Tags: print
Dec. 3, 2002
Gossip Girl: Pure, unadulterated garbage
The third entry for “trash" in the dictionary defines it as “empty words or ideas; worthless or offensive literary or artistic material." These words apply so perfectly to the newest installment in the trivial teen literary genre, Cecily Von Ziegesar’s “Gossip Girl" series, that a picture of her first two novels could easily be substituted in place of any definition at all. The novels are sophomoric to the point of being infantile nonsense; their frivolousness is an affront to any educated person; the writing is both inept and immature; and they are absolutely addictive.
I want to warn anyone who is considering reading these novels not to open them under any circumstances, lest you end up like me: paralyzed in the face of adolescent needs and urges to hear nasty things about pretty girls. Ziegesar’s novels,Gossip Girl and You Know You Love Me, more than succeed at their aim to ensnare teenage minds; they are tasteless, gossipy, and ridiculously interesting. Efforts to identify exactly what makes these poorly written soap operas so enthralling yield only one definite answer: Ziegesar is undeniably skilled at the art of building characters that are strangely realistic in an utterly unrealistic setting.
The introduction exemplifies just how outrageously exaggerated the setting is, with a statement from the anonymous “Gossip Girl", webmaster of a trashy website created for the sole purpose of gossiping, that her and her friends are filthy rich kids living in New York City with everything going for them and nothing better to do than to trash their neighbors and friends. Yes, sadly, that is the entire premise of the series: to follow the lives of a couple of spoiled teenagers for a few months each book.
Although Gossip Girl provides the opening statement, it is unclear whether she or an omnipresent narrator is telling the tales. The two novels focus on the lives of five main characters: Blair, Serena van der Woodsen, Nate, Jenny, and Dan. Interspersed excerpts from the incredibly irritating Gossip Girl’s website show what other local kids are saying about the five main characters and often provide some small insight into otherwise undisclosed events in their lives. Each Gossip Girl section opens with a statement from her, proceeds with “dear Gossip Girl (GG)" style comments and questions from others, and concludes with a final GG statement.
Serena is probably the ultimate focus and easily the most fascinating character; she is a Barbie-style princess who remains inexplicably down-to-earth. She is also an ideal example of why Ziegesar is so skilled at characterization— Ziegesar avoids character clichés at all costs; instead of making Serena an evil you-know-what, she portrays Serena as a decent human being unwillingly gifted with more than her share of good looks. Thus, Serena, who could have been loathsomely perfect, actually seems to be an enjoyable person.
Serena has just returned from an exclusive European boarding school when Gossip Girl opens, and her surpassing beauty has somehow grown over her two years away. Blair, pretty but not-quite-Serena quality, had been Serena’s best friend before her departure and is determined not to relinquish her newly gained status as “the girl" to old-time high school popularity champion Serena.
So Blair and a few unnecessary side characters ditch Serena out of jealousy, and Serena—beautiful, cool Serena—is left on the verge of tears. Blair’s repulsion of Serena is cemented by her discovery that Serena, before departing for Europe, had slept with her long-time boyfriend Nate (another overpriveleged, overpretty rich kid).
It’s all so unimportant, so gossipy, so… addictive. Above is only the most harmless of the gossip, the most basic detailing of the complex, 18th century European aristocracy-like politics that pervade the novels. The “shocking" betrayals and teenage intricacy spiral further and further in a cycle of increasing tastelessness as the storyline progresses into the second novel, You Know You Love Me.
I know I read it, and admittedly enjoyed it (to my own despair), but I can only offer one conclusion to these novels overflowing with garbage:
Dear GG:
Get a life.
I want to warn anyone who is considering reading these novels not to open them under any circumstances, lest you end up like me: paralyzed in the face of adolescent needs and urges to hear nasty things about pretty girls. Ziegesar’s novels,Gossip Girl and You Know You Love Me, more than succeed at their aim to ensnare teenage minds; they are tasteless, gossipy, and ridiculously interesting. Efforts to identify exactly what makes these poorly written soap operas so enthralling yield only one definite answer: Ziegesar is undeniably skilled at the art of building characters that are strangely realistic in an utterly unrealistic setting.
The introduction exemplifies just how outrageously exaggerated the setting is, with a statement from the anonymous “Gossip Girl", webmaster of a trashy website created for the sole purpose of gossiping, that her and her friends are filthy rich kids living in New York City with everything going for them and nothing better to do than to trash their neighbors and friends. Yes, sadly, that is the entire premise of the series: to follow the lives of a couple of spoiled teenagers for a few months each book.
Although Gossip Girl provides the opening statement, it is unclear whether she or an omnipresent narrator is telling the tales. The two novels focus on the lives of five main characters: Blair, Serena van der Woodsen, Nate, Jenny, and Dan. Interspersed excerpts from the incredibly irritating Gossip Girl’s website show what other local kids are saying about the five main characters and often provide some small insight into otherwise undisclosed events in their lives. Each Gossip Girl section opens with a statement from her, proceeds with “dear Gossip Girl (GG)" style comments and questions from others, and concludes with a final GG statement.
Serena is probably the ultimate focus and easily the most fascinating character; she is a Barbie-style princess who remains inexplicably down-to-earth. She is also an ideal example of why Ziegesar is so skilled at characterization— Ziegesar avoids character clichés at all costs; instead of making Serena an evil you-know-what, she portrays Serena as a decent human being unwillingly gifted with more than her share of good looks. Thus, Serena, who could have been loathsomely perfect, actually seems to be an enjoyable person.
Serena has just returned from an exclusive European boarding school when Gossip Girl opens, and her surpassing beauty has somehow grown over her two years away. Blair, pretty but not-quite-Serena quality, had been Serena’s best friend before her departure and is determined not to relinquish her newly gained status as “the girl" to old-time high school popularity champion Serena.
