3 out of 4 stars
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Book's title : Strong heart ; Author : Charlie Sheldon
During an rainy afternoon, Tom has been presented Sarah, an unknown daughter of his dead daughter Becky, by his ex-wife Ruth. Tom was with William and Myra who is William's daughter. They had planned to go to Washington State's Olympic Peninsula wilderness to visit Tom's grandfather's grave. Tom didn't want Sarah to go but his companions wanted. Then they went with Sarah. At the place, they saw numerous animals living with bushes and waters. It has been a mysterious trip. Finally, Sarah could learn a lot of things about the origin of her mother's family and the relationship that could exist between nature, animals and human beings.
I like the style used by Charlie Sheldon to write this story. Sentences are short and ideas are presented as causes and effects. Let me quote this passage from page 23 of the book: "The next day they were on the trail by nine. William was out of shape. He knew it, and he knew Myra knew it. She was worried about him, much as she tried to hide her concern. Again, they walked for 20 minutes, then stopped for five. Sarah trudged along under her pack. She had found a walking stick. After passing the Lillian River crossing they climbed 400 feet and spent the morning following the trail high above the Elwha, through thin scrubby trees perched on scarce soil. Where the trail rejoined the Elwha, four miles further, they came upon a smoking fire ring, scattered wood, and live coals. William could see the impressions from two tents. The other party had spent the night here, 10 miles in from the parking lot. Three miles further, where the interior valley widened, they stopped for the night. William was happy to stop. Sarah helped Myra pitch their tent. She then pulled her sketchpad from her pack and asked if she could go forward past the meadow, see what lay around the next bend".
In that passage, it is obvious that sentences are short and ideas are consequently presented. It means that when you read a first idea, you feel the need of knowing the following one, in such a way you find yourself at the end of the book with pleasure. The book is not boring. The laying out of the book is well done. Pages are not too full and attract for reading.
I'd rather the author recount us more about the past relationship between Ruth and Tom and about Sarah's family, that is, about Becky and her husband. I consider this as a gap that needs to be filled to appreciate Sarah's behavior when she came at her grandfather's. Such an information would better permit us to more analyze Sarah, once in the wilderness. The book has such gaps that need to be filled.
Another thing I don't like, is that when the author dedicates the book to those whose greatest pleasure is curling up with a book on a rainy afternoon. I think this book may be read by anyone, mainly adolescents. Moreover I noticed a grammar error on page 19 : "So this grandparents...."
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars, because it is intelligible, full of lessons and is not boring. I can't give it 4 out of 4 stars because we are not supposed to agree with the author about all of his ideas. So, it's due to the relativity of some ideas. At the same time, I can't give 2 out of 4 because the book is full of lessons and contains many new things to be discovered. To my mind, this book is mainly suitable for adolescents.
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Strong Heart
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