Review of Totem

[Dennis W Alice]

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

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

 The book “Totem,” written by Charlie Sheldon, unfolds the story of Sarah Cooley, who is a strong-willed teenager along with her new family who goes on a trail in Olympic National Park. During the search for the truth, the team discovers a historical and legendary site. They encounter some challenges in the wilderness, which include clashes with Buckhorn Industries, which is mining for a rare mineral in Bear Valley. The story also presents the conflict between the tourists and the construction workers, who have to face other problems with nature.
 
As the plot unfolds, different factions try to conquer other sections of the park, with each member getting their fair share of physical and psychological struggles. At the same time, Sergei, a Russian archaeologist, undertakes a mission to find old friends and fulfill a promise.
 
The way the author captures the beauty of the park and the complexity of its characters is quite mesmerizing. The center of the story has many layers, involving a young girl with a troubled past and a wildlife biologist, among others. The story climaxes with the conflict of the need for mining versus the need to conserve culture in the context that exposes ideas, which can rewrite history.
 
What I disliked in this book is that the multitude of plotlines felt overwhelming as I was reading. This can make it very hard to follow all the different threads. Another thing that I do not like in this book is the constant switching of different groups and their problems. It’s hard for me to remain completely engrossed in the proceedings. Considering the above-mentioned dislikes, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The book is perfectly edited.
 
This book makes an interesting read, especially for readers who like adventure stories associated with natural environments like hunting, trekking, and nature conservation. Those who love nature or areas such as the Olympic National Park described in this book will also enjoy it since it is a great conservation area. I recommend this book to these categories of people.

******
Totem
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon