What the Characters From "The Parent Trap" Would Be Reading
No science behind this, just vibes
After last week’s post, I think it’s best if we have more of a lighthearted discussion this week.
Those who know me know that Nancy Meyers’s The Parent Trap is my number one comfort movie. I grew up watching it over and over at my grandma’s house, and not only is it perfect for summer; it’s just a lovely movie in every way. The performances are fantastic (Lindsay Lohan was eleven doing all that!), the humor still holds up, the costuming and vibes are immaculate, and the soundtrack is top notch. I’ve always loved it so much that I can quote entire scenes from memory (I’m looking at you, scene where Chessy realizes it’s Annie and not Hallie).
And since I’m a book gal, and pretty much always think about books, reading, or plotting what I’ll read next, I love applying that lens to other forms of media. For some reason, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what the characters in this movie would read (the reason being revealed later in this Substack), and I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts.
So: let’s get into it!
Elizabeth James
I think that Elizabeth, being a stylish and sophisticated woman, would have a fabulous TBR on Goodreads. She’d probably love tasteful and emotionally restrained stories with sprawling, elegant, achingly beautiful prose. You’d find slim paperbacks with folded corners in her purses and totes or next to her reading glasses on her nightstand.
Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan
The reason for this Substack in the first place. I recently read this for the first time and all I could think about was that a woman like Elizabeth James would enjoy reading this. There’s an elegant, melancholy sensuality about it that fits her perfectly, and I’m convinced she would have read it as a teen and it would have shaped her.
The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things by Paula Byrne
Jane Austen is a literary staple in her mind, and Elizabeth would love the occasional great non-fiction. She’d treasure this intimate biography which illuminates Austen’s life through the quiet details and everyday objects that shaped her world. It’s the perfect match for Elizabeth’s refined taste; a subtle, elegant exploration of a literary icon whose wit and restraint she deeply admires.
The Essential Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson (with an introduction by Joyce Carol Oates)
Something about Elizabeth James suggests to me that she’s a poetry fan, and Dickinson has the perfect combination of delicate phrasing, nature imagery, and complexity. It’s highly introspective, at times melancholic, and always nuanced.
Nick Parker
In no way do I think Nick Parker is a big reader. That being said, I think that every once in a while, he reads something and it stands out to him. He’d like books that are unpretentious, thoughtful, and maybe a little emotional, even if he won’t admit that last part. Also, something about him screams enjoying the occasional thriller or scary novel.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
It’s got everything that would draw him in: a real-life hero, athleticism, WWII grit, survival, redemption, and it’s all told in a cinematic, deeply emotional way. He probably started it thinking it was just a war book and ended it emotionally wrecked and kind of in awe.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Definitely a guilty pleasure read he’d keep on the down low. It’s got nature, mystery, emotional depth, and it’s the kind of book that would stick with him long after he finished it.
Different Seasons by Stephen King (and The Body in particular)
Something about Nick Parker makes me think that he’d be a fan of Stephen King. Though he’d like horror well enough, it’s the character-driven, grounded stories that he’d like the most (think The Green Mile). Out of the four stories in this collection, The Body would definitely be his favorite due to it being an eerie, nostalgic summer read.
Meredith Blake
Boy oh boy. Meredith was a bit of a doozy to think about. What would a woman like her read?! I’ve come to this conclusion: she would read books that reflect her, at least externally. She reads like she dresses: sleek, curated, and with a bit of bite and menace.
The Coworker by Freida McFadden
Meredith is unfortunately the type to read thrillers where she projects onto the sexy, misunderstood protagonist, convinced she's the victim/hero/all-in-one. She’d read this book thinking she’s like Natalie, the beautiful, underestimated, wronged main character. In reality, she’s like Dawn, the suspicious girl no one sees coming. She also strikes me as the type to annotate religiously, but never admit in public that she enjoyed reading it.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
I feel like this doesn’t need explaining. She’d definitely tell people she read it for the plot or the prose. In reality, she read it for Amy.
Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis or The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Unfortunately, I can’t help myself and say that Meredith seems like the type to read self-help. She’s the aspirational, “self-improvement-era” gal who thinks reading self-help makes her deep when it really just gives her an inflated sense of moral superiority and a recycled vocabulary of therapy terms. She’d read these books cover to cover and believe they changed her life. These books didn’t really heal her, but they did justify her cutting off three coworkers she wronged and calling it “growth.”
Chessy
Honestly, Chessy being a big reader is kind of a no-brainer. That woman just exudes member-of-a-book-club energy. She loves cozy, sensory, warm-hearted reads that feel like a hug and would be especially drawn to memoirs, family stories, and food writing.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten
Have I read this memoir? No. But I just know Chessy would eat it up. Chessy being a fan of Ina Garten is canon at this point.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
This is a total Chessy read: layered family drama, mother-daughter dynamics, and that slow-burn intensity that builds until everything explodes. She’d be deeply invested in every character and would definitely have opinions on who was right. And listen, if it’s been on Reese’s Book Club, it’s probably on her shelf.
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
This would be Chessy’s read-in-one-sitting book. She’d expect a fun, twisty romance, but then get walloped by the emotional weight of it. She’d love the themes of unexpected change, friendship, and figuring out what really matters. She’d also probably cry reading the last few chapters with a glass of Chardonnay in hand.
Martin
This man is an intellectual with a flair for the dramatic, so of course he loves reading. He’s a classicist at heart, values wit, and is a sucker for a good romance. I can imagine him reading books aloud to himself when nobody is home.
