“The Smoothest Way Is Full of Stones” begins on a hot Friday afternoon in the middle of July in upstate New York. Rebecca, the narrator, a girl of about twelve or thirteen, is staying at the home of her uncle and aunt, the Adelsteins. Rebecca has been sent away while her mother recovers from the death of her infant son. That was six weeks ago, but she is still in hospital suffering from an infection and depression.

Rebecca's relatives are Hasidic Jews, whereas Rebecca's parents, who live three hundred miles away in Manhattan, New York City, are secular Jews. Rebecca's older cousin Esty, who is about thirteen, is very pious and tries to persuade Rebecca to be more observant of Jewish religious rituals and other customs.

Even though they are not supposed to be doing so, Rebecca and Esty wade into a lake and swim...