A review by alicandlin
Purgatorio by Dante Alighieri

5.0

Keeping in mind my non-existent knowledge of Italian, and lack of familiarity with any other translations of Purgatorio, I would thoroughly recommend this version to anyone wanting to read the poem. The verse form of the original is not preserved in the translation, but the language is animated and engaging, and surprisingly readable, and the Italian version is supplied on facing pages for comparison. The notes and other additional materials are incredibly helpful and illuminating. They do everything from helping a first-time reader simply get to grips with what's happening, as well as supplying in-depth readings of most lines, informed by historical, religious, and inter-textual research as well as occasional discussion of textual variants and other critics' explanations. If I read Inferno (and I'd like to) I'll definitely seek out the edition put together by Durling and Martinez.