Book Cover
PAGES
398
APPEAL FACTORS
The Princess Bride is a really fun and suspenseful book (in a comical way). There is everything one could possibly want in a story and more. From torture, to true love, to an evil prince, to strange beasts, this book has something for everyone. It is written in a comical way but still manages to tug at your heartstrings.
BOOKTALKING
The love story between Buttercup (the most perfect and beautiful woman in the world) and Westley (a handsome farm boy) is incredibly adorable.
Revenge. One of the best swordsman in the world, Inigo, is out to avenge his father's death.
A giant named Fezzik is the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover.
Prince Humperdinck is disturbingly evil. He has a whole building called the Zoo of Death where he tortures animals. He doesn't go a day without killing something.
DISCUSSION POINTS
Did you feel like the confusion of Goldman adapting someone else's story is necessary to the novel? Why or why not?
Like the Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride has been called fantasy. In what ways are these to stories similar? In what ways are they different?
How does this book compare to the movie? What are the differences? Did you like the changes? Why or why not?
Do you think Goldman presents himself as a sympathetic character? Do you think that his portrayal of his wife and son are true? Or do you think these characters are fictional?
How does the story of Buttercup and Westley parallel with the story of the author?
Do Inigo and Fizzik change throughout the book?
How did you feel when Westley hit Buttercup? Did you feel he was justified in his anger when finding out about Buttercup's engagement to the prince?
Do you think Goldman in the story really believes that true love is not attainable? Or does his love of the Princess Bride story suggest otherwise?
Do you thing Goldman is laughing with his readers or at them?
WHY THIS BOOK?
This book was one of the books that was chosen for the book discussion for the class. I was somewhat interested in it because my wife and her family love the movie.
THE AUTHOR
IMDB
Fantastic Fiction
POINTS TO REMEMBER
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Goldman, W. (1973). The princess bride. New York, NY/USA. The Random House.
PAGES
398
PURCHASING OPTIONS
Hardcover $22.50
Paperback $7.99
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Hardcover $25.34
Hardcover $25.34
Paperback $12.75
Mass Market Paperback from $6.99
ANNOTATION
Whether you're looking for romance, action, suspense, fencing, or passion, this book has it all.
SUMMARY
William Goldman puts himself in this book as a fictional character who has a troubled marriage and a son who he doesn't quite see eye to eye with. On his son's tenth birthday William decides to give him a book that his father read to him growing up: S. Morgenstern's The Princess Bride. When he finally is able to get a copy of this hard-to-come-by book, he quickly realizes that his father only read to him the exciting and adventurous parts of the story. William abridges the book and cuts out all the boring parts such as pages and pages of Florinese family history.
The story starts with the beautiful Buttercup, her parents, and their farm-boy, Westley. On the day that Buttercup professes her undying love for Westley, he sets out to America to earn money so that they can be married. Soon after he sets off, Buttercup is given the unfortunate news that his ship was taken captive by pirates and that her one true love is dead. Heartbroken beyond repair, she promises that she will never love again.
Eventually she finds herself engaged to the evil Prince Humperdinck who is the ruler of Florin. Soon after, she is kidnapped and then rescued by a mysterious man in a black mask.
MY REVIEW
I loved the Princess Bride story within this book. I did not like the beginning with all of the background of the author who is a fictional character within the story. He begins by lusting after a woman at the pool (he is married), and going on to describe his difficult relationship with his son. You can tell he is completely miserable in his marriage. I did not feel like all of this was necessary to the story. However, when he would start to abridge The Princess Bride within his story, he really had a wonderful way of fully immersing me in the story. I felt as though this story had a fantastic balance of action, romance, and adventure. It kept me on my toes and I was continually surprised by what happened in the story.
RATING
Quality: Silver
Popularity: Diamond
Whether you're looking for romance, action, suspense, fencing, or passion, this book has it all.
SUMMARY
William Goldman puts himself in this book as a fictional character who has a troubled marriage and a son who he doesn't quite see eye to eye with. On his son's tenth birthday William decides to give him a book that his father read to him growing up: S. Morgenstern's The Princess Bride. When he finally is able to get a copy of this hard-to-come-by book, he quickly realizes that his father only read to him the exciting and adventurous parts of the story. William abridges the book and cuts out all the boring parts such as pages and pages of Florinese family history.
The story starts with the beautiful Buttercup, her parents, and their farm-boy, Westley. On the day that Buttercup professes her undying love for Westley, he sets out to America to earn money so that they can be married. Soon after he sets off, Buttercup is given the unfortunate news that his ship was taken captive by pirates and that her one true love is dead. Heartbroken beyond repair, she promises that she will never love again.
Eventually she finds herself engaged to the evil Prince Humperdinck who is the ruler of Florin. Soon after, she is kidnapped and then rescued by a mysterious man in a black mask.
MY REVIEW
I loved the Princess Bride story within this book. I did not like the beginning with all of the background of the author who is a fictional character within the story. He begins by lusting after a woman at the pool (he is married), and going on to describe his difficult relationship with his son. You can tell he is completely miserable in his marriage. I did not feel like all of this was necessary to the story. However, when he would start to abridge The Princess Bride within his story, he really had a wonderful way of fully immersing me in the story. I felt as though this story had a fantastic balance of action, romance, and adventure. It kept me on my toes and I was continually surprised by what happened in the story.
RATING
Quality: Silver
Popularity: Diamond
GENRE & SUB GENRES
Fantasy
Fiction
Classics
Romance
Humor
Adventure
Fiction
Classics
Romance
Humor
Adventure
APPEAL FACTORS
The Princess Bride is a really fun and suspenseful book (in a comical way). There is everything one could possibly want in a story and more. From torture, to true love, to an evil prince, to strange beasts, this book has something for everyone. It is written in a comical way but still manages to tug at your heartstrings.
BOOKTALKING
The love story between Buttercup (the most perfect and beautiful woman in the world) and Westley (a handsome farm boy) is incredibly adorable.
Revenge. One of the best swordsman in the world, Inigo, is out to avenge his father's death.
A giant named Fezzik is the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover.
Prince Humperdinck is disturbingly evil. He has a whole building called the Zoo of Death where he tortures animals. He doesn't go a day without killing something.
DISCUSSION POINTS
Did you feel like the confusion of Goldman adapting someone else's story is necessary to the novel? Why or why not?
Like the Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride has been called fantasy. In what ways are these to stories similar? In what ways are they different?
How does this book compare to the movie? What are the differences? Did you like the changes? Why or why not?
Do you think Goldman presents himself as a sympathetic character? Do you think that his portrayal of his wife and son are true? Or do you think these characters are fictional?
How does the story of Buttercup and Westley parallel with the story of the author?
Do Inigo and Fizzik change throughout the book?
How did you feel when Westley hit Buttercup? Did you feel he was justified in his anger when finding out about Buttercup's engagement to the prince?
Do you think Goldman in the story really believes that true love is not attainable? Or does his love of the Princess Bride story suggest otherwise?
Do you thing Goldman is laughing with his readers or at them?
WHY THIS BOOK?
This book was one of the books that was chosen for the book discussion for the class. I was somewhat interested in it because my wife and her family love the movie.
THE AUTHOR
IMDB
Fantastic Fiction
REVIEWS
SIMILAR TITLES/AUTHORS
Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
The Magicians of Caprona by Diana Wynne Jones
The Lioness and Her Knight by Gerald Morris
POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Adventure and true love
- Cliffs of Insanity and the Zoo of Death
- Fictional adaptation of fictional book
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