4 out of 4 stars
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If you have a heart for adventure, history, and family, then Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon is the book for you! The story takes place in the Olympic Peninsula Wilderness in Washington State where Tom and his Native American friends are about to go on a camping trip. To their surprise, right as they are ready to leave, Tom is left with his teenage granddaughter, Sarah, who he has never met, nor knew existed. Of course, Sarah is not happy with the situation and is not afraid to voice her opinion. Tom’s friends William and Myra convince Tom that instead of canceling the trip, he should bring Sarah along.
Their trip is instantly filled with danger, discoveries, and stories of the past, as they travel to the old gravesite of Tom’s grandfather. On the trip, the four learn a lot about each other and learn to trust each other. Tom’s friend William is in poor health and his daughter Myra is struggling with her own issues, when suddenly Sarah goes missing. After about a week, Sarah finally returns with a story that is sure to turn some heads. Tom struggles with believing the mystifying story that is a tale of Native American history.
Charlie Sheldon demonstrates a true knowledge about the history of Native Americans, specifically those in the Pacific Northwest. He describes the terrain, artifacts, and personalities so vibrantly, I could easily picture the characters hiking through the Peninsula. The plot thickens just at the right times, like when Sarah disappears or when Tom and his friends discover an ancient spear thrower, “atlatl”.
Although the novel depicts an exciting adventure, the writing came across a little stiff, as it was lacking good sentence structure. The dialogue between the characters was short, choppy and at times unrealistic. I think the writing needs a little polishing and the transitions need to be fine-tuned for better pacing of the plot. However, these issues did not affect my enjoyment of this novel at all.
I rate Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon a 4 out of 4 stars for its wonderful tale of history, adventure, and mystery. I highly recommend this book for the thrill seekers, adventure lovers, and ancient history diggers. You will find yourself completely immersed, as the book demands the readers’ attention on the journey of a seemingly ordinary tale. Curl up with a blanket and some hot chocolate for a fast and easy read.
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Strong Heart
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