The Princess Bride
Last night, Kira gave me a copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure — another one of those books I’ve been looking for since, well, forever. (OK, that’s an exaggeration; I’ve only wanted a copy since 1987. In any case, undying thanks once more, dear sister.) It’s unique because the author, William Goldman, claims that the book is an abridgment of Morgenstern’s original work, and that Morgenstern himself was a native of Florin, a little-known (read: fictional) country in which much of the story takes place. And that’s just the beginning.
Kira, for one, will not be surprised to hear that I’ve already read the book. Oh, I gave serious consideration to saving it for the
weekend, but sheesh … 18 years was one heck of a wait already.
Good thing it turned out to have been worth the wait. Now, I don’t hold with posting spoilers and generally wrecking the story for those not in the know. However, I’d like to make it clear that the book is a bit darker and more complex than the film. Yes, even without the pages on Florinese history, which Goldman “abridged.” There’s even — gasp — the possibility of an unhappy ending! TWO unhappy endings, to be exact!
Interested? Find yourself a copy. (Good luck on your search, though — Kira says this was the last copy in Fully Booked. And I ain’t sellin’.) Otherwise, you might want to stick with the movie version instead.
This entry was posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 at 12:51 pm under Library. Both comments and pings are currently closed.