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Sometimes We Tell the Truth
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In this contemporary retelling of The Canterbury Tales, a group of teens on a bus ride to Washington, DC, each tell a story—some fantastical, some realistic, some downright scandalous—in pursuit of the ultimate prize: a perfect score.
Jeff boards the bus for the Civics class trip to Washington, DC, with a few things on his mind:
-Six hours trapped with his classmates sounds ...more
Jeff boards the bus for the Civics class trip to Washington, DC, with a few things on his mind:
-Six hours trapped with his classmates sounds ...more
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Hardcover, 448 pages
Published
September 6th 2016
by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Start your review of Sometimes We Tell the Truth
Mar 16, 2016
Kim Zarins
rated it
it was amazing
· (Review from the author)
Shelves:
yay-i-wrote-this-book
I accidentally clicked that I wanted to read my own book--oops! May as well go full-scale cheesy with excitement, with all five starts glittering, and tell you I loved writing this book so much. I'm a medievalist, so retelling Chaucer's Canterbury Tales with modern teens was a dream come true. Whether you have never read Chaucer or are a complete fan, I hope you'll like my debut novel!
...more
I am obsessed with this book. I generally enjoy modernizations/adaptations of classics, and as a medieval lit student, I knew I would like this book. I didn't know I would LOVE it. Zarins pulls off the framing narrative deftly here, with nods to the pilgrims of the original without relying on the Canterbury Tales too much. Each of the students --and the teacher and bus driver as well--are well-developed without too much exposition. You can tell each of the characters have lives outside of the st
...more
*Received bound manuscript via YALLWest! Aware that this is not the final copy and that there will be typos; this did not hinder my experience.*
-First Canterbury Tales retelling I've ever heard of and read
-main character ponders his sexuality, also class diversity, thumbs up for diversity!
-theme of discovering and how there is always a story behind the story
-evidence how there is always hints of the author in their books.
-liked the ending
-chapters were short --> fast-ish read (considering how lo ...more
-First Canterbury Tales retelling I've ever heard of and read
-main character ponders his sexuality, also class diversity, thumbs up for diversity!
-theme of discovering and how there is always a story behind the story
-evidence how there is always hints of the author in their books.
-liked the ending
-chapters were short --> fast-ish read (considering how lo ...more
Jun 24, 2017
Jason
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
0-2017-c-r-def,
00-lgbt,
1,
1-dont-forget,
1-dont-4-get-me,
00-get-her-done,
00-get-er-done,
00-next-up
Seconds after reading it: "Oh my fuck. This. Finally! The first book of the yr I want to shake in people's faces and scream, "READ THIS FUCKING BOOK... NOW!""
First, I’ll admit it.‘The Canterbury Tales’ collects dust on my shelf and I can't recall where I got it, though I am pretty sure I stole it from the work lounge, because, after all I am like a non-cannibalistic Liv Moore, and my craving is books.
You'll be able to relate to this one, trust me! It conjures up camping trips, substitutes willin ...more
First, I’ll admit it.‘The Canterbury Tales’ collects dust on my shelf and I can't recall where I got it, though I am pretty sure I stole it from the work lounge, because, after all I am like a non-cannibalistic Liv Moore, and my craving is books.
You'll be able to relate to this one, trust me! It conjures up camping trips, substitutes willin ...more
I was blown away by this book and okay yes I'm a Chaucer fan but that's not why I loved it so much. Interestingly it reminded me of Rowell's Fan Girl, with its mix of original fan fiction and storyline. Jeff Chaucer's confusion with his friendships and his sexuality were so well done. In fact all the characters-and there's a LOT are so fully realized. How Zarins managed to keep so many voices distinct is just amazing. I loved all the stories the students told-even Cookie's! There was a little so
...more
Oh wow...
This book, guys. It SLAYS.
Yes, it's a genius contemporary retelling of The Canterbury Tales, but it also has this fantastic Breakfast Club vibe that's brave and honest and raw. It's about loneliness and togetherness, and it's about turning away from things and accepting things, and it's about finding out who you are by discovering who you aren't.
A riveting story that I couldn't put down.
Bravo, Kim Zarins. ...more
This book, guys. It SLAYS.
Yes, it's a genius contemporary retelling of The Canterbury Tales, but it also has this fantastic Breakfast Club vibe that's brave and honest and raw. It's about loneliness and togetherness, and it's about turning away from things and accepting things, and it's about finding out who you are by discovering who you aren't.
A riveting story that I couldn't put down.
Bravo, Kim Zarins. ...more
What a nice surprise!
