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The Princess Bride Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Princess Bride


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.
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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.


The review of this Book prepared by Megan E. Davis




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.
The review of this Book prepared by Colleen




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)
The review of this Book prepared by Rebekah Bortolin




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....
The review of this Book prepared by CV




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.
The review of this Book prepared by Ivy



Chapter Analysis of The Princess Bride

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Plot & Themes

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

Setting

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

Writing Style

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

Books with storylines, themes & endings like The Princess Bride

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