Review by Myah Schultz -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon

[Myah Schultz]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon is a novel that weaves history and magic into the modern world in a compelling story about courage, heritage, and found family. It begins with Tom, an elderly man, preparing to go on a hiking trip with his friends William and Myra. Tom’s plans are disrupted when his ex-wife appears on his step with Sarah, a young girl who claims to be his granddaughter.

Tom is reluctant to cancel his long planned hiking trip, and with urging from William, he decides to bring Sarah along on the expedition. Though Sarah begins the hike with the bad attitude of a surly teen, she eventually stumbles into an adventure that will change her forever. Over the course of the journey, Tom, William and Myra come to know and care for Sarah, learning as much from her as she learns from them.

Strong Heart is a fascinating read that pulled me into the story and held me captive until the last page. The plot is heavily focused on archaeology and anthropology, blending these elements with magic in a way that is utterly unique. Charlie Sheldon carefully balances reality and mysticism to bring a lovely folkloric quality to his writing.

I was pleased to see positive and respectful representation of Native Americans in this book, as it is fairly rare to find this group portrayed as people rather than caricatures in mainstream media. Two of the main characters, William and Myra, are Native Americans. Both of them are well developed and multifaceted characters. Sheldon does a good job of depicting William and Myra and their culture in a realistic, non-cartoonish way.

The book was an enjoyable read, however, there were a few instances where the writing seemed a bit clumsy. A lot of the exposition felt rather heavy handed and some of the plot lines were a bit forced. There was little subtlety in the introduction of characters and conflicts, which made me feel like I was being spoon fed by the author. This rush to reveal the story led to multiple exchanges of awkward dialogue where characters engaged in conversations seemed stilted and unrealistic. The writing in this book was generally very terse, which gave much of the story a choppy, unpolished feel.

Complaints aside, there was one area in which Sheldon’s writing style worked perfectly. The portions of the book that were written in first person were gorgeous. The flow of the writing was natural and the narrative was gripping. In these sections, Sheldon had me entranced. His terse writing created a stunning emotional landscape through its simplicity and candor.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Though the writing style made some of the book seem clumsy, it lent itself to the sections told in first person beautifully. The story was interesting, the characters were charming, and the blend of magic and reality was extremely evocative. I recommend this book to history buffs and fantasy lovers alike.

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Strong Heart
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