Sometimes We Tell The Truth (SWTTT) is a contemporary retelling of The Canterbury Tales.
I didn't even know The Canterbury Tales when I picked this tittle, so my opinion is based on this book alone, not goin to compare this book with The Canterbury Tales whether this retelling live up the original work or not.
SWTTT is when teenagers not overly angst over everything, and you'll surprised how much fun they are. A group of teens on a bus ride to Washington, DC, for a field trip, ...more
Sometimes We Tell The Truth (SWTTT) is a contemporary retelling of The Canterbury Tales.
I didn't even know The Canterbury Tales when I picked this tittle, so my opinion is based on this book alone, not goin to compare this book with The Canterbury Tales whether this retelling live up the original work or not.
SWTTT is when teenagers not overly angst over everything, and you'll surprised how much fun they are. A group of teens on a bus ride to Washington, DC, for a field trip, ...more
DID SOMEONE SAY CANTERBURY TALES RETELLING?!?
I was able to read an ARC of this book, and I loved it. The voices of the teenagers were so great, I immediately felt like I was on the bus with them. And while, at first, some of the kids, the boys especially, seemed superficial, their stories, and the reactions to other's stories hinted at depths that made them really come alive.
Jeff is the narrator, and he has many secrets that eventually are revealed, with several more only hinted at. I'd love to see these kids in another book ... maybe on ...more
Jeff is the narrator, and he has many secrets that eventually are revealed, with several more only hinted at. I'd love to see these kids in another book ... maybe on ...more
This is a well written book, however I'm not going to rate it because it didn't hit what I happened to be in the mood for in my reading. That's no fault of the book. I wanted something light and breezy and fast and this was not that.
This book would work well in a discussion group be it a book club, or even better, a classroom. It's a retelling of the Canterbury Tales. It's set in a contemporary setting. The narrator/mc wasn't someone I could relate to or that I even liked for most of the book un ...more
This book would work well in a discussion group be it a book club, or even better, a classroom. It's a retelling of the Canterbury Tales. It's set in a contemporary setting. The narrator/mc wasn't someone I could relate to or that I even liked for most of the book un ...more
Let me say flat out, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BRILLIANT DEBUT by Kim Zarins. You need to know absolutely nothing about Canterbury Tales (C.T.) to fully enjoy it. Zarins takes the C.T. format - travelers coming together on a journey who each tell a tale - and makes it her own masterful, engrossing and moving story. The majority of the action takes place on the bus from Connecticut to DC and each student on board tells a story - fact or fiction - for the ultimate prize of an A in Mr. Bailey's class.
...more
After sitting 4-hours-a-day, 3-days-a-week for 11 weeks in a lecture ALL about Chaucer, I was DONE. That class was not easy to sit through without checking FaceBook, E-mail, or texting a few friends to come rescue me.
Chaucer was not my beloved Bard, and he certainly wasn’t someone I planned on re-reading — unless it was on the M.A. Exam.
Thanks to a 2-week summer course, I was given the opportunity to read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Sometimes We Tell the Truth. Let me tell you, I was a bit ...more
Chaucer was not my beloved Bard, and he certainly wasn’t someone I planned on re-reading — unless it was on the M.A. Exam.
Thanks to a 2-week summer course, I was given the opportunity to read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Sometimes We Tell the Truth. Let me tell you, I was a bit ...more
I picked up this ARC at ALA (American Library Association) Annual conference since I forgot the book I was reading and needed something for the plane on the way home. I didn't realize that it was a retelling of The Canterbury Tales when I started, but something seemed familiar. I dig stories about storytelling, the power of story and how much the stories we tell reflect ourselves. I thought this was great - sad, heartwarming, funny, fantasy, fanfic, and even zombies! Great debut, I think teens w
...more
Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Now Draweth Cut, Er That We Ferrer Twynne
Drinking Buddy: Wel Loved He by the Morwe a Sop in Wyn
Testosterone Level: To Lyven in Delit Was Evere His Wone, For He Was Epicurus Owene Sone
Talky Talk: In This Viage Shal Telle Tales Tweye
Bonus Factors: In Felaweshipe, and Pilgrimes Were They Alle, That Toward Caunterbury Wolden Ryde; Here Bygynneth the Book
of the Tales of Caunterbury
Bromance Status: I Saugh Nat This Yeer So Myrie a Compaignye Atones in this Herberwe as is N ...more
Cover Story: Now Draweth Cut, Er That We Ferrer Twynne
Drinking Buddy: Wel Loved He by the Morwe a Sop in Wyn
Testosterone Level: To Lyven in Delit Was Evere His Wone, For He Was Epicurus Owene Sone
Talky Talk: In This Viage Shal Telle Tales Tweye
Bonus Factors: In Felaweshipe, and Pilgrimes Were They Alle, That Toward Caunterbury Wolden Ryde; Here Bygynneth the Book
of the Tales of Caunterbury
Bromance Status: I Saugh Nat This Yeer So Myrie a Compaignye Atones in this Herberwe as is N ...more
4.5 Stars.
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!
