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3.24 AVERAGE
3.24 AVERAGE
the descriptions of the murder are just really gross and i’m not in the mood for that kinda book right now
Amazing book. If you are interested in Dante's Comedy at all or just the inferno this is the book for you. Caution: you need a strong stomach. Starts off sofisticated but this book will almost make you puke because the descriptions are so vivid.
Der Schreibstil ist extrem sprunghaft und gestelzt, die Handlungsentwicklung unklar.
1 / 4 : If interested, read
[America's premiere men of letters come against a rival Dante interpreter, whose translations are literal murder.]
The middle of the story has some decent characterization and rising action, elements missing from the beginning and the end where they are more sorely needed.
For all its literary pretension, the only character engaging with Dante in any serious way is the damn murderer.
[America's premiere men of letters come against a rival Dante interpreter, whose translations are literal murder.]
The middle of the story has some decent characterization and rising action, elements missing from the beginning and the end where they are more sorely needed.
For all its literary pretension, the only character engaging with Dante in any serious way is the damn murderer.
There’s a lot that’s fun in here, but a little too wandering in exposition, a clunker of a sentence or two too many, and just a bit too much enjoyment of the grotesque murders. Plus it’s crazy. But I liked reading about mid-19th century Boston!
A devilishly clever concept that never quite capitalises on its promise, The Dante Club was enjoyable but forgettable.
The decision to have the protagonists be four middle-aged academics with varying kinds of facial hair caused a few problems for me. The first 100 pages was a confusion of names, with very little to distinguish the leads from one another.
I was also disappointed with the execution and resolution of the mystery. A killer using the Inferno as inspiration for murder should have yielded more tension and horror, but there are ultimately only three deaths overall. When you find out whodunnit... well, I had my money on slightly more significant supporting characters.
Though not without merit, I was hoping for a little more drama and excitement from this book.
The decision to have the protagonists be four middle-aged academics with varying kinds of facial hair caused a few problems for me. The first 100 pages was a confusion of names, with very little to distinguish the leads from one another.
I was also disappointed with the execution and resolution of the mystery. A killer using the Inferno as inspiration for murder should have yielded more tension and horror, but there are ultimately only three deaths overall. When you find out whodunnit... well, I had my money on slightly more significant supporting characters.
Though not without merit, I was hoping for a little more drama and excitement from this book.
I had a tough time getting through this book. It bored me and the thought of Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes and other great minds running around and playing detective took me back to my mother watching “The Snoop Sisters” in the 70’s.
I really wish we could rate using half stars, because 4 is too low of a rating for this book. I would rate it 5, BUT it was a slow read and I didn't particularly find it to be a page turner. The writing was absolutely amazing, though. The plot was so well thought out and so well executed - all the interconnectedness was exquisite. The characters were very likeable, and it made me want to read Longfellow's poetry! It also made me appreciate Dante's Divine Comedy more than I did when I read it in high school (hated it back then). It's not my usual kind of book - I read it for a book club - but I would definitely consider reading more by this author and more like it.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A