Review of Strong Heart
Posted: 24 Feb 2022, 02:58
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
Though with an unstable family background and rough upbringing, Sarah, at 13, would find herself a saving grace of sort for her grandfather, Tom and his circle of friends. Tom sought to hold camp in the Olympic National Park for a few days with his friends, William and William's daughter, Myra and search out his grandfather's grave and honour his spirit by burying an artifact, the Atlatl, in his grave. Bob-Bob, Tom's grandfather, had possessed the Atlatl at his death in the park during a trip with Tom.
Taking Sarah on the trip was not part of the group's original plan. But when, unannounced, Tom's ex-wife, Ruth, with whom he begot Becky, Sarah's mother, dumped Sarah on him close to the group's departure to the park, William prevailed on his friend to take Sarah along.
For a first timer and an obvious delinquent, to say the least, the camp experience was not outright pleasure for Sarah as in a fit of upset and obstinacy the teenager separated from the group and fled camp for several days, taking the Atlatl with her. Her mysterious reemergence, terribly bruised and without the Atlatl, and subsequent account of her sojourn, prompted a revisit to the park in search of the artifact. By the second trip, however, there was an added interest from a young Russian scientist, Sergei, who would want to have the relic as historical data for his researches.
Little did they know, however, that the Buckhorn crew who surveyed and mined in the park would stand against the Atlatl or any other relic leaving the park. To have their way, they would even attempt to murder Tom and his group, but for Sarah's darts-throwing prowess which she acquired during her disappearance and wonder sojourn.
I find in Charlie Sheldon's Strong Heart amazing instances of care and strength. Myra personified care, love and support in this whole journey down the lane of history and evolving humanity. Not only was she a source of care and support for her father and his age-long friend, Tom, but also a source of care, love and support for the juvenile delinquent, Sarah. Myra showed understanding and concern to Sarah even when no one else was either available or acceptable to the teenager. On the second trip to the park, Myra would walk back and forth, checking on her father and Tom, both of whom often dropped behind the rest, encouraging them. On page 158, chapter 29, she was so concerned that she commented on her father's condition. "You don't look good, dad." William's heart was, at this juncture, thudding and sweat was rolling down his chest.
It is, however, unpleasant to me that Sarah enjoyed such raw audacity at that early age, going unchecked in action and utterance. For instance, her reaction to a joke from Tom was the beginning of all the troubles; no one cautioned her, no one attempted to stop her. While they were piling stones on Bob-Bob's grave, Tom had said to Sarah (page 56, chapter 11): "Those crevices you explored, none of them were big enough to hide a big bear, were they?" Offended, Sarah had indecently replied: "You mean like the bear I thought I saw but didn't see? The one I'm lying about? That one? You move these stones by yourself." With this fit of upset, she had headed for the camp. But when the rest finished piling the stones on the grave and Myra checked on Sarah in the camp, she was nowhere to be found. They were later to discover that she had, audaciously, left with the Atlatl.
I rate this work 4 out of 4 stars, given that I find it edited by a reasonably proficient hand. It is a perfect work with only a couple typo errors of repetition or what seemed like it.
More or less a historical research or science fiction, this book will make a pleasurable piece to anthropological students and researchers. It will also teach character and morals, as typified by Myra, to young adults, while teenage audiences can learn to guard against brash delinquency by observing the naughty strides of Sarah and steering away for a different result, the fact that she is the central character of this book notwithstanding.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Though with an unstable family background and rough upbringing, Sarah, at 13, would find herself a saving grace of sort for her grandfather, Tom and his circle of friends. Tom sought to hold camp in the Olympic National Park for a few days with his friends, William and William's daughter, Myra and search out his grandfather's grave and honour his spirit by burying an artifact, the Atlatl, in his grave. Bob-Bob, Tom's grandfather, had possessed the Atlatl at his death in the park during a trip with Tom.
Taking Sarah on the trip was not part of the group's original plan. But when, unannounced, Tom's ex-wife, Ruth, with whom he begot Becky, Sarah's mother, dumped Sarah on him close to the group's departure to the park, William prevailed on his friend to take Sarah along.
For a first timer and an obvious delinquent, to say the least, the camp experience was not outright pleasure for Sarah as in a fit of upset and obstinacy the teenager separated from the group and fled camp for several days, taking the Atlatl with her. Her mysterious reemergence, terribly bruised and without the Atlatl, and subsequent account of her sojourn, prompted a revisit to the park in search of the artifact. By the second trip, however, there was an added interest from a young Russian scientist, Sergei, who would want to have the relic as historical data for his researches.
Little did they know, however, that the Buckhorn crew who surveyed and mined in the park would stand against the Atlatl or any other relic leaving the park. To have their way, they would even attempt to murder Tom and his group, but for Sarah's darts-throwing prowess which she acquired during her disappearance and wonder sojourn.
I find in Charlie Sheldon's Strong Heart amazing instances of care and strength. Myra personified care, love and support in this whole journey down the lane of history and evolving humanity. Not only was she a source of care and support for her father and his age-long friend, Tom, but also a source of care, love and support for the juvenile delinquent, Sarah. Myra showed understanding and concern to Sarah even when no one else was either available or acceptable to the teenager. On the second trip to the park, Myra would walk back and forth, checking on her father and Tom, both of whom often dropped behind the rest, encouraging them. On page 158, chapter 29, she was so concerned that she commented on her father's condition. "You don't look good, dad." William's heart was, at this juncture, thudding and sweat was rolling down his chest.
It is, however, unpleasant to me that Sarah enjoyed such raw audacity at that early age, going unchecked in action and utterance. For instance, her reaction to a joke from Tom was the beginning of all the troubles; no one cautioned her, no one attempted to stop her. While they were piling stones on Bob-Bob's grave, Tom had said to Sarah (page 56, chapter 11): "Those crevices you explored, none of them were big enough to hide a big bear, were they?" Offended, Sarah had indecently replied: "You mean like the bear I thought I saw but didn't see? The one I'm lying about? That one? You move these stones by yourself." With this fit of upset, she had headed for the camp. But when the rest finished piling the stones on the grave and Myra checked on Sarah in the camp, she was nowhere to be found. They were later to discover that she had, audaciously, left with the Atlatl.
I rate this work 4 out of 4 stars, given that I find it edited by a reasonably proficient hand. It is a perfect work with only a couple typo errors of repetition or what seemed like it.
More or less a historical research or science fiction, this book will make a pleasurable piece to anthropological students and researchers. It will also teach character and morals, as typified by Myra, to young adults, while teenage audiences can learn to guard against brash delinquency by observing the naughty strides of Sarah and steering away for a different result, the fact that she is the central character of this book notwithstanding.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon