Review by ILB -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon

[ILB]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Strong Heart

In a cabin near the forest of the Olympic Peninsula, a 60-year-old Tom is preparing for a pilgrimage with his older friend William and William’s daughter Myra to visit his grandfather’s grave for the first time since he buried him where he died. In the summer a company called Buckhorn has somehow acquired permission to mine in the valley and it will be the last chance to see it in its natural state. They are surprised by a knock at the door and a previously unknown teenage granddaughter, Sarah, is dumped in Tom’s lap.

Sarah is surly and has had a tough existence since her mother died 5 years previously. Myra, already worried at the age and physical condition of her father recommends they put off their 30-mile trip into the natural wilds of Olympic Peninsula; a land described as magic, history and legend, a place of ancient stories and ancient people.
However, William sees strength and fire in Sarah. He argues for the camping trip to continue, despite the early spring weather, the inexperience of Sarah and the concerns for his health. He believes Sarah should be a part of this visit to honour her ancestor.

They begin the hike the next morning. Sarah, fresh from the city, is a reluctant addition to their group and at her first dunking in a stream has to be forcibly brought back to camp over the shoulder of Myra, before she becomes hypothermic.

As she warms by the fire, she learns from Tom about her great-grandfather whose makeshift grave they are going to visit. Tom tells Sarah that his grandfather married a Native American, a part of her ancestry she did not know.
Tom’s trip with his grandfather had been shrouded in mystery. His grandfather had wanted to take him to his old mining claim and show him something that his grandfather had shown him. Unfortunately, a few days into the trip, Tom’s grandfather died and Tom never discovered what he had wanted to show him. As they had been so far into the forest, Tom had had to bury him where they camped, however, he found a mysterious object which he introduces to the group with great excitement as the journey progresses.

The story continues introducing the tensions of the mining corporation and the native people who want to preserve the peninsula as it is. There is much hope that the object Tom has found will lead to stopping the corporation.
During the trip, the connection to the history and magic of the peninsula is deepened when Sarah undergoes a series of mystical experiences and terrifies them all when she is unable to be found.

This book was intriguing to read. The characters developed naturally throughout the events and the setting added to the narrative without unnecessary and distracting description. Throughout the story, I found myself completely engrossed in the drama of the camping group, hoping they would win out against the obstacles they were up against. The elements of mystery, history, and legend intertwined with the story involving Tom and William added interest and prevented the story from becoming another environmental saga.

I experienced a range of emotions throughout the story and although the story did not end in the way I wanted it to, it was masterfully written. I was left wanting more of the characters and the story, however, it stands alone as a complete novel. It is one of the better books I have read in a long time and there is little to dislike.

While not cliffhangers, both of the interwoven stories did not reach a resolute conclusion, which is not unrealistic. It does leave me with a yearning for further details but is not a criticism of the story.

I am infinitely glad the story ended in the Olympic Peninsula, rather than at the end of the journey. There are a few questions that I found unanswered at the end of the story, this may have been intentional on the part of the author.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was very easy to read and kept me engaged for the entire book from the surprise start to the last page. I was constantly wanting to flick ahead pages to see what would happen in different sections. It was mystical but not unbelievable and focussed mostly on the factual. I believe this book would appeal to a wide range of adults, including both men and women.

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Strong Heart
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[palilogy]

Its easy to see in your review you were able to connect with the book and enjoy the read.
I do wonder about endings at times. Sometimes the ending we wanted - and the author - not writing it - sometimes that makes all the difference.