while you can see how this book was popular at the time of writing, had it been written by another author it would probably not still be available 600 years after its publication. 

There were a few times that the lyricism of the writing was lost in the translation, leaving it felling a little stilted but overall was a relatively enjoyable read. 

There was a level of inherent amusement that the story was written by a pope, which was enhanced further reading about his life story