Review of Strong Heart

[marygn]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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The offset of Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon begins with Tom Olsen who is about to set off for the wilderness with his Native American friend and his daughter. As they prepare for their hike, on this rainy night, he is pulled away from his packing by a knock on his door. On answering it he sees his ex-wife and at her side stands a teenage girl shivering in her wet clothes. She turns out to be his granddaughter. This is a rather unpleasant surprise. His granddaughter, Sarah, one that he never knew he had, turns out to be an angry teenager who has a hatred for the wilderness. Tom reluctantly agrees to take her along as a result of his friend, William “Walleye” insistence. William is backed by his daughter, Myra, who had also come along for the trip. As they set off, Tom can’t help but view the whole issue of taking Sarah along as a bad idea. But then again he can’t help but notice some particular traits in Sarah that remind him of his daughter, Becky, Sarah’s mother. The hike, however, doesn’t turn out as any of them had expected as Sarah disappears along the way only to reappear with a somewhat different personality. Adventure and mystery are infused in this tale which is set in a place rich in history and the culture of the Native American tribes and the hikers have more to discover than any of them could have realized.
What I liked most about the book is the description of the wilderness, the Olympic Peninsula. As the story unfolds, it brings forth a brief pick into the culture of the Native American tribes, their appreciation and connection to the land. The writer, Charlie Sheldon has a good understanding of this and does a good job of portraying it to the reader.
What I did not like was the lack of deeper description of the characters. As a reader, I was unable to get a deeper or more detailed view of the characters and hence unable to connect with them.
I would rate the book with 3 out of 4 stars because the story is well put together and interesting to read. The setting in the Native American wilderness opens up the reader to the opportunity of gaining some new knowledge about their culture.
I recommend the book to young adults who can clearly connect with the young character Sarah and relate to some of what she has been through.

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Strong Heart
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