"Chwast's clean lines and simplistic style work surprisingly well for a poem that, until now, one might have associated with the grim, beautiful engravings of Gustave Doré. In some cases, there's even a surprise: Chwast's rendering of 'Paradise,' for example, is so visually exciting and Fellini-esque that I couldn't help but feel that Dante's original is a little, gulp, boring by comparison. (I know: sacrilege!) One gets quickly engrossed in this book's portrayal of Dante's journey from Hell to Heaven, which is an act of redemption he needs after leading a sinful life . . . What Chwast's book reminds us is that Dante's epic is very visual, even cartoonish. This isn't an insult. Think only of the image of Lucifer flapping his giant wings and producing gusts of wind that turn sinners' tears into ice. It certainly is a medieval comic strip of sorts, isn't it? And in his adaptation, Chwast has given us a fascinating companion piece (not a replacement!) that successfully complements Dante's original."—Nick Owchar, Los Angeles Times