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1. Bibliographic Information
Von Ziegesar, C. (2002). Gossip girl: A novel. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
201 pages
ISBN: 0-316-91033-3
2. Plot Summary
Ever since Serena van der Woodsen was sent overseas to a European boarding school, Blair Waldorf has been the envy of all the girls at New York’s prestigious all-girls’ academy Constance Billard. She is currently dating Nate Archibald, and expects to lose her virginity with him during her senior year. However, all that comes to an end when rumors of Serena’s return are confirmed when she shows up at one of Blair’s mother’s house parties. Serena has always been the center of attention because of her looks, behavior and sense of style. However, although Serena and Blair used to be best friends, they seem to have grown apart during Serena’s absence. Blair is unable to give up her social standing to once again be second best to Serena, and Serena must come to terms with the fact that she slept with Nate before she left to Europe. What ensues is a battle for the upper-hand in a lifestyle of indulgence, promiscuity, risky behavior, and a look at what some of New York’s prestigious teenagers really do. Overseeing it all is a blogger known only under the handle Gossip Girl, whose omniscient power keeps track of all the workings of this inner circle.
3. Critical Evaluation
Gossip Girls takes the idea of consumerism and entitled teenagers to a new level. Cecily Von Ziegesar’s prose examines social elite teenagers and their behaviors, including promiscuity, drug use, and credit cards. The voice of reason comes only in the form of the blogger Gossip Girl, who rather than stating the characters faults simply exposes them to the ridicule of her public online. Thus, in her writing style, Von Ziegesar’s characterization comes from the teenagers’ actions and opinions, while the morality of these decisions is left to the reader. In this light Von Ziegesar is giving credit to her readers, that it is their responsibility to use their own moral compass to determine the insincerity, and illusion of goodness. In order to do this, however, Von Ziegesar does not hold back any of the issues that she feels are necessary to portray these teenagers in a realistic light. Many of the characters engage in behaviors which would be considered risky by many. While some readers might feel uncomfortable with the ease that Von Ziegesar writes about getting high, spending money, and having sex, she simply states these issues without going into specific or graphic detail. Perhaps this is only because this is the first novel in the series, though. Ultimately, Von Ziegesar’s novel is a social commentary on teens today, which provides readers with escapism, and access to a world which many teenagers can only dream of. However, reader be warned not all will feel that this book is appropriate for their teens.
4. Reader’s Annotation
In a society where wealth is standard, beauty, popularity, reputation, and revenge become the focal points in Blair and Serena’s life. Read about a world you could only wish to be a part of in Gossip Girl.
5. Information about the Author
Cecily Von Ziegesar spent her childhood in Manhattan, and grew up much like the characters in the story. She went to a small, private school on the Upper East Side in New York. Gossip Girl is her first novel and she currently lives with her husband and children in New York.
6. Genre
Realistic Fiction
7. Curriculum Ties
I really think that this book would be best suited for pleasure reading rather than for educational value.
8. Booktalking Ideas
- This book has been banned due to its offensive language, sexually explicit scenes, and unsuitability for its age group. Do you feel that these issues are truthful or exaggerated?
- How do the teenagers reflect your average teenager? What’s similar and what’s different?
9. Reading Level/Interest Age
Due to the content of this book, I would recommend Gossip Girl to readers aged 16-18.
10. Challenge Issues
This book was listed as one of the ALA’s banned books. It has been challenged due to offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group (ALA, 2009). Additionally, the book also references minors under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes. While I feel that parents have the right to determine what type of media is acceptable for their teenagers, I do not feel that this book should be stripped from the shelves due to these reasons. Nevertheless, if a person did wish to try to challenge this book I would refer them to the ALA’s website for challenge forms and guidelines found at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm
Von Ziegesar, C. (2002). Gossip girl: A novel. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
201 pages
ISBN: 0-316-91033-3
2. Plot Summary
Ever since Serena van der Woodsen was sent overseas to a European boarding school, Blair Waldorf has been the envy of all the girls at New York’s prestigious all-girls’ academy Constance Billard. She is currently dating Nate Archibald, and expects to lose her virginity with him during her senior year. However, all that comes to an end when rumors of Serena’s return are confirmed when she shows up at one of Blair’s mother’s house parties. Serena has always been the center of attention because of her looks, behavior and sense of style. However, although Serena and Blair used to be best friends, they seem to have grown apart during Serena’s absence. Blair is unable to give up her social standing to once again be second best to Serena, and Serena must come to terms with the fact that she slept with Nate before she left to Europe. What ensues is a battle for the upper-hand in a lifestyle of indulgence, promiscuity, risky behavior, and a look at what some of New York’s prestigious teenagers really do. Overseeing it all is a blogger known only under the handle Gossip Girl, whose omniscient power keeps track of all the workings of this inner circle.
