Don't ask what happened for two-thirds of the book. The first part, Inferno, was very interesting and although it was difficult to read, it was not so difficult that one could not understand it. The next parts, Purgatorio and Paradiso, were just so boring. Even with the footnotes it was impossible to try to stay interested in what was happening. Even after finishing those two parts I have a hard time remembering what happened. Honestly, the novel just ends with the Inferno. There is a reason why everyone reads that part and not the rest, it is much better than the other parts. The Inferno is even good enough to give the overall book 4/5 stars. What's even better is if you can get a version with the Gustave Dore illustrations which really capture the feel of the Inferno. These illustrations seem to occur less in the other two parts and don't seem to fit with the events later on. I just don't see a dark wood carving being a correct interpretation of heaven. In short, read the Inferno and leave the rest alone.