Queen B, S, Little J, and other iconic Gossip Girl characters have changed many aspiring Upper East Siders including me, and Gossip Girl has claimed the title of “my favorite show” for many. Most Gossip Girl fanatics have rewatched the show countless times and have memorized the script for each episode, word for word. 

Sophomore Emilie Conner says that “Gossip Girl didn’t seem that interesting at first, but once [she] started watching it with [her] mom, [she] was hooked and kept wanting more.” 

However, many of these Gossip Girl experts are unaware that the classic New York show was based on a book series written by Cecily Von Ziegesar. After reading the books and watching the show, I am shocked by the number of major differences, and how they completely change the plot for the show. 

The most shocking difference to me was the fact that Chuck and Blair’s relationship never happened in the books. Chuck and Blair’s relationship was the reason many fans watched the show. The attraction of opposites and their individual needs to succeed and protect familial legacies while still loving each other was one of the most interesting aspects of the show. Not only did Chuck and Blair overcome almost every humanly imaginable obstacle (including an evil father who tried to kill his own son), but their individual paths were also influenced by their relationship, and they wouldn’t have ended up where they did without each other. Chuck also happens to be a side character in the books and does not possess any significance in the books. In the books, Eric, Serena’s younger and gay brother is older than she is and also straight. He even dates Blair for a little bit. Rufus and Lily also don’t have any sort of relationship in the books. 

Jenny idolizing Blair and wanting to be the queen of Constance was the main focus of the show for parts of season 2 and 3. However, Jenny idolizes Serena and not Blair in the books. Vanessa and Blair are also roommates in the books when Blair attends NYU. In the show, Vanessa and Blair are enemies and it is rare to ever see them together. Thankfully, Blair and Dan never date in the books, and Serena and Dan barely even date. The Humphreys also live on the Upper West Side in the books, which completely changes the way we view and think of the Humphreys. 

Last but not least, the identity of Gossip Girl is never revealed in the books. In the show, Dan is revealed to be Gossip Girl in the finale episode. However, the book ends in a cliffhanger, and we are left to ponder the identity of Gossip Girl.

There are many more differences that will leave you shocked. I would recommend the books to anyone who loves the show and hope that they enjoy it as much as I did.

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