Gremlin O’Brien

Adventure? Swordplay? Magic? Oh, my.

I recently read The Princess Bride by William Goldman. I loved it. I had seen pieces of the movie but I only vaguely remembered it, so it was a fresh read. This book was chosen by one of the fantasy and science-fiction book clubs that I’m in, which is why I was initially picked it up. It was a very easy read. I definitely recommend it!

William Goldman has a very distinct way of writing. He is quirky and candid and neurotic.

The Princess Bride opens with narration from a fictionalized version of William Goldman, who abridges The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern for his son, leaving only “the good parts” and cutting out the rest. The narrator’s struggle to procure the book The Princess Bride for his son represents a good chunk of the beginning of this novel. This wasn’t in the movie, which is one reason to read the book.

The Princess Bride is about a beautiful, lower-class woman who falls in love with a farm boy, only for him to leave her and die in a shipwreck. Heartbroken, she agrees to marry the evil Prince Humperdinck. Before they wed, she is kidnapped by three assassins, who lose her to a man dressed all in black. If I went any further, I’d be giving away spoilers.

This novel is an epic tale about love, courage, honor, and faith. Throughout her capture, the Princess believes that her beloved will come back and save her. It is her unwavering belief in him contrasted with insurmountable odds and disaster after disaster that kept me in suspense.

The Princess Bride is a comedy.

One of the running gags in the book is the characters’ amiability and politeness, when most would expect them to be outraged or violent. When Inigo and Westley face each other in a duel, instead of hurling insults, they compliment each other. They are gentlemen to the very end.

Another source of humor comes from the worldbuilding. At one point, the princess and the man in black are attacked by ROUS. It is a few pages before the author explains what ROUS stands for: Rodents of Unusual Size. This is one of the examples of how The Princess Bride pokes fun at common fantasy tropes.

The book leaves the ending open to interpretation. Does the farm boy survive and save the princess? Use your imagination.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys comedic writing and is looking for levity. 9/10.