From the Bookshelf of She-Geeks…

The Princess Bride

William Goldman

Start date: July 1, 2016

Finish date: July 31, 2016

Discussion: Themed reads

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 23 topics — 105 comments total

Themed reads

August 2016 Read 1 (Warrior Women): Company Town
By K.N. · 3 posts · 26 views

last updated Aug 27, 2016 05:15AM

August 2016 Read 2 (Warrior Women): The Girl with Ghost Eyes
By K.N. · 2 posts · 30 views

last updated Aug 19, 2016 11:35AM

showing 1 of 1 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 23, 2010 Nicole rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-adult

The Princess Bride is one of my favourite movies. But I resisted watching it when it first came out. I thought the title was dumb (still do, actually) and hadn't heard or seen anything about it that really piqued my interest. My best friend, knowing my interests and convinced I'd like the movie if I tried it, invited me over for some other reason and had the video waiting for me. So I watched. And I liked it, aside from thinking Buttercup was too mean to Westley on the farm. My friend thought I' The Princess Bride is one of my favourite movies. But I resisted watching it when it first came out. I thought the title was dumb (still do, actually) and hadn't heard or seen anything about it that really piqued my interest. My best friend, knowing my interests and convinced I'd like the movie if I tried it, invited me over for some other reason and had the video waiting for me. So I watched. And I liked it, aside from thinking Buttercup was too mean to Westley on the farm. My friend thought I'd like Inigo best--and I do like him and will recite his little speech ("Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.") along with him when I watch, much to some people's irritation--but I liked Westley best. (Cary Elwes. Damn. He was gorgeous then, and he had the coolest voice. I used to wonder why he never became an A-list movie star like Brad Pitt.) The movie is so much fun, has so many memorable lines, and has nifty swordplay in it (one of my favourite things).
I guess I avoided the book because I enjoy the movie so much, but finally decided to read it.
I'm giving the book 3 stars because of the things from it I like that transferred to the screen so well. Scenarios, whole chunks of dialogue. I also enjoyed the more detailed section on Buttercup's realisation that she had feelings for Westley and Inigo's backstory. Inigo is a more complex character in the book. The Zoo of Death is creepy but clever and makes Humperdinck even more of a villain.
But the movie is the real "good parts version," in my opinion. The same writer did both. He improved upon a number of things for the movie version.
The 30th anniversary version of book has three introductions, and the chapter of Buttercup's Baby has one. Too many introductions. Too much nattering on by the author. Most of the asides/explanations within the text don't add much, either. I think he took the Morgenstern joke--or lie, or whatever you want to call it--too far.
And there are a number of things I consider mean-spirited throughout all parts of the book, even when I try to cut the author some slack because he was born in 1931. It isn't the least bit satirical to make the book version of Buttercup beautiful but dumb. We see beautiful but dumb all the time; American society not only values but rewards beautiful but dumb. (Just this week, there was a local jewelry store ad for engagement rings featuring a woman who believes she's achieved culinary genius and innovation by inventing cinnamon sugar. Argh!) The book version of Westley is meaner. Too much is made of Fezzik's lack of education.
The single chapter of Buttercup's Baby further undermines the romance and sacrifices of The Princess Bride. The only things I liked about it were the "Unexplained Inigo Section," which wasn't necessary to the plot but interesting to me, and the part of the introduction that says nicer things about the author's family. Goldman tells us that his basic philosophy of life is that it isn't fair, but many readers like stories with some kind of resolution. It was better just to end The Princess Bride with the characters riding away to (presumably) freedom than to tack on the single chapter of Buttercup's Baby.
I need to go watch the movie now. ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2019 Ma'Belle rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-scifi, novels

On the same day that I finished the audio book of Dune, I decided to start listening to The Princess Bride - the version abridged by William Goldman, as performed by Rob Reiner. It will now be added to my list of books where the adapted movie was actually better than the source material.

I got through the whole thing in just over 90 minutes - roughly the same as the movie's running time, probably (not bothering to check). Between Reiner's natural accent and Goldman's flourishes, the whole thing f ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 23, 2008 Heather rated it liked it

Shelves: humor, sci-fi-fantasy

I found this to be a great book, though I hated the commentary done by the abridger. He kept giving comments on S. Morgenstern's writing style and explaining why he took stuff out. If I wanted to hear his comments and reasons, I would have bought a different title.
I want to know the whole picture, but for now I must settle with this seemingly incomplete book because it was all I could find. Maybe I'll get lucky and find the unabridged version someday. ...more

Like · see review

Jun 27, 2007 Marissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kids-lit, classics

Of all the books I've read, this may be the one I have the absolute fondest memories of. Just like in the story, my father read this book to me when I was a kid and I absolutely adored it. *Sigh* Being read to by someone who loves you has to be one of the best possible things on the planet. ...more

Like · see review