gabrielrobartes 's review for:

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

4.0

---

Or, perhaps, 3.5. This translation is never less than readable avoids some of the gnarlier twists and turns of (for example) the Hollanders. But it feels somehow workmanlike. But there are enough flashes of insight (St Bernard's prayer in Canto XXXIII of Paradise is stunningly executed) and the expertise with which Dante's complex trains of poetic syllogising are followed through is admirable (and very welcome - equally easy to get lost in the Hollanders at times). I'd still recommend Esolen over this but feel I've gained additional insight into the text by a close reading of Nichol's take.