Review by JasmineGrice -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
Posted: 23 Mar 2018, 10:11
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Strong Heart starts off by introducing us to all of the main characters within the first chapter. Tom is about to go on a long hike through Olympic National Park to go visit his grandfather's grave. Planning to join him is William, his Native American friend, and William's daughter, Myra. Not even a page in, we are introduced to Sarah, Tom's long-lost granddaughter. Sarah was brought there by Tom's ex-wife, who decided she didn't want Sarah staying with them any longer. Tom, being confused but considerate, let Sarah stay with him. Tom is almost about to cancel his trip when Myra and William convince him to continue and bring Sarah along to experience their heritage and get to know her grandfather. Sarah is not onboard with the idea but goes anyway and they all wind up getting an experience they were not expecting at all.
Right away, I gave this book 3 out of 4 stars. I felt that Sarah was introduced much too quickly and there should have been a chapter or two that laid a foundation on who Tom, William, and Myra were before jumping straight into the hike. Granted, we learned about them as the book went on but for the first few chapters, I felt lost and left in the dark with strangers.
Beyond the first couple of chapters, I really started enjoying the depth and color that the author provided about their hike. For example, I love the way that the author described the trail as they were first entering on page 10, "The trail was covered with needles and leaves. The trees here grew close, and, despite the sun overhead, they walked in shadows. The trail, along a side hill, twisted and curved, passing tumbling freshets. The forest was quiet but for the sound of their thudding feet and the cry of an occasional bird." This was just one of many example of the deep imagery that the author provided.
I grew bored of reading about their hike for a little while because things began feeling repetitive. Sarah would complain, William was exhausted and old, Myra was concerned, Tom talked about his grandpa, and they all started fires. This was the other reason that I gave this book a 3 out of 4 stars. It wasn't until Sarah went missing that it truly became interesting again. In fact, I found her experience to be the best part of the book. It was filled with wild, interesting characters that held so much meaning and it was incredible how the author lined up where she went to where they currently were.
Another thing I praise the author for is the character development that happened along the way. Sarah's character development was the most extreme, going from a girl who had no survival skills, culture, or pride to a girl who had deep knowledge about the past, ancient survival skills, and an appreciation for the world. Tom became more open to possibilities and even enjoyed having Sarah as his granddaughter. Myra also became open to different world views.
I loved how the author brought all of the characters back to the trail to defend a piece of their history. I could feel the determination that they felt. The ending itself was the perfect way to sum up the book, a promise to return. Overall, I felt that while this book did have a few problems, it was a very detailed, well-written, cultured book. Strong Heart seemed professionally edited and well thought-out. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical events and culture.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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3 out of 4 stars
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Strong Heart starts off by introducing us to all of the main characters within the first chapter. Tom is about to go on a long hike through Olympic National Park to go visit his grandfather's grave. Planning to join him is William, his Native American friend, and William's daughter, Myra. Not even a page in, we are introduced to Sarah, Tom's long-lost granddaughter. Sarah was brought there by Tom's ex-wife, who decided she didn't want Sarah staying with them any longer. Tom, being confused but considerate, let Sarah stay with him. Tom is almost about to cancel his trip when Myra and William convince him to continue and bring Sarah along to experience their heritage and get to know her grandfather. Sarah is not onboard with the idea but goes anyway and they all wind up getting an experience they were not expecting at all.
Right away, I gave this book 3 out of 4 stars. I felt that Sarah was introduced much too quickly and there should have been a chapter or two that laid a foundation on who Tom, William, and Myra were before jumping straight into the hike. Granted, we learned about them as the book went on but for the first few chapters, I felt lost and left in the dark with strangers.
Beyond the first couple of chapters, I really started enjoying the depth and color that the author provided about their hike. For example, I love the way that the author described the trail as they were first entering on page 10, "The trail was covered with needles and leaves. The trees here grew close, and, despite the sun overhead, they walked in shadows. The trail, along a side hill, twisted and curved, passing tumbling freshets. The forest was quiet but for the sound of their thudding feet and the cry of an occasional bird." This was just one of many example of the deep imagery that the author provided.
I grew bored of reading about their hike for a little while because things began feeling repetitive. Sarah would complain, William was exhausted and old, Myra was concerned, Tom talked about his grandpa, and they all started fires. This was the other reason that I gave this book a 3 out of 4 stars. It wasn't until Sarah went missing that it truly became interesting again. In fact, I found her experience to be the best part of the book. It was filled with wild, interesting characters that held so much meaning and it was incredible how the author lined up where she went to where they currently were.
Another thing I praise the author for is the character development that happened along the way. Sarah's character development was the most extreme, going from a girl who had no survival skills, culture, or pride to a girl who had deep knowledge about the past, ancient survival skills, and an appreciation for the world. Tom became more open to possibilities and even enjoyed having Sarah as his granddaughter. Myra also became open to different world views.
I loved how the author brought all of the characters back to the trail to defend a piece of their history. I could feel the determination that they felt. The ending itself was the perfect way to sum up the book, a promise to return. Overall, I felt that while this book did have a few problems, it was a very detailed, well-written, cultured book. Strong Heart seemed professionally edited and well thought-out. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical events and culture.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like JasmineGrice's review? Post a comment saying so!