Gossip Girl #1: A Novel (Gossip Girl Series)

The worst book I have ever read. who really cares about rich brats and their "tragic lives." This probably only appeals to rich white kids. Which i am not.

I read this book because I'm getting a Masters in writing YA fiction, and I know that this series is hot right now. I thought, Hey, it'll be a fun, guilty pleasure (which seems to be the publicist's catch phrase).

Wow, was I ever disappointed. It wasn't the drinking or the sex or the pot smoking, or even the utterly wretched ideals this book puts forth that shocked me: it was how incredibly dull the book was. I could hardly finish it. The characters aren't characters, they're just names. I found it difficult to tell them apart, since they had no personalities. The dialogue was pathetic, the plot was non-existent, and even the vices were boring and unoriginal. For a "story" about people who are supposed to be so interested in art and fashion, there was a shocking lack of actual style in this book, and the omnicient narrator was just irritating. Every time she signed off with, "You know you love me," I couldn't help rolling my eyes. I had quite a headache by the time I finished.

Luckily, the boredom put me right to sleep.

This worthless piece of excrement is the teen version of Mills & Boon - formulaic, trashy and forgotten as soon as the bad taste leaves your mouth. I had hopes for this book as a light and easy guilty-pleasure read. Alas, not one character in this book is in the least appealing, the "plot" is ... well, non-existent, and the writing is lazy, clumsy and jarring, what with those frequent foreshadowing comments inserted into the prose as if the narrator can't bear to be left out of the action.

(I found the first example of narrative intrusion on the third page:

"He was trying to get the kid to loosen up a little. All these Upper East Side kids were way too uptight.

That's what he thinks. Give them time."

If Cecily von Ziegesar had the slightest idea of how to write, she'd realise that you have to let a story tell itself. Instead I just want to tell her to [...] out.)

It's a pretty sad indictment of this book that the only times I roused myself from ennui while reading it were to fling it across the room in disgust at von Ziegesar's incompetence in all things literary. HOW did this series ever get published? Oh, wait. It must be a product endorsement thing. After all, the only time the writing gets the least bit passionate is when von Ziegesar is salivating over designer labels.

Truly, utterly dreadful. Burn this book the next time you need firewood. At least then it'd be good for something.

Cecily von Ziegesar's first launch in the Gossip Girl series brings you into the lives of some of New York City's wealthiest families. Throughtout the novel there is the mysterious, unknown gossip girl who answers questions and talks about what everone is doing. The book starts off when Serena van der Woodsen arrives back from boarding school. Blair Waldorf, her used-to-be-best-friend, now hates her, and everyone is spreading rumors about why she is back and how she spents her suummer and why she got kicked out of boarding school. All of Serena's old friends are now mistrteating her, while Blair's boyfriend, Nate Archbald, tries to hook up with her. Serena meets Dan and Jenny Humphrey, while trying out for a part in Vanessa Abrams movie for the Constance Billard movie festival. Dan has a huge crush on her and Jenny looks to her as a role model, because she is stunning. Unfortunately Vanessa gets jealous and gives the part to someone else, but Serena still talks to Dan. Serena is now getting used to not having very many friends, even though she is the it girl of New York City. This novel shows what gossip can do to people. Overall Cecily did a great job. This book is really interesting. Yes there are some inaapropriate parts and some profanity, but you can get over it. This book keeps you interested in whats going to happen and is a real page turner.

I picked up the book, thinking it was gonna be something good, its about Rich Stuck Up manhattan girls who compete who is better,theres so much drama, not my ideal book...if you like drama and gossip then read the book.