Reading Like... Rory Gilmore
10 modern books Rory would definitely have in her TBR
Reading Like… is a brand new feature on my Substack where I create and share a TBR pile I think a specific character would like based on what I know about them. Whether they love reading or not, I think I can find the perfect book for them!
Who is Rory?
Portrayed by Alexis Bledel in Gilmore Girls from 2000 - 2007, Lorelai “Rory” Gilmore is a socially inept but well meaning bookworm living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. She’s the teen daughter and only child of single mother Lorelai Gilmore, who had Rory when she was just a teen herself. Most of the show revolves around Rory and her mom’s small town life, ambitions, and relationships, both with one another as well as with other people - grandparents, friends, lovers, etc.
Rory herself is very close and loyal to her mom, almost to a fault, often acting as the surrogate parent while her mom gallivants around doing silly things. Rory is driven and studious, with goals to attend a very prestigious private high school, Harvard University, and, later, ends up at Yale. Although she’s very book smart, she often finds those smarts don’t translate very well into social situations, especially when they involve boys.
An avid bookworm, Rory is often seen curled up with a chunky classic. She’s the type to love assigned reading lists, and although I’m not including any classics here, I think these are all books she’d be able to appreciate.
She’s also proven to enjoy darker fiction by reading books like Rebecca and The Shining, so I’m leaning into that preference with several of the books on the list!
Rory Gilmore’s TBR
MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION by Otessa Moshfegh
What It’s About: A very pretty, privileged woman feels empty despite all she has, and embarks on a journey to basically hibernate for a year with the help of her (very horrible) therapist & medicine.
Why Rory Would Like It: Although pretty much every character in this is incredibly unlikable, there are moments of relatability within this very unique character study that I think Rory would appreciate.
WOMAN, EATING by Claire Kohda
What It’s About: When a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-binging half-vampire becomes obsessed with eating the human food that makes her deathly ill, she must come to terms with herself, her complicated relationship with her overbearing mother, and most importantly of all: her hunger.
Why Rory Would Like It: A woman trying to find her own way in life out from under the shadow of her mother is something Rory would absolutely be able to relate to, even if the main character’s mother isn’t exactly like Lorelai.
A CERTAIN HUNGER by Chelsea G. Summers
What It’s About: With a smart and cunning food critic beginning to embrace her darker tendencies and horrifying urges, this book is the very epitome of the saying, “I support women’s rights, but I also support women’s wrongs”.
Why Rory Would Like It: For a book with graphic depictions of murder and cannibalism in it, this is written in such a poetic, beautiful way that I’m positive it’d be right up Rory’s reading alley.
OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA by Julia Armfield
What It’s About: When her wife leaves for an extended deep sea mission shrouded in mystery and unanswered questions, Miri can only sit and wait for her to return. But when she does, Miri finds that the woman she loves isn’t quite the same person she was before.
Why Rory Would Like It: This is on the weirder end of the spectrum in terms of books I think Rory may be able to handle, but the lit fic vibes are strong with this one, and I think that would tip the scales over in favor of this one for her.
SIRENS & MUSES by Antonia Angress
What It’s About: A group of fine arts students learn a lot about love, friendship, and themselves while attending school and later living in New York City. A sort of “light academia” book, this one has an intense sapphic relationship and a cast of complicated, somewhat volatile characters.
Why Rory Would Like It: A little bit pretentious, a little bit artsy, I think this would fit Rory’s later years aesthetic especially well. There’s a lot to think about with this one, specifically in regards to status and class in the art and academic world, that I think Rory could enjoy when you consider her low-to-middle class upbringing (despite her grandparent’s wealth).
NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney
What It’s About: Two friends-turned-lovers find themselves drawn back to one another over the course of several years, never quite able to fully align their desires, situations, or timing with one another.
Why Rory Would Like It: Although she may initially be put off by the writing style (the lack of quotation marks seems like a thing Rory wouldn’t super gel with), I think the actual story would be enough to captivate her attention, especially when you consider her history of troubled and complicated relationships, especially in terms of Jess and Logan.
TENDER IS THE FLESH by Agustina Bazterrica
What It’s About: In a future where animal meat is no longer safe to eat, society has turned to a dark and terrifying alternative to keep up with man’s supply for flesh.
Why Rory Would Like It: It may be super graphic, but it’s also very thought-provoking, which is a quality I believe Rory would love in her reading life.
TRUST by Hernan Diaz
What It’s About: A multi-layered story-within-a-story set in the 1920s New York about a secretive American financier & his wife on their rise to wealth, popularity, and power. Everyone knows them and knows their story - or do they?
Why Rory Would Like It: A Pulitzer-winning story described as both an “immersive story and literary puzzle”, I think the complexity of this one would appeal to Rory - not to mention the award giving her something to brag a little bit about.
Plus, because we know Rory loves herself a bit of good nonfiction…
ADULT CHILDREN OF EMOTIONALLY IMMATURE PARENTS by Lindsay Gibson
What It’s About: Written by a clinical psychologist, this explores the damage done by selfish & emotionally immature parents on their children, and how difficult it can be to navigate those relationships and experiences.
Why Rory Would Like It: This is probably the most self-explanatory book recommendation for Rory on this list, although I think it may possibly be the one she would be the most hesitant to actually read; sometimes we have a blind spot when it comes to the people we love.
EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE by Dolly Alderton
What It’s About: An emotional and heartfelt memoir about “growing up, growing older, and learning to navigate friendships, jobs, loss, and love along the ride”.
Why Rory Would Like It: Rory enjoys herself a good memoir every now and again, so this would definitely fit the bill for her - especially with Alderton being compared to Nora Ephron in promotional materials!
Do you have any book recs for Rory’s TBR? Have you read any of the books on this list? I’d love to know!
