As the leaves start to fall, the weather gets colder, and the days get shorter, it’s the perfect time to curl up, read, and watch TV. The show Gilmore Girls is a fan favorite, especially in the fall. Protagonist Rory Gilmore is often seen on screen with her head in a book, which is why we’ve compiled a list of five must-read books spotted on Gilmore Girls to make you feel like you’re in the comforting town of Stars Hollow. Keep reading to find out what they are!
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
In the later seasons, Rory Gilmore talks about Charlotte Brontë. This novel is the gothic tale of Jane Eyre from childhood to adolescence as she lives with her cruel aunt, Mrs. Reed, and cousins. To escape, Jane gets a job at Thornfield Hall where she meets and falls in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester. As Jane spends more time at Thornfield Hall and gets closer to Mr. Rochester, strange secrets seem to uncover themselves.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
In season one, Rory is seen lending Dean her copy of Northanger Abbey, her first boyfriend. This is a coming-of-age novel written and set in the Regency period. This book follows the protagonist, Catherine Morland, a 17-year-old girl with a love for Gothic novels and a vivid imagination. When family friends invite Catherine to spend some time in Bath, she meets the perfect suitor, Henry Tilney, and befriends his sister, Eleanor Tilney. After getting invited to stay at Northanger Abbey, Catherine’s imagination gets the best of her, and she finds it hard to separate real life from the Gothic novels she loves to read.
Emma by Jane Austen
Another period piece recommended by Rory to her boyfriend Dean in season one, Emma by Jane Austen, is a must-read book spotted on Gilmore Girls. Emma Woodhouse is a popular matchmaker in her town who isn’t concerned with finding a match for herself. The novel follows Emma as she tries to find a great suitor for her friend, Harriet Smith. Even though Emma’s good friend, Mr. Knightley, warns her to stay away from interfering in other people’s lives, she can’t help it and finds herself in a number of unexpected situations.
Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
This horror novel follows a couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, as they move into a new place and begin to notice strange things about their neighbors. Soon after, Rosemary’s husband starts acting just as weird as the neighbors, and Rosemary finds herself pregnant. The entire pregnancy is a haunting experience for Rosemary, as things don’t seem normal and slowly begin to reveal themselves as the novel goes on.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Rory can be seen reading this dispiriting book on screen in season one, and it’s mentioned again in season 4. The Bell Jar is semi-autobiographical and follows Esther Greenwood’s mental health journey as she interns at a New York fashion magazine during the summer of 1953. This book follows the ups and downs of finding one’s identity, navigating mental illness, and meeting social expectations.
From thrillers to gothics and period pieces, Rory Gilmore seems to have diverse reading tastes. Let us know if you’ve read any of these!
Interested in The Rory Gilmore reading challenge? Read this for some motivation.
A lot of Classics were recommended in this article; click here for some more!
