For anyone who has seen Christopher Guest's "mocumentaries" (This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind) and loved them, then this book is definitely for you. Goldman takes a joke and runs with it throughout the entire novel, and does so with a completely straight face. For starters, there is no S. Morgenstern (he was made up by Goldman) and there is no "original and unabridged" version of The Princess Bride. This book is the only version that has ever existed. In fact, Goldman makes up most of his own personal life as well (he has two daughters in real life, and no sons) to the point where you really have no idea what is true and what is completely made up.

As a stand-alone fairy tale, the story itself is actually pretty weak. There is surprisingly little character development and the plot is absurdly simple. The author's prolific comments and interjections, were they true, would ruin the flow of any other narrative. But when those two elements are combined, you are left with a fantastic compilation of satire and humor.

Fortunately, I learned that this book was written in a "mocumentary" style prior to reading it and was therefore able to enjoy it for what it really was: a story that, for no reason whatsoever, should ever be taken seriously. Had I taken this book at face value, it would have irritated me to no end and I'm pretty sure that I would have hated it. The fairy tale part of the book follows the movie almost exactly, but it is the element of "everything else" that makes this book truly unique and a very enjoyable read.

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