Review by mariahcooke -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
-
mariahcooke
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 16 Sep 2020, 03:50
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 3
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mariahcooke.html
- Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
Review by mariahcooke -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
This book was an adventure that I will not soon forget. With a culturally rich setting, intriguing characters, and unbelievable twists, Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon was an absolutely enchanting read focusing on the importance of family, friends, our past, and our future.
Our story begins in the Pacific Northwest, where a young girl named Sarah has just been unexpectedly reunited with her grandfather, Tom. With the help and support of his friends, William and Myra, Tom brings Sarah on an intense camping trip in Olympic National Park with the intention of paying respects to his own grandfather who had died many years earlier. We learn not only about the campers as they share personal stories and legends around the fires on their journey, but also that an international mining operation poses an imminent threat to the park they’ve each come to love so much. The camping excursion reaches a terrifying peak when Sarah disappears after having a fight with her grandfather. Eight days later she reappears as if by magic, and it doesn’t take long listening to her tale for everyone to realize that nothing will ever be the same.
With the trials of their camping trip behind them, the four are inspired by Sarah’s fantastic tale and an ancient artifact to try and put a stop to the proposed mining operation. William enlists a scientist named Sergei, the son of an old friend, to help them in their mission. What he discovers upon analyzing the group’s artifact provides more questions than answers, and carries the potential to turn the scientific community upside-down. Tom, Sarah, Myrna, and William have suffered much since their camping trip earlier in the summer, but are bolstered by Sergei’s findings and plan to return to Olympic National Park despite the challenges facing them.
There are so many wonderful things to say about this book. First, the friendships and family bonds we are introduced to and watch grow are absolutely beautiful. While much of the story allows us to witness Sarah blossoming into a determined and strong individual, we also realize that the adults are finding ways to grow and question what they thought they’ve known too. The format of a story within a story was also extremely rewarding. There was a balance between discovering what happened to Sarah during the time she was lost in the park and watching how the group would move forward outside of the park that was absolutely perfect. Overall, Strong Heart was a book I found to be both refreshing and intriguing. The mix of magical realism, science, and myth alone had me turning the pages as fast as I could, and craving the next volume. At times I found the author’s writing style to be repetitive and halting, but the substance of the story made up for this overall in my opinion. This book was also very well edited.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I truly cannot say enough good things about this book. I would recommend it to most readers, particularly those who enjoy fiction focusing on native cultures of the Pacific Northwest. If you are not a fan of magical realism, I would not recommend this book for you, as this is a crucial element of the plot.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This book was an adventure that I will not soon forget. With a culturally rich setting, intriguing characters, and unbelievable twists, Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon was an absolutely enchanting read focusing on the importance of family, friends, our past, and our future.
Our story begins in the Pacific Northwest, where a young girl named Sarah has just been unexpectedly reunited with her grandfather, Tom. With the help and support of his friends, William and Myra, Tom brings Sarah on an intense camping trip in Olympic National Park with the intention of paying respects to his own grandfather who had died many years earlier. We learn not only about the campers as they share personal stories and legends around the fires on their journey, but also that an international mining operation poses an imminent threat to the park they’ve each come to love so much. The camping excursion reaches a terrifying peak when Sarah disappears after having a fight with her grandfather. Eight days later she reappears as if by magic, and it doesn’t take long listening to her tale for everyone to realize that nothing will ever be the same.
With the trials of their camping trip behind them, the four are inspired by Sarah’s fantastic tale and an ancient artifact to try and put a stop to the proposed mining operation. William enlists a scientist named Sergei, the son of an old friend, to help them in their mission. What he discovers upon analyzing the group’s artifact provides more questions than answers, and carries the potential to turn the scientific community upside-down. Tom, Sarah, Myrna, and William have suffered much since their camping trip earlier in the summer, but are bolstered by Sergei’s findings and plan to return to Olympic National Park despite the challenges facing them.
There are so many wonderful things to say about this book. First, the friendships and family bonds we are introduced to and watch grow are absolutely beautiful. While much of the story allows us to witness Sarah blossoming into a determined and strong individual, we also realize that the adults are finding ways to grow and question what they thought they’ve known too. The format of a story within a story was also extremely rewarding. There was a balance between discovering what happened to Sarah during the time she was lost in the park and watching how the group would move forward outside of the park that was absolutely perfect. Overall, Strong Heart was a book I found to be both refreshing and intriguing. The mix of magical realism, science, and myth alone had me turning the pages as fast as I could, and craving the next volume. At times I found the author’s writing style to be repetitive and halting, but the substance of the story made up for this overall in my opinion. This book was also very well edited.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I truly cannot say enough good things about this book. I would recommend it to most readers, particularly those who enjoy fiction focusing on native cultures of the Pacific Northwest. If you are not a fan of magical realism, I would not recommend this book for you, as this is a crucial element of the plot.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
