The Princess Bride is one of those classic tales of fantasy (although, surprisingly, it is set in our own world) that is always a joy to consume. Having never read the book before, it’s challenging for me not to make comparisons to the movie. 

While the frame narrative is significantly different (and perhaps a little less effective) than the film version, it’s still an interesting device that makes it feel like the story is a tale from a far off time. While the humor, plot, and one liners are strong suits of the story, I found the characters to be not quite as developed as I would have liked. In particular, Buttercup could have been given some more depth. A lot of her scenes are centered around comments on her beauty and potential, not on her person.

An enjoyable short read, The Princess Bride is a fun adventure from a different era of fantasy writing. In this sense, it feels almost more like an adventure story than books published under the fantasy label today.