Review of Strong Heart

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Lizaan Du Toit
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Review of Strong Heart

Post by Lizaan Du Toit »

[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 fictional novel inspired by the native people of North America. The story plays out in the Olympic National Park mountain ranges in Washington for most of the story. The author incorporates real-life drama with mythical and mysterious elements. When our main character, Sarah a 12-year-old girl is introduced we know very little about her and her background, but the author has cleverly written her to develop and grow within the storyline. Supporting characters Myra, Tom and William play their part in creating understanding and a deeper background for the readers. When Sarah vanishes while hiking in the mountain ranges, she undergoes a spiritual journey. A journey taking her into the unknown to discover parts of herself she was unfamiliar with. The book also deals with some more common family issues such as teenage rebellion, family ties, and abuse.

At first, the author leaves you a bit confused. He switches scenes without notice. Leaving you to turn back a couple of pages to try and catch what happened. However, this is soon resolved as you become enchanted by the story. Sarah's struggle resonates with a part of everyone as she deals with emotions such as grief, betrayal, confusion, and feeling lost. The author furthermore captivates the reader by leaving many questions unanswered for a few chapters as well as plot twists and unexpected turnouts. That for me was the most captivating part of the book. The author's ability to keep us wanting to read more.

Two hundred and fifty pages don't feel like enough, I'm hoping for a sequel as there are still so many unanswered questions and assumptions that need to play out. I feel that the author could expand more on the supporting characters and their relationships with Sarah. Though good, I feel there is room for those relationships to grow and develop.

Although spotless when it came to grammar and spelling, the layout for some reason on my reader was not perfect with words oftentimes overlapping each other and making it difficult to read. That is why unfortunately I had to lower my rating to three out of four stars Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

While this book does mention some cultural and spiritual backgrounds, it is subtle enough for everyone to relate to the storyline and characters. I recommend this book to all readers interested in stories about cultural heritage and mythical adventures. The book contains no explicit scenes although they are mentioned in a polite manner. There are a few rude words, but no profanities.

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Strong Heart
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