So Blair and a few unnecessary side characters ditch Serena out of jealousy, and Serena—beautiful, cool Serena—is left on the verge of tears. Blair’s repulsion of Serena is cemented by her discovery that Serena, before departing for Europe, had slept with her long-time boyfriend Nate (another overpriveleged, overpretty rich kid).
It’s all so unimportant, so gossipy, so… addictive. Above is only the most harmless of the gossip, the most basic detailing of the complex, 18th century European aristocracy-like politics that pervade the novels. The “shocking" betrayals and teenage intricacy spiral further and further in a cycle of increasing tastelessness as the storyline progresses into the second novel, You Know You Love Me.
I know I read it, and admittedly enjoyed it (to my own despair), but I can only offer one conclusion to these novels overflowing with garbage:
Dear GG:
Get a life.
Discuss this Article
Find comma splice RO " ,she"
Clear up 18th Century thing ?
Great lead, great conclusion, pretty good inside too, but what was the rush? Why didn't I get a draft?
I highly dought you are a teen, which these books are amied for; you ca noot judge them the same way a 16 yr old would it's just not friend. By the way if it's garbage it's great garbage, you know the kind you'd find a really great vinyl record in that you haven't been able to find anywhere else!
The Gossip Girl books are wonderful. They may not be 'classics.' They don't even attempt to be anything LIKE a classic. But that doesn't mean they're BAD.
The first two books were great, and the third probably will be. Gossip Girl: Everything I want comes out in May, and I am certainly going to read it.
You hate these books? Your problem.
I am 14. I read it many times,both books, yes they are a tad bit ranchy but fun to read.
To me ,I say those girls are people I will never be except jenny I like her . I hope you don't take this wrong but I love the book.
sincerly.
constance
You Know You Luv Me,
*Sammy*
P.S. I know who Gossip Gurl is ;). *~*~*~*~*~* But I'll never tell. I can keep a secret. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dear Laurel Jefferson,
I think that you are jealous. It gets the worst of you.
Dear GG,
Laurel Jefferson is a harsh opinoated BLANK with a stick up her ass. She needs to get a life.
but in response-- you know, you're right. i'm a HUGE internet geek. i'm on my computer ALL DAY, diligently working on silverchips online. if you saw me, you'd probably run screaming because i was so frighteningly nerd-like.
i am also SO jealous of these fictional characters, i can't even handle it. i think i should get professional help.
~Chrissy
From what I have read in your little speech......ur not a teen...these kind of books are for your teens these books also relate to what teens are going throught now.....
you need to suck it up and live with the books that are in the world now! because if you complain all the time about things our aren't getting anywhere in life!
I can't wait to read the next book.
Jen, London, age 20
I REALLY LLLLLOOOOOOOVVVVEEEE THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you're just jealous !!!!
And yes it is 'gossipy' hence the title.
Anyways...these books are awesome. They grab your attention because these girls live our dream life. If we can't live it ourselves, than why not read about some girls that are? And while most of us probably can't relate to even half of what Blair or Serena experience, we do relate to the relationships they go through, and the gossip aspect of it. I'm sad to say, but I actually learn from these books. I wish I was Serena, haha. Please go out and buy the books...you'll be hooked. Oh and they're making a movie, Lindsey Lohan is staring as Blair. xoxo
your just angry cause you probably dont have money, and you wish you were like them. Its sad but true. Gossip Girl is so popular right now. I would be embarrased to write an artical saying that its "trash" Thats low.
'gossip girl'books are not the kind of writing that are going to make or break a mindset.
These books like so rock! :)
I respect ur view but they like so are awsome! Ok like seriously who is not reading them besides u? I maybe rich and have the same name as the paris hilton but that like so doesnt mean that these books are lame or that you need to judge people like that! That's wierd, so I guess that you hate the A-list novels too? Maybe you are just against the gift of pure talent?!!
Get a life.
Gossip Girl is a great read.
!..:~MrS PrEtTy -n- PiNk:..~!
i respect your review and im not gonna talk trash about you like those losers, you have the right to think what you want if it appeals to you then say it does if it doesnt then say it doesnt it just goes to prove your mature enough to be reading some teenage book. this book was great it totally changed my outlook on life. it made me just have fun a little more i mean were all young on the inside im 14 so i can almost relate to them but not quite, although i thought it was really cool cuz the most awesomest girl in the book had my name! i was also wondering if shes going to write a sixth one i hope so and if i can find some place to email the writer and congradulate her for i believe no one has ever put in words exactly what a teenager goes through bravo! i also think they should seriously make a movie out of this i think it could do well anyways im really bored right now so im gonna go waste my time somehwhere else
you know you love me lol
serena harrison
my thanks
serena harrison
you know you love me,
gossip girl
Dear Laurel Jefferson,
You are probably a big fan whiny loser who hates the book because you are ugly while the characters are beautiful and rich so your trashed teh novel because you feel bad about your pig of a self. So here's my message for you (expletive) the book rocked and it wasn't for pretentious adult losers such as yourself!
Firstly i am a huge GG fan, and have read all 6 books, and i am eagerly awaiting the movie...
Nearly all of you people pointed out that you accept that the author of this article has his/her right to an opinion - so whats the problem? If you didn't like their opinion, you could've just stopped reading.
And it's true. Cecily Von isn't the most incredible author in the world by most standards, but as the author of this aritcle points out, she definately makes addictive reading.
Maybe you people are reading this article as if it written like GG - and not seeing the intelligent underlying message herewith.
The author of this article found the books just as addictive as you and i have.
So what exactly is everyone's problem?
Take a chill pill. Sheesh.