science fiction

The Princess Bride - William Goldman Book Review

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"The Princess Bride"
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Review Summaries
"Buttercup grew up on a farm. All her life she has enjoyed nothing more than riding her horse, and ordering the farm boy, Wesley around. One day she realizes she is beautiful. And soon after that she falls in love with Wesley. Wesley has loved Buttercup all along. Wesley leaves for the Americas where he plans to take several jobs to make money so that he can marry Buttercup one day. In the mean time, Prince Humperdink needs a bride, and there are no worthy princesses that he likes. So his parents decide to make a princess out of a commoner, and Buttercup becomes princess, and fiancee to Humperdink. Meanwhile, Wesley has been gone for years on adventures with pirates and storing up money for the day when he and Buttercup will wed. Humperdink doesn't really want to get married. He loves war, and so he plans to kill Buttercup on their wedding night to start a war between the countries. To make matters worse, a Sicilian, a giant, and a drunken Spanish swordsman decide to kidnap Buttercup and hold her for ransom. After swordfights, narrow escapes, torture, capture, and all manner of wild adventures, the two lovers are at last united again in the end. "
Megan E. Davis, Resident William Goldman Scholar

"Buttercup is among the most beautiful women in the world, but that's all based upon potential... and one day, Count Rugen appears on her humble farm with his parade, which includes his flirtatious wife. As the count discovers the charms of Buttercup, his wife discovers the charms of the farm boy, Wesley. Enraged by jealousy, Buttercup professes her love for Wesley...who shuts the door of his hovel in her face. "
Colleen, Resident William Goldman Scholar

"A young girl (who is somewhere in the top 20 most beautiful woman in the world) suddenly realizes in a fit of jealousy that she is in love with a boy who she has treated like a farm boy her entire life. He goes off to America to find his fortune, only to be killed on the high seas by the most vicious pirate in miles. She, grief stricken, states she shall never love another. She is soon forced into an engagement to the barrel-shaped prince of her land, becoming a princess. She is kidnapped, only to be saved by a mysterious man in black, only to find that he is the Dread Pirate Roberts, the man who murdered her love. He seems strangely upset that she is deserting the memory of the late Westly (her love) for the evil- seeming prince. She responds by pushing him down a ravine, discovering when he is halfway down that he IS Westly. She throws herself down after him, just in time to miss the prince coming to 'save' her. (It is later discovered Prince Humperdink hired the kidnappers to murder her so as to start a war with the neighboring country) "
Rebekah Bortolin, Resident William Goldman Scholar

"Westley, a farm boy, and Buttercup, a milk maid fall truly in love. Everything gets complicated when Westley goes off to seek his fortune across the sea. The Dread Pirate Roberts attacks his ship, Buttercup hears of his death, and because of her beauty, she's soon engaged to be married to the evil Prince Humperdinck. And then Princess Buttercup is kidnapped...."
CV, Resident William Goldman Scholar

"Buttercup and Westley know they're destined for each other. But when Westley goes off to seek his fortune, Buttercup hears that he's been killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Since without Westley, life is as nothing, she agrees to marry the evil Prince Humperdink. And on from there. The book is funny and wonderful, and has spawned a whole generation of devoted fans who quote it ("My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.") You really have to read it to see why."
Ivy, Resident William Goldman Scholar


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Overall Review
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 45%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 15%




Tone of book - very upbeat - humorous or laughable
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past - alternate history
Romance Yes
Romance plotlets: - two lovers coping with tough mission
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Human/magical couple? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male - Female
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Dumb
Physique - very athletic - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - obsessed - emotionally unstable - wild
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Terrain - Water - Mountains - Forests
Earth setting: - general past - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths - very explicit references to deaths and torture
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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A Spell for Chameleon - Xanth 1 by Piers Anthony





Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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