Dee's Reviewed: Casting the First Stone

Casting the First Stone
Kimberly Lawson Roby
Dafina Books 2000
ISBN # 0-7582-0179-6
384 pages (pbk) first trade paperpback
++ crosses rating

Tanya Black abhors her husband, Curtis. Every thing he now stands for disgusts her. Regardless of Curtis’ very powerful position as the head pastor of a prominent black Chicago church, Tanya can’t stand the sight of him and starts to think about not only ending their relationship, but also Curtis’ tenure as senior pastor, since Curtis had to maintain his marriage in order to keep his position at the church.

Kimberly Roby churns out another formula story about a woman’s self-discovery.
This novel begins promising, but turns into this poorly written, attention grabbing, cookie cutter. When Roby describes church activities and rituals in very stereotypical ways like “Sunday go to meeting clothes,” she turns her characters into caricatures instead of three dimensional very human people who struggle with their faith and their marriage. Why Tanya Black continues to live in this dead marriage never comes to full view. If there is a Christian message it is clouded by cliché plot points and cliché characters.

For those whose guilty pleasure is reading super dramas; then this book is for you. If you’re looking for a book that will help you understand how your romantic relationship relates to your spiritual relationship with God, pass.

Dee Y. Stewart