Years ago, I was asked one of those silly questions that readers ask each other: “If you could be any literary character, who would you be?” Without hesitation, I replied, “Princess Buttercup.” After all, what woman in her right mind wouldn’t crave a life of true love and high adventure?
I have no recollection of when I first read William Goldman’s beloved novel, but I can tell you that in the decades since, I’ve read the book and seen the film at least a dozen times. It is very high on my list of all-time favorites. I never grow tired of it. I can pick this book up and start reading on any page and get sucked in immediately. And as soon as I’ve finished it, I could easily start reading from page one all over again. It is a case of true love.
Now, you have to have been living under a rock for the past few decades not to have an idea of what this tale is about. It’s the story of the beautiful milkmaid Buttercup and her love for the dashing farm boy Westley and all they go through in order to be together. Additionally, the novel uses the author’s life as a framing device. In what is purported to be a series of forwards and abridger’s notes, Goldman reflects on his personal history with “S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure.” He speaks candidly (and entirely fictitiously) of his family life, and perhaps somewhat less fictitiously of his professional life. And he tells the story of how his father first read him the tale when he was ten years old. When he asked if there were any sports in the book, the man replied:
“Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautiful ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.”
I ask you, what more could a reader possibly want?
The one thing Goldman forgot to list is humor. What has made this tale such a classic, in addition to the fact that it contains one of the five greatest kisses of all time, is the novel’s adroit humor. It ranges from sophisticated to glib to farcical, and it never fails to make me smile. Because of the brilliant film adaptation (also written by Goldman), many of the novel’s lines and passages have become cultural touchstones. Have you ever cried, “Inconceivable!” in a Wally Shawn lisp? Mandy Patinkin doesn’t go a day without someone coming up to him and proclaiming, “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!” Does the phrase “As you wish.” just give you chills? These characters are indelible, and Mr. Goldman’s humor has held up for 40 years. I believe people still be chuckling over this novel a hundred years from now. Shakespeare, Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse—some humor is simply timeless.
Clearly, I love a feel-good story, but most suffer from diminishing returns. Maybe it was awesome the first time you read it, pretty good the second, and less so on successive reads. Not so, The Princess Bride. If anything, I think my considerable affection for this novel grows with each successive reading. And I’m still spotting new things! On this read, for the first time, I spotted the fake blurbs at the front of the Kindle edition. (One was from “Shog Bongiorno, professor emeritus, Mid-European Literature, Columbia University,” LOL.)
Twenty-fifth and thirtieth anniversary editions of The Princess Bride have contained new forwards that continue the story that Goldman uses as the novel’s framing device. And after the novel’s end, there is a lengthy introduction to a substantial sample of the novel’s fictitious sequel, Buttercup’s Baby. I’ve read it all except for Buttercup’s Baby. I can only read that for the first time once, and I’m just not ready to experience it yet. Besides, maybe one day Mr. Goldman will elbow out Stephen King for the job and will finish the abridgement of the sequel. Hope springs eternal. And isn’t that the nature of true love?
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Beautiful but meh…
First off, I am pleased to own the gorgeous brown hardcover version. It shall look lovely as a collector’s item on my shelf.Beyond that, I’d rather watch the movie. I wish that Mr. Goldman had teamed up with a professional writer of fiction to write this book. Or rather I wish that there were two: the one I wish existed that was written by a modern-day CS Lewis or someone of similar caliber, and then this book. Mr. Goldman’s would have a cartoon on it, Betty-Boop style. His writing style is reminiscent of fan fiction, and only the mediocre-level of fan fiction at that. It’s organized enough, but my determination to finish the book ran out around page 194. Buttercup is just too different a character from the movie (and not in a good way—he makes her empty-headed etc.). Another annoyance is the lack of proper sentences. He could use punctuation and make entire sentences yet he overuses periods and leaves fragment all over the place. It’s just messy. Blog-worthy? Yes. But that’s not the style of writing I’m into. I can’t find one phrase I’d quote other than what was already in the movie. I don’t think I will even skip to the end to read about Buttercup’s baby. It’s not worth my time, but it’ll make a lovely dust-collector.PS: Reading this book is like watching SpongeBob SquarePants. If it’s fun and it’s your style, go for it. But you won’t gain any knowledge and may only confuse any intelligence you already had in your brain as a consequence.
Top reviews from other countries
Jennie Mihailiuk
Beautiful edition of a fabulous book!
Reviewed in Canada on October 29, 2024
Paula Goodwin
Exceptional story telling
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2024
