Reviews

La Vita Nuova by Dante Alighieri

lizziemcherring's review against another edition

2.0

Read for school. Almost threw it out the window I was so bored. Don’t understand why Boccaccio was obsessed w Dante.

alisonjfields's review against another edition

5.0

Yes. Beautiful. Profound. Sublime. A rare look inside the mind of the author of one of the Greatest Hits Of All Time. But I'd feel bad if I didn't extend this likely tasteless pop cultural metaphor and tell you that "La Vita Nuova" is sort of the Early Italian Renaissance version of VH1's "Storytellers." Rich with self-aggrandizement, detailed in its recounting of how one man needlessly complicated his writing and romantic life by picking surrogates to his surrogate inamorata because his actual inamorata was the textbook definition of unavailable and stinking slightly of what the more polite among us refer to as poetic license, "La Vita Nuova" might be the most unintentionally hilarious book about writing I've ever read from the man who sent pretty much everyone he ever know to hell. And still better than "Paradiso," to boot!

naya16's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

madisonj99019's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

frog_bird's review against another edition

3.0

this sure was a book. the original loverboy dante goes on. he elaborates. he expunges. he is obsessed. with Beatrice that is. though the only thing he loves more than Beatrice is himself. Dante goes between "it is perfectly clear" and "so i will give you the divisions of this poem for 2 pages." even then, this asshole's poems were kinda fun. hes just in love. and self obsessed. whats wrong with that?

emma_reader2003's review against another edition

inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.0

ed_moore's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Dante’s ‘La Vita Nuova’, meaning ‘the new life’ is a collection of love poems and sonnets by Dante written to his unrequited and unobtainable love Beatrice. He recounts his story with her, or more observing her, through prose with his poems inserted in and analysed. With each poem Dante would break it down and fully explain its meaning, which I can’t say I massively enjoyed as it left no room for reader interpretation within his poetry. Also I can’t ignore that Dante’s love was obsessive and he absolutely stalked Beatrice. He became infatuated by this girl and never even spoke to her aside from an occasion where she and her friends mocked him, yet he follows her around, becomes overwhelmed by emotion in just looking at her, and deeply mourns her friend and father when they pass despite not knowing them just because she is mourning, and then come her death, still having no idea of Dante’s love to her, he endlessly laments her. This woman died having little idea of his obsession, and no clue how pivotal a role she would play in the works of one of literatures greatest poets, and the crucial part she plays in ‘The Divine Comedy’. Dante also mentions in ‘La Vita Nuova’ his lack of confidence in his own writing, which did sadden me slightly as its the natural human doubt of oneself and their works shining through in the case of a monumental writer, and when I hear of authors who died not knowing their influence and believing their lives works a failure I am utterly heartbroken. Despite this, the complete obsession in ‘La Vita Nuova’ was freaky and I have lost a lot of respect for Dante’s character. 

sylviaplathian's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

jameshaus's review against another edition

4.0

It's a lovely exploration of obsession, but Dante seems like kind of a lot in real life.

"Where is Dante?"
"Weeping in his room over Beatrice and the cruelty of love again."
"Ah, sounds about right."

meimi's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

My favourite part in the Vita Nuova is when Beatrice and the other ladies mock Dante in public so he goes off to his "room of tears" to write some emo poetry, he is ridiculous!!