3. Critical Evaluation
Gossip Girls takes the idea of consumerism and entitled teenagers to a new level. Cecily Von Ziegesar’s prose examines social elite teenagers and their behaviors, including promiscuity, drug use, and credit cards. The voice of reason comes only in the form of the blogger Gossip Girl, who rather than stating the characters faults simply exposes them to the ridicule of her public online. Thus, in her writing style, Von Ziegesar’s characterization comes from the teenagers’ actions and opinions, while the morality of these decisions is left to the reader. In this light Von Ziegesar is giving credit to her readers, that it is their responsibility to use their own moral compass to determine the insincerity, and illusion of goodness. In order to do this, however, Von Ziegesar does not hold back any of the issues that she feels are necessary to portray these teenagers in a realistic light. Many of the characters engage in behaviors which would be considered risky by many. While some readers might feel uncomfortable with the ease that Von Ziegesar writes about getting high, spending money, and having sex, she simply states these issues without going into specific or graphic detail. Perhaps this is only because this is the first novel in the series, though. Ultimately, Von Ziegesar’s novel is a social commentary on teens today, which provides readers with escapism, and access to a world which many teenagers can only dream of. However, reader be warned not all will feel that this book is appropriate for their teens.
4. Reader’s Annotation
In a society where wealth is standard, beauty, popularity, reputation, and revenge become the focal points in Blair and Serena’s life. Read about a world you could only wish to be a part of in Gossip Girl.
5. Information about the Author
Cecily Von Ziegesar spent her childhood in Manhattan, and grew up much like the characters in the story. She went to a small, private school on the Upper East Side in New York. Gossip Girl is her first novel and she currently lives with her husband and children in New York.
6. Genre
Realistic Fiction
7. Curriculum Ties
I really think that this book would be best suited for pleasure reading rather than for educational value.
8. Booktalking Ideas
- This book has been banned due to its offensive language, sexually explicit scenes, and unsuitability for its age group. Do you feel that these issues are truthful or exaggerated?
- How do the teenagers reflect your average teenager? What’s similar and what’s different?
9. Reading Level/Interest Age
Due to the content of this book, I would recommend Gossip Girl to readers aged 16-18.
10. Challenge Issues
This book was listed as one of the ALA’s banned books. It has been challenged due to offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group (ALA, 2009). Additionally, the book also references minors under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes. While I feel that parents have the right to determine what type of media is acceptable for their teenagers, I do not feel that this book should be stripped from the shelves due to these reasons. Nevertheless, if a person did wish to try to challenge this book I would refer them to the ALA’s website for challenge forms and guidelines found at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm
11. Why was it selected?
I wanted to see how “bad” this book really was.
12. Citations
American Library Association. (2009). Attempts to ban books in U.S. continue. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/september2009/bbw2009_oif.cfm
Challenges to library materials. (2010). In American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm
Gossipgirl.net. (2010). Cecily Von Ziegesar. Retrieved from http://www.gossipgirl.net/author/
Nussbaum, E. (2005). Psst, Serena is a slut. Pass it on. In New York Books. Retrieved from http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/books/12058/
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Amazon.com. (2010). Gossip girl #1: A novel (Gossip girl series) (Paperback). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Gossip-Girl-Novel/dp/0316910333/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272776316&sr=1-9#noop
13. Awards
None found, however, the seventh novel of this series did debut at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List for Children and the books have been made into a television series on the CW.
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