There are times in life where you need to stand up tall, swallow your pride and admit your mistakes. Today I'm doing just that.

Around this time last year I gave my first impressions of a new teen drama series, labelling its characters "wooden" and its plot "completely uninteresting". Fast forward twelve months and I'm totally obsessed with Josh Schwartz's Gossip Girl, the finest in the genre since Josh Schwartz's The O.C.

So there we have it. I was wrong. (In my defence, the version of the pilot I saw was quite crappy and was subsequently "re-worked" before the series aired - but that's not for here). So much have I become hooked on the antics of our gang from the Upper East Side that I recently decided to delve deeper and read the books that provided the inspiration for the series.

The novels - from the magnificently-named Cecily von Ziegesar - are, somewhat predictably, much less clean-cut than their small screen namesake. The behaviour is more outrageous (drugs, urination, attempted rape), the language is more colourful (young Jenny is fond of the 's' word) and the interactions are racier (Nate's "hard-on" makes a fleeting appearance on page 136).

In fact, as if by magic, here's a table to clearly and comprehensively outline the major differences!

Character In the TV show...In the book...
Serena
van der
Woodsen
(Blake Lively)		Is the girl every other girl wants to be, with a not entirely deserved 'wild' reputationIs the girl every other girl wants to be, with a decidedly deserved 'wild' reputation
Returned after a year away at boarding school to see her brotherReturned after being kicked out of boarding school for choosing parties instead of studies
Has a free and single mother, plus institutionalised younger brotherHas both a mother and a father, plus older brother away at university
Rejects Chuck's advances with easeRejects Chuck's advances with ease, before puking on a pavement
Blair Waldorf
(Leighton Meester)		Is an absolute bitch - especially to "best friend" SerenaIs even more of a bitch - especially to "best friend" Serena
Is desperate to lose her virginity to NateIs desperate to lose her virginity to Nate and almost does, before he confesses to the one-night stand
Nate Archibald
(Chace Crawford)		Is the handsome boyfriend of Blair, who really loves SerenaIs the handsome boyfriend of Blair, who really loves Serena
Had a one-night stand with Serena after a school partyParted Serena's "Red Sea" at his house one summer's day - twice
Has a dad with a drug habitHas a drug habit himself
Dan Humphrey
(Penn Badgley)		Is good-natured and slightly boringIs a loner who reads "morbid, existentialist poetry about the bitter fate of being human" and likes to "live on the edge"
Wouldn't dream of putting anything untoward in his mouthHas a terrible smoking habit
Fawns after SerenaStill fawns after Serena
Has a cool, ex-rocker father named Rufus who loves his children to bitsHas an embarrassing, balding, ex-rocker father named Rufus who lashes out at his kids
Has an ex-girlfriend called Vanessa, who stirs up his relationship with SerenaHas a friend called Vanessa - a fellow outsider, with a shaven head - who stirs up his relationship with Serena
Chuck Bass
(Ed Westwick)		Is a primary characterIs a minor character
Is arrogant beyond beliefIs still arrogant beyond belief
Is a serial womaniserIs a serial womaniser - but with added gay tendencies
Jenny Humphrey
(Taylor Momsen)		Is a polite young girl who struggles to get noticedStruggles not to get noticed thanks to her "incredibly huge" boobs. At 14, she's a size 34D
Idolises BlairIdolises Serena
Looks up to her older brother DanFinds her older brother Dan obstructive, and often swears at him


There we have proof, were it ever needed, that I have way too much time on my hands.

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