A review by bookshelfbybub
The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri Inferno - A Verse Translation (Italian/English) Illustrated by Dante Alighieri

challenging slow-paced

2.0

The density of this text cannot be understated. It is saturated with references to Italian, Roman, and Catholic history and mythology. I enjoyed and understood this best when I was familiar with the figures being referenced. I enjoyed the Inferno and Purgatorio much more than the Paradiso. The idea of contrapasso is compelling, but, as the narrative departs from this structure in Paradiso, it became far too abstract for my liking. I often felt as though I was taking in images rather than a narrative.