The book I chose for this category was originally chosen for the “a book based on or turned into a TV show” category. It fits here too. For this category I read Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar. I will admit that I watched the entire Gossip Girl TV series 3 times. It was a guilty pleasure. Until now, I had not picked up one of the books.
For those of you who don’t know Gossip Girl follows the lives of “Manhattan’s Elite.” This means that we get to peek inside the lives of the richest, most spoiled, trend-setting, teenagers in the country. These are kids who throw fundraisers for birds and drink at clubs and hotel bars. They want for nothing. While I realize that this is not an accurate portrayal of high school life, it does still take place there.
If you recall (if you have read other reviews I’ve written), I teach high school. I am surrounded by these kids 5 days a week (more if we have a debate tournament/trip). This book is not representative of the average high school experience. BUT...there are still issues presented in the book that are very real. Kids doing whatever it takes to fit in, dealing with their parents’ divorce, and battling eating disorders. These are some serious topics that average teenagers are faced with all the time. I see it. The book also tackles teenage drinking and drug use, the pressures to have sex, and the longing to be someone you are not. So, while this book (and I assume the rest of the series) is more fantasy than reality, it definitely does incorporate themes that we all dealt with during our high school careers.
As for the writing, it isn’t great. Although I did enjoy the TV show, I don’t anticipate reading any more of the book series. There are many times throughout that the book was difficult to follow – because it wasn’t quite adding up, not because it was complex. I think what helped me is that I was familiar with the show. Even though the show decided to eliminate some characters presented in this first book, I was still able to follow the story because I had already seen it.
Overall, this book does address some major high school issues, but it wasn’t even developed fully enough to really sink in. It was as if the author just introduced the issues and hoped to develop them later, but forgot. The only issue that was developed at all was the idea that it is important to focus on your future. Serena, one of the main characters, returns from a boarding school and realizes that she hasn’t done any extra-curricular activities and won’t look very desirable to colleges. Throughout the book she thinks about “getting serious” and focusing on her future, but doesn’t ever really act on it.
The rest of the series might develop these ideas more fully, but personally, I would rather just watch them. The books might be fun for middle school kids to read, but there isn’t much to them.
2 Stars