I stumbled upon it at the library, and it is a gem. Zarins is able to modernize the Canterbury Tales in a way that feels fresh and relevant, and she is able to create 24 completely unique character voices. The characterization is spot on, and the teenage humour is nailed perfectly. The references are very relevant, and the characters all seem so real. At times it can be a bit melodramatic, with the "everyone's got a story that could break your heart" theme, but th ...more
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!
I stumbled upon it at the library, and it is a gem. Zarins is able to modernize the Canterbury Tales in a way that feels fresh and relevant, and she is able to create 24 completely unique character voices. The characterization is spot on, and the teenage humour is nailed perfectly. The references are very relevant, and the characters all seem so real. At times it can be a bit melodramatic, with the "everyone's got a story that could break your heart" theme, but th ...more
"I would have told you all to follow your hearts and put your own experiences before anyone else's advice. No one knows you better than you do, so be true to that."
...more
This is a great book and a great retelling. The one thing I disliked was that there were no trigger warnings for this book. This book has a lot of discussions on consent and many times uses non-consensual stories to prove a point. I still enjoyed the book for the most part, because of the great writing, stories, and discussions, but I couldn't fully enjoy it due to the content of some of the stories.
...more
This was an absolutely AMAZING read!
I've never read the Caunterbury (?) Tales and probably only heard of it a few times so, I can't say much about how these two stories relate to one another. I do know that as a a modern high school setting book I thought this was done really well.
For starters, I thought it was cool how the cast was -somewhat- diverse. Really, we only know the skin colors of a few of the teens and I think that is cool because it leaves everyone else open for interpretation. Also ...more
I've never read the Caunterbury (?) Tales and probably only heard of it a few times so, I can't say much about how these two stories relate to one another. I do know that as a a modern high school setting book I thought this was done really well.
For starters, I thought it was cool how the cast was -somewhat- diverse. Really, we only know the skin colors of a few of the teens and I think that is cool because it leaves everyone else open for interpretation. Also ...more
Okay I know that because i'm a 12th grade English Teacher i'm automatically more inclined to totally nerd out over books that adapt the material I teach but YOU GUYS! This book is freaking FLAWLESS!
As I was reading I was picking things that I could use in class to supplement our reading and I was lucky enough to get to talk on Twitter with Kim Zarins about the ideas i'm having for how to incorporate her book with my teaching.
She does EVERYTHING I do when I teach these stories. It helps SO MUCH t ...more
As I was reading I was picking things that I could use in class to supplement our reading and I was lucky enough to get to talk on Twitter with Kim Zarins about the ideas i'm having for how to incorporate her book with my teaching.
She does EVERYTHING I do when I teach these stories. It helps SO MUCH t ...more
When I read the first story about zombies vying for the love of a human scientist, I knew I would be in for a wild ride in this modern retelling of the Canterbury Tales, set on a senior class bus trip to DC. Kim Zarins has done a masterful job of weaving together stories that are funny, tragic, bawdy, romantic, and surprising--much like the characters who tell them. The narrator, Jeff Chaucer, is particularly compelling as he faces both the usual struggle of trying to fit into the high school so
...more
Kim Zarins's SOMETIMES WE TELL THE TRUTH is a story within a story within a story, each one entertaining, and each hiding wisdom at its core. First, there's the story of a class of hormonally hyped-up high school seniors, on their way to DC on a bus, who've been challenged to a storytelling contest by their teacher. Second, there are the no-holds-barred tales they tell, both raunchy and far-fetched, to win the prize of an easy A: a zany mix of tales that mirror those of Chaucer's bawdy pilgrims
...more
Who thought a Chaucer could become a 21st Century storyteller?
