The Princess Bride (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

Love the movie, and now I love the book. I found myself chuckling just a tad more throughout the book than I have with the movie, but that could simply be due to Goldman's writing style. This is one instance where the film actually helped me enjoy the book even more and I was perfectly comfortable seeing these characters in my mind's eye as I have seen them portrayed on screen.

I am so conflicted about whether I like this book or not 😅 The main story part, I quite enjoyed. I was committed to get to the end of it and to know where the characters got to. The "commentary" from the author got me so confused at the start and was the parts I really struggle with. Do they add to the story, no i don't think so. But yet, I was scared not to read them in case I missed something important... I quite likely would not have. . Such a weird style.

Weird how, after I started reading this the other day, Peter Falk died. ("Inconceivable!")
Love this story.

All right, do me a favor. If you decide to read this book, skip the first 80 pages!
First there is two introductions to the book, one for the 30th anniversary edition and one for the 25th (which goes on for 44 pages total). And you just doesn't care! Maybe if you've already read the book once, but I hadn't, so I just skimmed that part.
Then the book starts! Finally... just that, it doesn't. Here the author explains his relation to The Princess Bride and why he had the need to make an abridged version, and he goes on for another 35 pages!! Ugggh!! I just wanted to read an adventure story!!

So, then, FINALLY!! The first chapter "The Bride" begins, and I really liked this story! It was wierd and adventurous and I loved the characters.
I was just mopey that it hadn't begun at once (especially since this is a modern classic!) so I already resented the book when I got to the good part.

It had a great flow after that and I enjoyed most of it!
But then I got to the ending, and the author had another mini-chapter about his struggles etc, so I just didn't bother with the last part of the book. So I've read almost everything except the excerpt from "Buttercup's Baby". I hope I'm not missing much, but I was pretty content with the ending, so I just stopped where I felt the book had completed it's task!

There is something magical about returning to a story you already love and realizing it still has more to give you. William Goldman’s The Princess Bride is a delight that feels both adventurous, familiar, and slips you into a familiar story that somehow manages to surprise you again. From the opening pages, it becomes clear this is not just a romance. This version is a playful and self-aware story about storytelling itself. It earns its reputation as a favorite fairytale. The story follows Buttercup, the most beautiful woman in the world, and Westley, the farm boy turned pirate legend who loves her with unwavering devotion. Around them is a cast of characters who are just as unforgettable. Inigo Montoya carries one of the most iconic lines in literature, driven by grief and purpose. Fezzik brings warmth and loyalty. Miracle Max and Valerie steal every moment they are in, especially during the rescue scene, which manages to be both tense and full of heart. What makes this story endure is its balance. It is romantic without becoming overly sweet, adventurous without losing its humor, and self-aware without turning cynical. It invites you to feel like a kid filled with wonder. You will feel joy, anticipation, butterflies, and happiness. If you’ve seen the movie, you might be wondering if the book offers anything new. It follows the film so closely that it feels like watching it again. Except the audiobook comes with richer access to what the characters are thinking and feeling. This abridged audiobook version mirrors the movie’s pacing so tightly that the two almost blend together. Though it also leaves you wishing for more depth. The audiobook experience does come with limitations. The narrator works hard to differentiate the characters and handles it generally well. The abridged format becomes noticeable near the end. The pacing speeds up, the resolution feels rushed, and the lack of a fuller epilogue leaves the ending feeling incomplete. What remains is something special. This is a story that reminds you why you fell in love with storytelling in the first place. It is playful, heartfelt, and endlessly quotable. It makes you smile and keeps you engaged from beginning to end.