I chose OSer Gwendolyn Glover's self-published, first novel Cast the First Stone as my latest "L train" book. I read it on the train during my commute. And there lies my only problem with Gwen's book: I damn near kept missing my stop.

Gwen leads us into the life of Denny Stone, a teenage girl coming of age in a small Oklahoma town.  Denny rebels against, well, pretty much everything:  her mother, school, small-town life.  She emotionally pushes people away from her, except for her best friend, the quiet Haley Fisher.

The Denny/Haley dynamic thrives on them being two nearly opposite personality types.  Denny is defiantly independent, driven by a need to escape her current life.  Her purchase and constant use of an old, beater  auto is the major symbolic representation of her yearning.  Haley is shy, religious, the nurturer of her family.  Haley isn't immune from Denny's attempts at emotional isolation.  Denny is especially dismissive of Haley's deep religious beliefs.  As this story takes place over a number of years, sometimes I wondered how Denny and Haley remained friends after Denny categorically rejects something that is so important to Haley.  In the end, each girl needs what the other has.  Haley needs Denny's independence; Denny needs Haley's stability (however one wants to define "stability" in the midst of a dysfunctional family).  Throughout the story, each girl instinctively reaches to the other.

Gwen begins each chapter with a letter, usually from Denny to her absentee father in California.  Through the letters we gain insight into how Denny's  desire to be acknowledged by her father deeply affects her mental state of affairs.  With the caveat that I may be reading way too much into this (always a strong possibility), Denny seems to have a belief that her life will be better if she finds her father.  Her belief contrasts with her attitude toward Haley's Christian beliefs and, hence, Christianity's symbolic "Heavenly Father."  Both girls have a strong belief in and desire to be with their father/Father (again -- easily reading way too much into this).

Denny's love of art, a friendship she develops with her art teacher and a trip to San Francisco propel the story to its conclusion.  That said, the final few lines of Cast the First Stone  clearly tell us that Denny's story has only begun.

Also, I want to give props to Gwen's husband, David DeRosa, who did the cover art.  He captures Denny as the young, lone wanderer standing roadside, focusing on the horizon as she begins her journey.  David incorporates a road map of Oklahoma as the sky and the design on Denny's suitcase.  The maps reinforce Denny's central desire.

Although categorized as "young adult," Cast the First Stone accomplishes what good children's and young adult literature does:  while written for a certain age group, it draws in adults by reminding us who we were and, perhaps, who we have become.