The historical and modern stories alternate as Dante tries to finish writing his magnum opus and goes on a journey for mystical knowledge in Sicily.

Included in the modern sections of the book are musings by Tosches on the state of modern publishing, the futility of excessively flowery poetry and prose, references to his own previous books (including a lengthy passage directly out of the introduction to The Nick Tosches Reader), the September 11th attacks, and the Rolling Stones.

Louie Brunellesches, a small-time New York gangster who also appears in Tosches' novel Cut Numbers, returns in a smaller role, making this something of a sequel.

[1] As of September 2012, it was still a speculative project, though director Julian Schnabel reported that he was working with the actor to develop a screenplay with Depp playing the role of Tosches.

[3] In October 2023, Jason Momoa and Gerard Butler were added to the cast, with production commencing in Italy that month under a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.