Customer Rating:  
Summary: Vapid and Shallow -- and Not In A Good Way
Comment: This and all other Gossip Girl books read like an ad for over-priced consumer goods. I got my hands on all the books at once because I enjoyed (still enjoy) the television show inspired by the series and because I was about to be laid up in bed, recovering from surgery, for awhile. I didn't want anything too heavy to read -- just some mindless and simple fun.
The Gossip Girl books are mindless and simple alright, but they are not fun. I can't believe Ziegesar stretched the books out as long as she did (Furthermore, I can't believe I read them. The painkillers must have anesthetized my judgment as well!) because all twelve (count them, TWELVE) books tell basically the same story over and over: spoiled teens having too much sex, doing too many drugs, and having too little parental supervision. You would think that a combination like that could at least be entertaining, but no. Ziegesar manages to muck up the most basic of premises and turn it into something incredibly boring.
The underripe cherry on the flavorlese sundae is that every other sentence contains references to expensive consumer goods. Whether it be three thousand dollar jeans, a bottle of Cristal, or just the Hampton's Jitney, the message is clear: life is just better when you have mo' stuff. I wasn't censored in my reading as a child, and I wouldn't encourage anyone to forbid their children from reading these books, but if you see your adolescent daughter/niece/neighbor heading towards these books in a library or bookstore, do whatever is necessary to distract them towards better fare. These books will do nothing but encourage them to be glassy eyed, sulking consumers.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good book, but not the best.
Comment: It's not the best book, but I did find it pretty good.
S is back from boarding school. Her hair is longer, paler. Her blue eyes have that deep mysteriousness of kept secrets...If we aren't careful, S is going to win our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, eat the last olive, spill Campari on our rugs, Steal our brothers' and boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way.
Gossip Girl is filled with gossip, scandal, jealousy, and betrayal.
It's a very engrossing book. Once you enter, it's hard to extract yourself
Customer Rating:
Summary: This is Manhattan, 2008: New York was never so scandalous
Comment: Better than the tv series, but that's just me. Gossip Girl is one blog you don't want to miss out on. From the beginning to the end, it keeps you interested, relating things you go through, only on a much--wealthier-level. A must read for all those who are looking for a good book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Spotted: Another SCANDALOUS Novel
Comment: I've had the first installment of the series in my possession since the year it came out. With all of the hype that surrounded it, I was eager to read it, yet kept putting it off. Now, it's a popular TV series (one of my FAVORITES by the way) and I decided that since I am hooked on the show, why not give the book(s) a try.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, this novel left much to be desired. It doesn't live up to the hype of the series -- and usually when you talk about books and movies/shows it's the other way around -- and I believe that's what left me unmoved. I expected the book to be MUCH better. Now, don't get me wrong, the GOSSIP GIRL novel is a juicy one, but it's missing something. The characters lacked a sense of vigor but if you're a gossip-monger, do you really mind?
GOSSIP GIRL is a strictly a "for entertainment purposes" type of book and reminds me of the ever-present celebrity scandals that bombard our TV sets and newspapers on a regular basis. Definitely NOT for the young and impressionable. 3 stars.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Too immature for older readers, too gossipy for young readers
Comment: I love the television show and got this book to see how it compared, suffering the embarrassment of being a 19-year-old in the Young Adult section. "Gossip Girl" can be fairly enjoyable at times, but I'm not quite sure what audience it's catered to. I finished the book in about an hour and a half- the reading is a bit oversimplified. The characters are interesting enough, but one-dimensional. All of this is expected for the young teenage book set. But other parts of the book are troubling. It doesn't bother me that the characters do drugs and have casual sex- I've been reading books about all that for years. The problem is that they suffer absolutely no consequences for their actions- no STDs, no arrests, no angry parents. The characters are still seen as people to look up to and people who get good grades. Sure, in the book the characters deal with some problems, but nothing like they would in real life. If you're a mature teen who enjoys semi-trashy chick lit, then "Gossip Girl" will do the trick. Otherwise, stay away. Maybe try the TV show instead.
|
