Review of Strong Heart
Posted: 22 Feb 2022, 12:02
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
Strong Heart begins with Tom, preparing to go on a hike along with his friend William and his friend's daughter Myra when Tom's ex-wife shows at his doorstep with a granddaughter Sarah whose existence he is unaware of until that moment. At first, Sarah comes off as a 12-year-old problem child with an attitude problem and Tom is at a loss of what to do with Sarah when William urges him to bring Sarah along with them on their hike, at first Tom is against the idea however upon further consideration, Tom decides to take her along with them. In the beginning, the trip is not a pleasant one for Sarah but in the end, she ends up forming connections and having the adventure of a lifetime. The book does end in a way that leaves a few loose ends so I believe there is a sequel.
I enjoyed the dynamics between the character, the building of relationships felt natural and very realistic. Tom's struggle to connect with Sarah is one of the interactions I find very interesting and relatable because sometimes we struggle to bond with people we are supposed to have a natural relationship with. The characters also felt well-rounded and developed. Sarah's relationship with Myra was one I also enjoyed, Myra, became the big sister she never had, showing that family isn’t only those related by blood that concept is one I find very comforting. The book was a wholesome read on familiar bonding. Another aspect I also enjoyed was Sarah's adventure, her courage, and resilience throughout the book, refusal to be a victim, woke something up inside of me and challenged me to take control of my life.
The Author, Charlie Sheldon, used a lot of anthropology and archeology jargon, something I found hard to follow. This is probably because I have never been interested in that and have no prior exposure to it, so having so much of it thrown into a book was a bit disorienting. This probably won't be a problem for people who have a bit of knowledge in that area or are interested in learning about it. I also did not like the route the writer decided to take with Sergei's interaction with Myra, it felt a bit cliché but was still fun to read.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars simply because it was an enjoyable read, and the storyline is original. Although there were a few errors in the book they were not so noticeable and did not interfere with the reading experience.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves adventure stories or family-oriented ones, or even people who have an interest in archeology or anthropology. The book is suitable for younger readers as there are barely any profanities, there is a bit of graphic violence but not so much that it would stop me from recommending it to preteens.
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Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Strong Heart begins with Tom, preparing to go on a hike along with his friend William and his friend's daughter Myra when Tom's ex-wife shows at his doorstep with a granddaughter Sarah whose existence he is unaware of until that moment. At first, Sarah comes off as a 12-year-old problem child with an attitude problem and Tom is at a loss of what to do with Sarah when William urges him to bring Sarah along with them on their hike, at first Tom is against the idea however upon further consideration, Tom decides to take her along with them. In the beginning, the trip is not a pleasant one for Sarah but in the end, she ends up forming connections and having the adventure of a lifetime. The book does end in a way that leaves a few loose ends so I believe there is a sequel.
I enjoyed the dynamics between the character, the building of relationships felt natural and very realistic. Tom's struggle to connect with Sarah is one of the interactions I find very interesting and relatable because sometimes we struggle to bond with people we are supposed to have a natural relationship with. The characters also felt well-rounded and developed. Sarah's relationship with Myra was one I also enjoyed, Myra, became the big sister she never had, showing that family isn’t only those related by blood that concept is one I find very comforting. The book was a wholesome read on familiar bonding. Another aspect I also enjoyed was Sarah's adventure, her courage, and resilience throughout the book, refusal to be a victim, woke something up inside of me and challenged me to take control of my life.
The Author, Charlie Sheldon, used a lot of anthropology and archeology jargon, something I found hard to follow. This is probably because I have never been interested in that and have no prior exposure to it, so having so much of it thrown into a book was a bit disorienting. This probably won't be a problem for people who have a bit of knowledge in that area or are interested in learning about it. I also did not like the route the writer decided to take with Sergei's interaction with Myra, it felt a bit cliché but was still fun to read.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars simply because it was an enjoyable read, and the storyline is original. Although there were a few errors in the book they were not so noticeable and did not interfere with the reading experience.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves adventure stories or family-oriented ones, or even people who have an interest in archeology or anthropology. The book is suitable for younger readers as there are barely any profanities, there is a bit of graphic violence but not so much that it would stop me from recommending it to preteens.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon