Oreo by Fran Ross, first published in 1974, follows 16-year-old Christine Clark on her quest to find her estranged father in New York City. Christine isn't a normal teen, and throughout the story she uses superhuman and heroic means to get past all obstacles. This is not coincidence, as Oreo employs the myth of Theseus for its plot, with Christine as the character of Theseus. This convention makes Oreo quite different from other coming of age novels, and more like the story of a Greek hero. When the novel begins, Christine is ready to take on the world. She is already, in many ways an adult. Rather than going from child to adult, Christine goes as an adult into the world looking for her father and therefore, her birth. While having a main character who doesn't change during the book might seem boring, Ross creates a story that is utterly unforgettable. As Christine journeys to and within New York City, she leaves a clear mark on t...