Gossip Girl (2002) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Blair Cornelia Waldorf: As the reigning queen of Constance, it's a wonder our little vixen has any time for her favorite extracurricular activity—getting cozy with UES hottie Nate Archibald. From her ruby ring to her perfectly tailored cardigans, Blair is a true disciple of Audrey Hepburn. She also used to be friends with the famous boarding school drop out, Serena.
• Serena Caroline van der Woodsen: With her navy blue eyes, flowing blonde hair, and statuesque figure, who doesn't want to be Serena van der Woodsen? After all, the only thing more stunning than her smile is her family's bank account. But remember: wherever S goes, scandal is bound to follow.
• Charles Bartholomew 'Chuck' Bass: With looks like he was plucked straight out of an aftershave commercial, Chuck is the ultimate UES party host. But be careful, ladies: whether he's dashing around the UES in his Jaguar convertible or showing off his pet monkey, the City is his jungle, and C is a predator, indeed.
• Nathaniel Fitzwilliam Archibald: With his wavy brown hair and deep green eyes, Nate commands a sailboat like he does women's hearts—effortlessly. But if Blair thinks she or any other woman can pin him down, she better take off those rose-tinted Prada glasses. Word is that N isn't the type to take himself completely off the market.
• Daniel Jonah Humphrey: Pale, shaggy, and rock star thin, Dan is St. Jude's official American Apparel ambassador. When he's not pounding back coffee or tweaking his poetic musings, he's obsessing over his one true love—Serena van der Woodsen. But be careful, D, you can't always get what you want. He is currently beginning to work on a film with his long friend Vanessa, who may or may not have a crush on him.
• Jennifer Tallulah Humphrey: A burgeoning young Brooklynite with UES aspirations, Jenny Humphrey stands out from her classmates—and with her 34D chest size it's certainly not hard to command their attention. But don't be fooled by her soft tresses and doe eyes. Deep down, J is as ambitious as any other queen of the UES.
• Isabel Siobhan Coates: The daughter of the famous actor, Arthur Coates. She is also one of Blair's friends, classmates or minions. Isabel and Kati can always be seen following Blair around.
• Kati Farkas: One of Blair's friends, classmates or minions. You can always see her with Blair and Isabel. She always follows everything Blair says as her point of view.
• Cyrus Rose: A real estate developer who fell in love with Eleanor Waldorf. Father of Aaron and the future stepfather of Blair.
• Erik van der Woodsen: Serena's hunky older brother who goes to Brown. Him and Serena are pretty close. He loves frat parties and being in the top society clubs.
• Ms. Glos: Constance Billard School for Girls' College Advisor who doesn't care what her girls do as long as they can pass the school.
• Jeremy Scott Tompkinson: Nate's friend who smokes pot.
• Anthony Arthur Avuldsen: Nate's friend who smokes pot.
• Mr. Beckham: Film class teacher who teaches all of the girls at their academy school.
• Charles "Charlie" Cameron Dern: Nate's friend who spokes pot.
• Tyler Hugh Waldorf: Blair's little brother. He's obsessed with reading weird books.
• Vanessa Marigold Abrams: Vanessa is a Brooklyn-based hipster who dreams of attending NYU film school. Whether she's shaving her head or donning Doc Martens, V loves to stand out—and not always in a good way. But beneath her tough exterior, it looks like there's a certain someone V just can't seem to resist. Vanessa is also a very close friend to Dan.

Quotes edit see section history

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• “Serena Van Der Woodsen! What a lovely surprise!”

  Eleanor Waldorf

• “Hey Nate. It's Serena. I'm just calling to see what your up to.I thought we could go out tonight, but you know what?I'm tired. It's only ten, but I think i'm going to bed.I'll see you this weekend though, okay?I can't wait. Love you. Nighty-Night.”

  Serena van der Woodsen

• “Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality.”

  Oscar Wilde

• “Our shit stinks, but you can't smell it because the bathroom is sprayed hourly by the maid with a refreshing scent made exclusively for us by French perfumers.”

  Gossip Girl

• “Don't listen to a word that girl says. Girls like surprises. They want you to keep things interesting. You know what I mean.”

  Cyrus Rose

• “He's wearing her heart on his sleeve.”

• “Gossip and idle chat were amusing, but not at the expense of an old friend's feelings.”

  Mrs. Archibald's Thoughts

• “Bullshit! Hypocrite! All of these people are terrible gossips. And if you're going to do it, why not enjoy it?”

