04/18/2022
Following the death of her grandmother, 17-year-old white Shania Hester is uprooted from her rural life to the city of South Blue Rock, where her grandmother lived, to help her mother settle her affairs. There, Shania finds herself caught between new friend Michelle Broadus, who is Black, and popular white siblings Catherine and Prescott Tane. Shania is challenged to confront her unconscious bias toward the gentrifying community while repeatedly denying her white privilege. Tired of “walking through the minefield” of being white, Shania befriends the Tanes, who seemingly move through the world unaffected by the racial turmoil surrounding them. But after a devastating revelation threatens the image of both her grandmother and Prescott, Shania must acknowledge how her family’s history affects her present, and choose to either return to the safety of ignorance or forge a new path forward. While Black characters suffer violence and are relegated to unwilling participants in Shania’s journey, Cole (An Anatomy of Beasts) portrays Shania’s justifications of racism, and her resistance to examine her privilege, with unapologetic gravity. Through astute narration, Cole thoughtfully unpacks the costly consequences of passivity in the face of racism and the “little white lies” told to maintain the status quo. Ages 14–up. Agent: Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary. (Mar.)
08/19/2022
Gr 9 Up—A shy newbie at an elite high school struggles with a racist family history discovered following her beloved grandmother's passing. Country-raised and grieving the unexpected death of her grandmother, white teen Shania Hester moves to the nearby city of Blue Rock as a high school junior to attend the elite Bard Academy for Excellence. She brings her lunch from home and works extra shifts at a donut shop to pay for fixing a crooked front tooth that makes her self-conscious; she doesn't want to burden her mother with the cost. Despite these self-reliant bona fides, Shania's more weak than strong, especially after she uncovers a family secret: her great-grandfather participated in racist redlining in Blue Rock that denied housing to Black residents. She gradually deteriorates into an insecure and impressionable girl in thrall to two classmates, siblings from the wealthy Tane family. Shania swoons over Prescott's baby blues, and even though he's controlling and their time together is on his terms, she skips work and cuts class without complaint. His sister Catherine, a popular queen bee type, loops shy Shania into her crew for reasons that at first seem unclear. Shania doesn't guess the siblings' motives: Catherine's is to protect her brother, and the motive of Prescott, a likely white supremacist and certain perpetrator of a racist hate crime, is to use Shania as a patsy. Does Shania's guilt about her past blind her to Prescott's present threat and violent acts? VERDICT This novel sags under the weight of its own intentions and a protagonist who can't help readers figure them out.—Georgia Christgau
2021-12-24
A teenage girl learns heavy life lessons about the costs of the lies we tell ourselves and others.
Shania is a 17-year-old White girl, newly arrived in South Blue Rock with her mother shortly after the sudden death of her beloved grandmother, a tragedy that has left her feeling adrift. Shania is seeking a sense of belonging and is drawn to Michelle, a Black girl in her botany class who shares her love of gardening. Then she finds herself in the orbit of rich, popular Catherine, a White classmate. Soon after, Prescott, Catherine’s brother and Shania’s crush, also notices her. Spurred on by notes left in a prized almanac and cryptic last words from her grandmother, Shania slowly learns that there is much more to the people in her life. Family secrets, the history of South Blue Rock, and conflicts between her new friends threaten to unravel much of what Shania desperately wants to be true. Will she continue to be willfully ignorant about injustices in return for a more comfortable existence? Or will she risk uncovering harsh, violent, and possibly unforgivable truths? Cole’s writing is captivating as she weaves a story that may feel all too familiar with its overarching themes of the weaponization and justification of racism and the ripples of blatant and subtle bigotry that may become tsunamis. This book is sure to hit home with many readers.
An honest, searing look at the roots and rotten fruits of White supremacy. (Fiction. 14-18)
"An honest, searing look at the roots and rotten fruits of White supremacy."—Kirkus
Praise for The Truth About White Lies: "A brilliant, riveting page turner, Cole has flawlessly crafted an addicting story about the depths and domino effect of white supremacy. Not only is this book the perfect conversation starter in the midst of our society's awakening, it'll also hold a fire under your feet. Everyone is going to be talking about THE TRUTH ABOUT WHITE LIES for years to come." —Tiffany Jackson, NYT bestselling author of Grown & White Smoke
“The Truth About WhiteLies is ironically phenomenal in its narrative patience. That steadiness is what anchors and sustains an absolutely blistering critique of where white lies have placed us and how we might move more radically if, and only if, we confront these white lies and white liars. This is absolutely necessary work.” —Kiese Laymon, award-winning author of Heavy
“The Truth About White Lies is a vicious, incendiary novel, told with clarity and precision, each word a scalpel to dissect white supremacy. Cole has crafted an unforgettable, disturbing tale of one young girl’s descent into hatred, and I expect it to take YA by storm. As it should!” —Mark Oshiro, award-winning author of Anger Is a Gift
"A powerful, searing novel that doesn't just challenge you to get up and fight... but asks you to listen, in a story that softly builds from a whispered rumor to a shattering roar against intolerance." —Eric Smith, author of Don't Read the Comments
"At long last: a book that takes a brave and searing deep dive into white supremacy from the side of the privileged. The Truth About White Lies is an essential text—from a different and VITAL perspective—on contemporary American race relations. I hope it becomes required reading in every high school classroom." —Nic Stone, NYT bestselling author of Dear Martin
"The Truth About White Lies is a chilling reminder of the conspicuousness of white supremacy, the unspoken rules of "white club", and just how easy it is to fall prey to its appeal unless you're unflinchingly self-aware and actively working against it. This is brilliant, brutal, and essential reading for all." —Ashley Woodfolk, acclaimed author of The Beauty that Remains
Mela Lee’s narration shines as Cole’s realistic young adult story about fitting in at a new school illuminates our nation’s inability to face our history of white privilege. Lee honors the cultural ethnicities of the various characters, helping the savvy listener to recognize the unconscious biases we must face in order to move forward. She gives Shania a timid, young voice as she struggles to find her place in a new school and community. Catherine, the entitled queen bee, seems friendly as she draws Shania into her orbit. Golden boy Prescott’s mercurial moods, hidden by his smooth words, and Michelle’s confidence in her own value come through in Lee’s delivery. Will Shania find a way to accept her past without repeating its errors? N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Mela Lee’s narration shines as Cole’s realistic young adult story about fitting in at a new school illuminates our nation’s inability to face our history of white privilege. Lee honors the cultural ethnicities of the various characters, helping the savvy listener to recognize the unconscious biases we must face in order to move forward. She gives Shania a timid, young voice as she struggles to find her place in a new school and community. Catherine, the entitled queen bee, seems friendly as she draws Shania into her orbit. Golden boy Prescott’s mercurial moods, hidden by his smooth words, and Michelle’s confidence in her own value come through in Lee’s delivery. Will Shania find a way to accept her past without repeating its errors? N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
