this.
I'm not religious nor was I raised in a religious family so some of the references were completely lost on me, but I enjoyed the fact that Dante calls out the "modern" church (for his time) and some of what is said is still very much true about the people that are looked up to. I think more people that are religious should read this. Even though I'm not religious I thoroughly enjoyed some of this.
fierymoon's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
dante is so in love with beatrice i'll actually cry likeeee the way he talks about her???? THE WAY SHE IS LITERALLY QUITE LITERALLY HIS HEAVEN AND SHE WALKED HIM THROUGH THE ACTUAL HEAVEN????? oh i'll kill myself it was so beautiful to read
bookishlysophie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Not quite as enamouring as the rest of ‘The Divine Comedy’ but it’s still wonderful, complete with beautiful imagery that truly encapsulates Dante’s writing style. I just didn’t find the grit that was in the other books. I’d still recommend.
haley_j_casey's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as the Inferno, which is a bummer because in my opinion someone's description of heaven should be equally as enthralling as their description of hell. Oh well.
adrianlarose's review against another edition
3.0
Eulogistic poetry of light and fire and love. Amazingly contemporary. Of the three, by far the least dramatic...and yet the most.
newishpuritan's review against another edition
4.0
Re: Paradise itself, I found this section of the poem just as engaging as the other two on an intellectual level, but less engaging emotionally. The spirits in Paradise have transcended the vicissitudes of their former existence. For the most part, they appear as points of light to Dante, whereas in Hell and Purgatory they are bodies. That seems symptomatic: our experience as human beings is rooted in our bodies, and once we leave those behind, we cease to be fully human. Dante of course is still subject to change and growth, and that provides the basis for the narrative as much as his progress through the spheres.
Re: the Sayers / Reynolds translation, Sayers died before completing this, and the last third of the translation and all the commentary were written by Reynolds, who was a distinguished Italian scholar (I still use her Italian dictionary, which I find superior to recent publications for historical texts). The translation feels seamless, but the commentary and notes are much less lively and engaging than in the previous two volumes, and there were several occasions when very obscure passages in the poem had no explanatory note at all.
Re: the Sayers / Reynolds translation, Sayers died before completing this, and the last third of the translation and all the commentary were written by Reynolds, who was a distinguished Italian scholar (I still use her Italian dictionary, which I find superior to recent publications for historical texts). The translation feels seamless, but the commentary and notes are much less lively and engaging than in the previous two volumes, and there were several occasions when very obscure passages in the poem had no explanatory note at all.
hakkun1's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
noahtato's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
While not a consistently stronger work than Purgatorio, the final 5-10 cantos are by far the most exquisite of the Comedy's, the crown jewel being the final ascent to the Empyrean. Dante pulls heavily from Boethius's Lady Philosophy through a lens of specifically ecclesiastical imagery, which sacrifices purity of message for vividness of metaphor (from the modern perspective). The earlier cantos seem like an extension of Purgatorio but without the narrative stakes, though the moral obviously transcends the narrative functions that would have made those cantos more engaging to read. I will be exploring the references and intricacies further over many years, I am sure.