Review - Dante's Journey by JC Marino (Star Publish)

Dante's Journey

Dante's Journey by JC Marino
Published by Star Publish
Paperback - 368 pages
Published February 2010
Review copy given by the author

Dante's Journey is based on the original vision of Hell taken from Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy. Joe Dante, a Boston cop from the 1960's, finds himself in Hell after pursuing drug lord Filippo Argenti, the man Dante believes is responsible for murdering his family. Guided by the mysterious Virgil, Dante must traverse the nine Circles of Hell in order to gain the vengeance that he desires, battling all that Hell can unleash at him in the process.

As a fan of all things Inferno, I was keen to see what the environment of Hell would be like in this novel, and how the different circles would be interpreted, given this more modern twist. Dante's Journey does not disappoint. From the innocence of Limbo and the turbulent winds of Lust to the Wood of the Suicides and the Ice Plains of the Traitors, each level of Hell is captured wonderfully, portraying the irony that links each sinner to their eternal fate. What works particularly well in this is that Dante meets people from the past as well as the future, so the reader can see how the Nine Circles would work in today's world. The heavy metal frontman and the New York agent were particularly effective as showing people who were completely alien to Dante's worldview but could engage with the reader.

The character of Joe Dante himself is also excellent. His development from a sassy, dry humoured cop to his final revelations at the end of his journey is brilliantly portrayed, and even during his darkest moments you find yourself rooting for him at all times. His interactions with people from his own past are poignant, and aid his development throughout his journey.

A great addition to the story are the 'thoughts of home' chapters that deal with the weeks preceding Dante's descent into Hell. Here the reader is given trickles of information that take them one way and then the other, adding twists and turns as the story unfolds for both them and for Dante. These chapters are intrinsically tied in with Dante's character flaws and his assumptions, and make his revelations all the more heartwarming.

The pacing of the novel is excellent. The further Dante descends, the more frantic things become. Once Hell's minions are onto him, the action becomes more intense with each level. There are great cat-and-mouse chases as well as periods of suspense as Dante attempts to leave Hell whilst at the same time avoid the demons who are after his head.

Dante's Inferno is an insanely addictive novel that does justice to the original Inferno while at the same time injecting a new energy and intensity that won't allow you to put it down. From start to finish, your soul will be forfeit to the amazing adventure that is Dante's Journey.

You can also find this review at Prinkipria and GoodReads.