This is a beautifully told, fun and heartbreaking story about a group of teens and their multi-layered journey to Washington DC, as they interact, joke, offend, and learn about each other, divulging their personal truths through stories. Zarins, and so the reader, move seamlessly between the reality of the bus ride and the teens' tales, which range from bawdy to platonic, from zombies to kings and queens to Harry Potter and beyond. T ...more
This is a beautifully told, fun and heartbreaking story about a group of teens and their multi-layered journey to Washington DC, as they interact, joke, offend, and learn about each other, divulging their personal truths through stories. Zarins, and so the reader, move seamlessly between the reality of the bus ride and the teens' tales, which range from bawdy to platonic, from zombies to kings and queens to Harry Potter and beyond. T ...more
OH MY GOSH. This book is pure genius. I haven’t read the Canterbury tales or anything but I am completely amazed at how fantastic this is. It’s a combination of romance and high school drama, while also incorporating other genres in the stories being told. I am fascinated and will honestly reread in a few weeks.
A retelling of the canterbury tales??? as a student of anguage and literature how could I not be excited about this??
I NEED THIS NOW!
I NEED THIS NOW!
I really enjoyed this! Very clever reworking of the Canterbury Tales, both adapting the original stories and reimagining them in a modern context. I particularly enjoyed the way Zarins used fanfiction and had her characters use existing characters to tell their stories, reflecting the way Chaucer draws on Classical literature and well-known stories when telling HIS. She talks about it in the author's note and I thought it was a really intriguing way of approaching it.
There was maybe more discuss ...more
There was maybe more discuss ...more
“It is a fact universally acknowledged, that a young, unmarried woman is in want of a dolphin.”
In a modern day retelling of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, twenty-two high school seniors sharing a Civics class, their young, hopeful teacher, Mr. Bailey, and a disgruntled bus driver take a class trip to Washington D.C. How does Kim Zarins’ debut novel, Sometimes We Tell the Truth, adapt The Canterbury Tales to a modern day high school field trip? Zarins has each student tell a story and whoever ha ...more
In a modern day retelling of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, twenty-two high school seniors sharing a Civics class, their young, hopeful teacher, Mr. Bailey, and a disgruntled bus driver take a class trip to Washington D.C. How does Kim Zarins’ debut novel, Sometimes We Tell the Truth, adapt The Canterbury Tales to a modern day high school field trip? Zarins has each student tell a story and whoever ha ...more
To be honest I went into this book with no previous knowledge of Chaucer or his Tales. My mom had gotten me a copy at a Harry Potter event, so I decided to read it(It was signed personally to me! How could I not be interested?). Anyways I instantly was hooked after reading the first page and I fell completely head-over-heels for this book after reading the prologue!
The uniqueness of this story astounded me, there were many references to things I loved but the plot was something I had never seen ...more
The uniqueness of this story astounded me, there were many references to things I loved but the plot was something I had never seen ...more
I adore this book. This group of students ranges from the popular, The in the middle kids, and the complete outcast. Yet, there is a sense of community within the group. Each one gets to tell a story during their 6 hour bus ride to D.C. Each story is different. Some are true, while some are not. The main character, and narrator, Jeff, is only trying to fit in. He’s quite relatable, and faces issues throughout the book that will allow readers to sympathize with him.
With all of the different char ...more
With all of the different char ...more
Sometimes We Tell the Truth is a book I was introduced to during a college-level Chaucer class, but never got the chance to really read through it. As I am introducing Chaucer to my high schoolers, I found myself remembering how fun & engaging this book seemed and that it would be worth revisiting. Sometimes We Tell the Truth is a great rendition of the classic Canterbury Tales that has humor (although we can't deny Chaucer didn't have humor) & a playful writing style to keep readers engaged. Za
...more
Sep 15, 2018
Meira (readingbooksinisrael)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
us,
contemporary
It was just vulgar. Some of the stories were really good, but there were others that were just vulgar, and it's not what I expected.
I didn't really connect with the ending either. There were some nicely written moments, and Mr. Bailey was pretty cool.
But I am going to start the real Canterbury Tales now! Especially with this book as background and the resources it has in the back. My problem is I'm worried about how with this books I realized I didn't really like the multiple stories thing. But ...more
I didn't really connect with the ending either. There were some nicely written moments, and Mr. Bailey was pretty cool.
But I am going to start the real Canterbury Tales now! Especially with this book as background and the resources it has in the back. My problem is I'm worried about how with this books I realized I didn't really like the multiple stories thing. But ...more
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Readers also enjoyed
I'm a medievalist at Sacramento State University, and I also teach children's literature. My modernized retelling of the Canterbury Tales is called Sometimes We Tell the Truth. You don't have to know anything about Chaucer to enjoy the story, and if you know the Canterbury Tales, you'll see the novel on a whole other level. I hope you'll like it!
If you want to chat about books, it would be great t ...more
If you want to chat about books, it would be great t ...more
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“We all have the time we need to tell our stories.”
—
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“When people want to love you, let them. When people open a door like that, never close it, not even to hide.”
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