The Princess Bride

About the book

Buttercup, a farm girl in the country of Florin, falls in love with her farmhand, Westley. After Westley is presumed dead at sea, Buttercup is forced into an engagement with the cruel Prince Humperdinck. The narrative follows her kidnapping by a trio of outlaws—Vizzini, Inigo Montoya, and Fezzik—and Westley’s return as the Man in Black to rescue her. William Goldman presents the text as an abridged version of a fictional history by S. Morgenstern, frequently interrupting the swashbuckling sword fights and narrow escapes with satirical commentary about the publishing industry and his own childhood.

This book serves readers who enjoy subversions of traditional fairy tales and dry, meta-fictional humor. It appeals to those looking for a fast-paced adventure that balances genuine emotional stakes with a cynical perspective on royalty and romance. Readers walk away with a story that simultaneously celebrates and mocks the tropes of high fantasy. It provides a toolkit for recognizing how authors manipulate narrative tension and offers a specific brand of wit that treats high-stakes duels and political treachery with calculated levity.

Details

Published

1973

Language

EN