  Blair Waldorf

• “Serena: You parted my Red Sea!Nate: And now I will leave you here as a sacrifice to the Holy Land!”

• “You know you love me,Gossip Girl”

• “When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me.”

  Mrs. McLean

• “It rained every day you were gone.”

  Dan Humphrey (Referring to Serena)

• “At the heart of every fashion disaster is a hopeless romantic”

  Gossip Girl

• “Life is fragile and absurd.”

  Dan Humphrey's line

• “Social awareness is next to godliness”

  Gossip Girl

• “Boys are so predictable.”

  Vanessa Abrams

• “Oh, don't be a spoilsport. Gossip is sexy. Gossip is good. Not everybody does it, but everybody should!”

  Gossip Girl

• “The fabulous are fabulous for a reason, people.”

  Gossip Girl

• “No girl is ever too young to wear black.”

  Gossip Girl

• “You can't let assholes turn you into an asshole. You just have to fuck 'em.”

  Erik van der Woodsen

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• Gossip is sexy. Gossip is good. Not everybody does it, but everybody should!

  Highlighted by 52 Kindle customers

• “When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me.”

  Highlighted by 48 Kindle customers

• Who invented brunch anyway? The only decent place to be on Sunday mornings is in bed.

  Highlighted by 35 Kindle customers

• “You can’t let assholes turn you into an asshole. You just have to fuck ’em.”

  Highlighted by 23 Kindle customers

• When she looked up, little Jenny Humphrey had vanished from the dressing room. In her place was a dangerous, slutty sex goddess. Throw in a pair of kitten heels, a thong, and some Chanel Vamp lipstick, and she had it going on. No girl is ever too young to wear black.

  Highlighted by 10 Kindle customers

• gifted with the kind of coolness that you can’t acquire by buying the right handbag or the right pair of jeans. She was the girl every boy wants and every girl wants to be.

  Highlighted by 10 Kindle customers

• Our apartments are all within walking distance of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue,

  Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers

• She smelled like honey and sandalwood and lilies—her own essential-oil mixture.

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• Chuck didn’t need to read that book How to Win Friends and Influence People. He fucking wrote it.

  Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers

• Our shit still stinks, but you can’t smell it because the bathroom is sprayed hourly by the maid with a refreshing scent made exclusively for us by French perfumers. It’s a luxe life, but someone’s got to live it.

  Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Central Park
• Constance Billard
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• France
• Ridgefield
• Europe
• Brooklyn
• Upper East Side
• New York
• Maine
• Williamsburg

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• Falcon: n. 1. any of several birds of prey of the family Falconidae, esp. of the genus Falco,usually distinguished by long, pointed wings, a hooked beak with a tooth-like notch on each sideof the upper bill, and swift agile flight, typically diving to seize prey: some falcon species areclose to extinction.
• Peregrine falcon: a globally distributed falcon, Falco perigrinus, much used infalconry because of its swift flight.
• Waspoid: The elite version of the wasteoid, or stoner boy. Unlike the average stoner wasteoid, the Waspoid isn’t into metal or online dungeon games or skateboarding or eating vegan. He gets cute haircuts and has good skin. He smells nice, he wears the cashmere sweaters his girlfriend buys for him, he gets decent grades, and he’s sweet to his mom. He sails and plays soccer. He knows how to tie a necktie. He knows how to dance. He’s sexy! But the Waspoid never fully invests himself in anything or anyone. He isn’t a go-getter and he never says what’s on his mind. He doesn’t take risks.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• The Meaning of Friendship: The main characters battle between the importance of their friendship and their status.
• Status Symbols: Popularity is the ultimate goal of these characters. They want to be known by anyone and everyone, even if that means compromising their beliefs and friendships to get there.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by It Had to Be You, and followed by You Know You Love Me.

Preceded by To Kill a Mockingbird, and followed by The Giver.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Cecily Von Ziegesar (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• New York Times Bestseller

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.6

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Strong language and also some drug use and underage drinking. Ages 15 and up.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Teens › Social Issues › Dating & Intimacy › Fiction
• Books › Teens › Social Issues › Drug Use & Abuse › Fiction
• Books › Teens › Social Issues › Being a Teen
• Books › Teens › Series › Gossip Girl
• Books › Teens › Literature & Fiction

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books That Cite This Book edit see section history