A review by teamlarson
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

4.0

So much better than I expected to be honest. It took me a bit to finish because so much happens in each canto. Descriptions of Hell are equally jarring and beautiful. I’m very thankful for the summaries before each canto and the notes afterwards because I would have definitely been lost. They make the plot so much clearer, but the actual poem is where the pain and the emotion lies. I’m not sure if this is a hot take, but it seems like The Inferno is more of a way to advance Dante politically by elevating himself and tearing down adversaries in Italy, rather than a pious journey through hell. Anyways, I’m glad I now understand its impact and success.