The Shakespeare sonnets
He has memorized more of these than he’d like to admit. He has a soft spot for the romantic ones, and I can fully picture him reciting Sonnet 116 to Chessy on their “picnic” while everyone was gone on the camping trip.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Dorian Gray is peak Martin. It’s stylish, witty, a little decadent, and filled with philosophical musing and gorgeous prose. Martin would adore Wilde’s language, be drawn to the theatricality of the story, and probably have complicated feelings about Lord Henry (don’t we all?).
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
I had to include a modern fiction pick on his list because Martin isn’t too stuffy. The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is intricate, stylish, and absolutely dripping in that manor house drama he’d eat up. It’s part Agatha Christie, part Groundhog Day, and entirely his cup of tea.
Grandfather
Dignified and comfortingly old-fashioned, Grandfather would love reading! I mean, just imagine him sitting in his study with a good book while it rains outside! I’m also almost certain that he’d prefer hardcovers, and is a slow and deliberate reader.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
He rereads it every December with a glass of port by the fire. He’d appreciate the moral weight, the second chances, and the Victorian moodiness. In fact, I imagine that Grandfather would just really enjoy Dickens as an author and recommend his books to Annie often.
Shakespeare plays, particularly the historical ones or tragedies
Grandfather is most likely a Shakespeare buff. He’d probably like Henry IV Part 1 and Hamlet best. They’re full of political intrigue, complex characters, and themes of mortality, duty, and reflection. Plus, Hamlet’s famous soliloquies are iconic and often memorized by literature lovers, and he’d definitely be able to recite passages by heart.
Nutshell by Ian McEwan
This is the closest he’d ever get to reading modern fiction, solely because it’s based on Hamlet. He might blush or get flustered at its cheeky, racier moments, but the Shakespearean roots and sharp storytelling would win him over.
Annie James
I imagine that Annie is much like her mother and enjoys polished, romantic melancholy. She likes stories that unfold slowly with beautiful prose and big emotional payoff. And I definitely think that she’d read big or complex books just to prove how smart she is.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
This would be Annie’s favorite Austen, no question. She’d love Elinor’s quiet strength and deep loyalty. The bond between the Dashwood sisters would resonate with her especially post-reunion with Hallie. She’d see pieces of both herself and Hallie in Elinor and Marianne’s dynamic. It’s romantic, refined, and just restrained enough to feel proper.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Beneath Annie’s polished exterior is a sharp mind that loves a good puzzle. She just strikes me as the type to secretly love outsmarting someone at a board game or round of cards. The Westing Game appeals to her competitive streak and fascination with mysteries. She’d delight in piecing together clues and playing the game from the comfort of a cozy armchair.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
This book highlights Annie’s deep love for family bonds, classic literature, and powerful sister dynamics (much like Sense and Sensibility). Out of all the sisters, I imagine she’d relate to Meg, whose quiet strength, sense of duty, and theatrical streak remind her of herself. It’s warm, timeless, and perfectly fits her romantic, introspective side.
Hallie Parker
Much like her father, I don’t think Hallie would be a huger reader. I do think though that if she reads, the stories will be accessible with strong-willed female protagonists. If a book makes her feel seen or teaches her something about the world, she’ll love it.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In my mind, Hallie and Fleetwood Mac is a perfect pairing. The California cool, the denim and fringe; she is the kind of girl who’d idolize Stevie Nicks, and Rumours would be a road trip staple with her and Nick. So of course, she’d devour Daisy Jones & The Six. She’d love the band drama, the love story, the heartbreak, all of it. By the end, she’d be declaring that she, too, would have thrived in the 70s.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
She most definitely had this as required reading for school and then inadvertently enjoyed it. It opened her eyes up to the world, and she probably felt a kinship to Scout in some ways. Also the connection Scout has with Atticus is near and dear to Hallie. There’s something in that father-daughter bond that mirrors her own relationship with Nick.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
This is definitely a Chessy recommendation. I can picture Hallie sitting outside in a hammock or on the porch reading this cover to cover, and feeling like the girls in the book were real, like actual friends. I also think that this would send her down a Judy Blume rabbit hole, and she’d love how Blume wrote honestly about girls’ lives in a world that tried to ban her books.
And, of course, Tie Dye Girl from Camp Walden
Okay, I’m pretty sure her name was Nicole, but she’s infamously known as Tie Dye Girl. She’s that cool girl everyone wants to be friends with. If she is seen reading something, everyone else at camp will want to read it too. She reads like she does everything else: effortlessly. (I mean, did you see how she grabbed her duffle? Now, that’s my kind of woman!) She’d probably love coming of age stories, manic pixie dream girls, and cult classics.
Paper Towns by John Green
She read this at exactly the right age, probably around 13 or 14, and it imprinted on her. She was obsessed with Margo Roth Spiegelman and definitely wanted to be as mysterious and edgy as her.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
She was definitely drawn to its raw honesty, the quiet struggle of feeling like an outsider, and the beauty of finding your people. And even though she’d think the book was way better than the movie, she’d be playing Bowie’s “Heroes” on repeat.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
She totally brought this to camp in her duffle bag. She doesn’t fully like Holden Caulfield but she gets him. Even though she claims she hates the books they make you read for school, this is the exception. She probably stared at the wall for a few minutes after finishing it.
I hope you enjoyed this! I really loved writing this and found it very fun. :)
Thank you for reading this week! I hope you’re doing well. I appreciate you <3
- Lillian
I LOVE THIS!!!! PLEASE DO MORE OF THESE!!! Chessy is that girl and she obv has a big ol bookshelf full of all the best reads. You know an Ina Garten “Barefoot Contessa” is in the kitchen too.