Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Literature / GossipGirl

Go To

1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gossip_girl.jpeg]]
2%% [[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
3
4'''''Gossip Girl''''' is a series of {{young adult|literature}} novels written by Cecily von Ziegesar.
5
6The books follow [[CastFullOfRichPeople a cast of rich kids living in New York City]] and their various exploits. Characters include reformed bad girl Serena van der Woodsen, {{Determinator}} [[LovableAlphaBitch queen bee]] of the Upper East Side Blair Waldorf, [[TheStoner stoner]] {{Prince Charming}} Nate Archibald, TheCasanova Chuck Bass, and middle class loser Dan Humphrey.
7
8A number of old friends, new friends and love shapes make things even more complicated, but the biggest wild card is [[TheFaceless Gossip Girl]], a mysterious blogger who seems to be following them around and recording their movements and actions. Naturally, the characters don't like this at all, but Gossip Girl's identity remains unknown despite all attempts to discover it.
9
10The main series was published between 2002 and 2009, with various spinoffs released intermittently throughout. There also exists a {{manhwa}} series by Hye-Kyung Baek as well as an OtomeGame by Creator/VoltageInc.
11
12[[folder:Books in the ''Gossip Girl'' series]]
13!! Main series:
14* ''Gossip Girl'' (2002)
15* ''You Know You Love Me'' (2003)
16* ''All I Want is Everything'' (2003)
17* ''Because I'm Worth It'' (2003)
18* ''I Like It Like That'' (2004)
19* ''You're the One That I Want'' (2004)
20* ''Nobody Does It Better'' (2005)
21* ''Nothing Can Keep Us Together'' (2005)
22* ''Only in Your Dreams'' (2006)
23* ''Would I Lie to You?'' (2006)
24* ''Don't You Forget About Me'' (2007)
25* ''It Had to Be You'' (2007)
26* ''I Will Always Love You'' (2009)
27
28!! ''Gossip Girl: The Carlyles'' [[note]]Spinoff series about the Carlyle triplets[[/note]]
29* ''Gossip Girl: The Carlyles'' (2008)
30* ''You Just Can't Get Enough'' (2008)
31* ''Take a Chance on Me'' (2009)
32* ''Love the One You're With'' (2009)
33
34!! ''Literature/TheItGirl'' [[note]]Spinoff series about Jenny Humphrey, Dan's sister[[/note]]
35* ''The It Girl'' (2005)
36* ''Notorious'' (2006)
37* ''Reckless'' (2006)
38* ''Unforgettable'' (2007)
39* ''Lucky'' (2007)
40* ''Tempted'' (2008)
41* ''Infamous'' (2008)
42* ''Adored'' (2009)
43* ''Devious'' (2009)
44* ''Classic'' (2010)
45
46!! Other works
47* ''Psycho Killer'' (2011) [[note]]Standalone parody reimagining Serena and Blair as serial killers[[/note]]
48* ''Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only'' (2011 — 2013) [[note]]Manga adaptation by Creator/YenPress[[/note]]
49[[/folder]]
50
51The books were adapted into [[Series/GossipGirl2007 a television series of the same name]] that aired on Creator/TheCW from 2007 to 2012, which was then followed by a {{soft reboot}} continuation on Creator/HBOMax premiering in 2021.
52
53----
54!! Tropes in the novels include:
55* ABNegative: Rufus and Dan, but not baby Milo.
56* DCupDistress: A major source of Jenny’s insecurities are her breasts that are disproportionately large for her small body.
57* FlirtyStepsiblings / NotBloodSiblings: Blair and Aaron are depicted as this.
58* FranchiseZombie: Cecily von Ziegesar only wrote the first 8 books of the original series. The last four books, and the two spinoffs, ''The It Girl'' and ''Gossip Girl: The Carlyles,'' are ghostwritten.
59* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Most of the books are named after or very close to song titles and/or lyrics.
60* LateForSchool: A notable character trait of Serena's.
61* MilitarySchool: Chuck gets sent to one in the book series.
62* NoPeriodsPeriod: Averted in the book series, where menstruation is discussed and depicted.
63* OddCouple: Blair and Vanessa end up becoming roommates.
64* PetTheDog:
65** In a later novel, Blair’s thoughts make it clear that she recognizes Jenny as the “whore” who “stole” Nate from her (although, unbeknownst to Blair, Jenny hadn’t known he was dating Blair at the time) but also empathizes with her since Nate has since dumped her in a humiliating fashion, and makes an effort to be nice to her. Quite forgiving for a character largely depicted as a ClingyJealousGirl and an AlphaBitch.
66** Despite her jealousy over Dan, Vanessa films Serena’s film for her and helps out with the idea.
67** Serena wins the film contest and goes out of her way to credit and thank Vanessa for helping her.
68* PlotHole: A few in the later books, possibly because a ghostwriter took over partway through the series. The most notable one is regarding a film contest that Serena and Vanessa both enter in the second book, which Serena is explicitly mentioned to have won. A few books later, it's just kind of decided that Vanessa won instead, with no explanation whatsoever.
69* {{Retcon}}: Regarding the film contest that Serena and Vanessa both enter in the second novel. Serena enters on a whim and wins, but a few novels later the story instead decides that Vanessa won.

Top