Review by Lea_Henderson -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
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Lea_Henderson
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Review by Lea_Henderson -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon is a cross-genre adventure, history, and fantasy book, set in Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula. It contains some graphic violence, with scenes involving fighting between humans, and between animals and humans. There are some detailed descriptions of injuries, animal death, and mentions of sexual assault, as well as some profanity.
The book follows friends Tom Olsen and William as they proceed on a hike to the grave of Tom’s grandfather, deep in the wilderness. With them are Sarah, Tom’s troublesome granddaughter, who arrives unexpectedly, and Myra, William’s headstrong daughter. Along the route there will be danger, discovery, beautiful nature, and the clashing of science and legend as the group travel on a journey that will change all of them.
Strong Heart may appeal to those who enjoy nature books, as Sheldon includes some lovely depictions of the natural scenery. Those who enjoy novels about adventure, human determination, and discovery may also like it, as Strong Heart follows a long journey through the wild, as well as incorporating a great deal of interesting information on human evolution in the Americas.
I found this book highly enjoyable and original, as the plot developed in unpredictable and fascinating ways and the stakes were kept high throughout. Sheldon had clearly done a lot of research, which showed in the book, as well as being familiar with hiking, nature, and environmental activism, which really added to the realism.
The characters were likeable, individual, and interesting, and the adults were reasonably tolerant and kind in their treatment of Sarah. Sarah was a great character as she was well-developed, determined, and had believable speech patterns and dialogue for a thirteen-year-old.
The book seemed professionally edited and Sheldon’s writing was excellent. It was generally direct, with short, to the point sentences, but could be beautifully poetic in places. The book explores a wide range of issues and ideas, and crosses huge timespans within the narrative, but Sheldon holds together the novel’s ambitious plot and keeps the tension and interest throughout.
I had only minor problems with Strong Heart , one being that I struggled to keep the characters clear right at the start, and wasn’t always immediately sure whether it was Tom or William speaking. This becomes clearer as the book develops. The book also felt a little too long, but the added descriptions of the journeying and the landscapes were also what I enjoyed about the book, so I did not mind the extra length too much.
The move to Sarah’s narrative was slightly jarring, but this is likely inevitable considering the subject matter and I enjoyed the move to first person narration, which added an immediacy to her tale. There was also slightly too much description of people’s appearance at the start of Sarah’s story, which seemed in places unneeded, as well as slowing the flow of the story. These were only minor issues however.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars , because it included some fascinating information on human evolution, the main characters were interesting and admirable, and the book retained tension and interest throughout. I would be interested in reading future books by Sheldon.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon is a cross-genre adventure, history, and fantasy book, set in Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula. It contains some graphic violence, with scenes involving fighting between humans, and between animals and humans. There are some detailed descriptions of injuries, animal death, and mentions of sexual assault, as well as some profanity.
The book follows friends Tom Olsen and William as they proceed on a hike to the grave of Tom’s grandfather, deep in the wilderness. With them are Sarah, Tom’s troublesome granddaughter, who arrives unexpectedly, and Myra, William’s headstrong daughter. Along the route there will be danger, discovery, beautiful nature, and the clashing of science and legend as the group travel on a journey that will change all of them.
Strong Heart may appeal to those who enjoy nature books, as Sheldon includes some lovely depictions of the natural scenery. Those who enjoy novels about adventure, human determination, and discovery may also like it, as Strong Heart follows a long journey through the wild, as well as incorporating a great deal of interesting information on human evolution in the Americas.
I found this book highly enjoyable and original, as the plot developed in unpredictable and fascinating ways and the stakes were kept high throughout. Sheldon had clearly done a lot of research, which showed in the book, as well as being familiar with hiking, nature, and environmental activism, which really added to the realism.
The characters were likeable, individual, and interesting, and the adults were reasonably tolerant and kind in their treatment of Sarah. Sarah was a great character as she was well-developed, determined, and had believable speech patterns and dialogue for a thirteen-year-old.
The book seemed professionally edited and Sheldon’s writing was excellent. It was generally direct, with short, to the point sentences, but could be beautifully poetic in places. The book explores a wide range of issues and ideas, and crosses huge timespans within the narrative, but Sheldon holds together the novel’s ambitious plot and keeps the tension and interest throughout.
I had only minor problems with Strong Heart , one being that I struggled to keep the characters clear right at the start, and wasn’t always immediately sure whether it was Tom or William speaking. This becomes clearer as the book develops. The book also felt a little too long, but the added descriptions of the journeying and the landscapes were also what I enjoyed about the book, so I did not mind the extra length too much.
The move to Sarah’s narrative was slightly jarring, but this is likely inevitable considering the subject matter and I enjoyed the move to first person narration, which added an immediacy to her tale. There was also slightly too much description of people’s appearance at the start of Sarah’s story, which seemed in places unneeded, as well as slowing the flow of the story. These were only minor issues however.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars , because it included some fascinating information on human evolution, the main characters were interesting and admirable, and the book retained tension and interest throughout. I would be interested in reading future books by Sheldon.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Last Assassination by James E Doucette
