Inferno by Dan Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This giant 624-page doorstop of a book, Inferno by Dan Brown, was worth hefting for days. Wowza. The intrepid Professor Langdon marches through symbolic hell and genuine danger to stop a brilliant madman who is determined to send humanity through a man-made apocalypse. Sure, there are parts of the book that require the reader to suspend disbelief with both hands, but in the long run, the gravitas of the book’s message merits the reader’s cooperation. This is a powerful, engaging story that will haunt the reader and broaden viewpoints on the value of life. With the movie coming out soon, I recommend reading the book before seeing the movie, because the action is fast-paced and complex.
As in the other adaptations of Brown’s stories, the frantic pace of the movie might confuse viewers as Langdon dodges bullets while spouting interpretations of symbolism in Dante Alighieri’s 700-page, three-part epic poem and artwork based on the poem. The Divine Comedy by Alighieri is challenging to read, so I suspect most movie-goers will be unfamiliar with it.
Brown helps the reader become familiar with the “Inferno” portion of the work through Professor Langdon, making the literary descent into hell feel more like familiar territory instead of graduate-level studies.
Looking forward to seeing Tom Hanks in the movie!