Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

What do you think now that you are finished?

Do you think the story is better from having the Morgenstern text within the Goldman text? Do you like that Goldman inserted himself as a character in the novel almost like reading two stories at once. Is Goldman laughing with his readers . . . or laughing at them?

I don't think I've ever read a book designed quite the way this one is. And I'm not sure what to make of Goldman and his comments throughout the story... he seems to be constantly making fun of his wife, his publisher, and Morgenstern--so he probably is fooling with the readers, too!

It did feel like reading two stories at once and I didn't necessarily care for it. Morgenstern's tale is entertaining on its own and, for me, Goldman's lengthy interruptions were distracting and not always very amusing.

I had NO idea this was how the book was written. When I was first reading the two introductions (my book has two) I was confused. I had to wikipedia what was going on. Then I discovered really it's a book within a book.

I am almost done.

The edition I read (the 2013 illustrated edition) has two introductions in addition to the original introduction that precedes chapter one, for a total of about 75 pages of introductory material. I ended up skipping most of it as I just wanted to get to the story and didn't particularly enjoy Goldman's brand of humor.

The Princess Bride was only a so-so book to me. The book does have some fun parts.. fencing, rhyming, torture, giants, true love, poison, miracles, spiders, and soooo much more. It is the perfect fantasy! It is written in a way I didn't enjoy so much. At first I read the two introductions in the edition I was reading (the 30th I think) and was confused. I finally looked up the book and it's written kind of like a book within a book. The main narrator has re-written a book that some other fictional author wrote (all fake). This narrator does try to be funny but it just wasn't my sense of humor. Honestly if the book was only the Princess Bride parts I would've enjoyed it more. The real title of this book is: The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version Abridged by William Goldman. So as you can see this is the story within the story.

The story parts in the novel are almost exactly like in the movie. This is because the author of the book also wrote the screenplay for the movie. My husband loves this movie so much! He is always watching it. In this instance (and I never say this) I enjoyed the movie better then the book. The book does give us the back story of each character (Inigo, Fezzik, and Vizzini) which I did enjoy that part. We learn how the three assassins end up together and really I just love Inigo even more now.



One thing in the book I was curious about was the letter. There is a part in the book when the narrator who is supposed to be writing the book says there is a part in the book he wasn't allowed by the publishers to put in, so if you as a read want to see it you need to write a letter to the publishers and they will send you the cut scene. There is even an address provided in the book to write to. I was curious whether or not you actually get a Princess Bride Letter and apparently you do!! That is pretty fun.


There is another story in this book called Buttercup's Baby. Honestly I didn't bother to read it. It's the first chapter of the sequel. There was another long introduction to it and yet again I was a little confused. It's a made up introduction stating that Morgenstern's family is suing William Goldman and won't let him do a sequel. I googled it and really Goldman doesn't know what to make the sequel about. There is also information that the sequel involves how Stephen King was actually going to do the abridgement, but left it up to Goldman. I guess I just don't get these introductions. I also looked this up and King says it's not true. I don't know confusing.

Angie wrote: "I finally looked up the book and it's written kind of like a book within a book. The main narrator has re-written a book that some other fictional author wrote (all fake)."

Wow, I feel like this explains a lot and I wish I had thought to look it up myself. I thought Morgenstern was a real person! Even with this revelation, though, I'm still not crazy about the format of the book. And now I am convinced that yes for sure Goldman is laughing at his readers.

Yes!!! I had to look up this book to fix my confusion and it is all fake. Also... I was a little bothered by the fact that in the book Westley kept controlling Buttercup. Even telling her that she belongs to him and to do what he says. Nuts!

I read this book a few years ago, but I actually really liked the book within a book--Bookception, if you will. I love stories within stories. I didn't really pick up on Wesley being controlling of Buttercup so much, but it has been quite some time since I read it. It varies differently from the film, so I can understand why other readers found it difficult. You kind of have to separate them out as two different works of art.

I was obsessed with this book. I read it when I was younger. My sister swore that the premise was true, telling me all about the longer version, which she had actually read (such cruelty) so it took me forever to realize it was fake. All the same, I wrote to the publisher to read the missing scene. They didn't send me the scene, but a form letter that was entirely dissatisfying. Something about 'glad you liked the book', so annoying that they didn't give me the scene. Kind of made me dislike Goldstein.

I hated the way Wesley treated Buttercup. "You're so stupid," all the time. And she was. Robin Wright portrayed a much more dynamic princess.

I agree with Juliann!Westley was all love at the beginning of the book but by the end he was ruse and controlling to Buttercup.

I heard about that letter that was sent to fans. No actual story... just some letter. Then eventually there were two additions to the letter. The last one (that is like 10 years old now I think) promised that by now we would have the sequel Buttercup's Baby.

Hey all,

Just finished the book. I didn't really enjoy Goldman's humour either - In fact, half way through the books I started skimming / barely reading his interruptions. My edition also had the Buttercup's Baby story, and I didn't bother to read that either.

I grew up on the movie, so it was fun to picture the characters and such, but I found it hard to get through, to be honest! My favorite parts were the fights after the cliffs of insantiy and the Buttercup Rescue / Inigo's Revenge on the count, but I think I'm also a bit biased because those are the parts I remembered most about the movie. Which, by the way, I will now be watching this weekend for the first time since I was a kid.

Also - in response to the Goldman laughing with us or at us, I think when he originally wrote it he was laughing AT US. But he underestimated his audience, and we now laugh with him. If that makes any sense?

I watched the movie right after reading this book too!! I hadn't seen it for a while and we had bought it on bluray last year so I finally watched that copy.

Great answer about laughing with... in the age of the internet you can't really fake a book much anymore. Remember when that guy faked out Oprah? Fifty Little Pieces or something? Boy was that a big deal!