Review of Strong Heart
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Elaine LaBonte
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Review of Strong Heart
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
Strong Heart, by Charlie Sheldon, is Book 1 of 3 in the Strong Heart Series. It’s set in Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, a place where history and legend come together.
I had read the second book in this series, Adrift, so I knew that Sheldon has his unique way of telling a story. The book started in what I considered a languid style. Then it changed when the granddaughter of Tom, one of the main characters, was stunned by his ex-wife showing up at his door with a granddaughter he didn't know he had. I researched the style of being in ordinary life with something else going on at the same time. Sarah is an orphan girl in her early teens who seems very special, gifted, and sensitive. But strange things happen around her. She walks away from her group on a mountain trek when she gets angry with them. She comes back a week later with a very long and unbelievable story about being kidnapped by ancient people and befriended by a short-nosed bear, believed to have been extinct for thousands of years.
Sarah brought back an atlatl, a throwing stick used by early North American Indians to throw a spear. This atlatl wasn’t imaginary. It was real and not from the present time. A genetic scientist confirmed this, but the sliver of fossilized bone was taken away before the university entrusted to verify the date more accurately was able to do so. Strong Heart has great themes about extended family and values. It’s an adventure story with repeating themes, including history, family values, and self-discovery, along with a broad look at Pacific Rim Native culture.
My favorite part of the book was Sarah, her characterization, attitude, bravery, wisdom, and acceptance of what happened to her that no one else was willing to believe. Except for one man whom you’ll meet if you read the book, and I hope you do. I also valued how Sheldon combined several genres in the stories, with the main one that caught my attention being Magical Realism. I was confused after reading the book. Things happened that I didn’t understand. Even with rereading, I didn’t get it. So I researched the topic a bit. Everyday people are just doing what they do. But then, unexplainable or magical things happen. Magical realism is intentionally vague; There’s no known reason for these things. They just happen. Magical realism looks at the unexplainable events in peoples’ lives, making the fantastical almost believable.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was how slow the beginning was, even into the middle of the book. But once it got going, the author made up for it, and I became lost in Sarah’s ancient life. I will reread that more than once.
I noticed no typos in the book. It was professionally edited. My delight in this newly discovered genre leads me to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Although I found much of the book’s beginning to be more telling than showing, I was so drawn in that I felt I knew the characters and joined them on their journey. It is an excellent introduction to the magical realism genre. It left me looking forward to reading Totem, the third in the series.
I would recommend Strong Heart to people who like reading about legends and can suspend disbelief when reading a story. It would suit those interested in outdoor adventures and legends, ancient history, and the geology of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. I would also recommend it to lovers of mysticism.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Strong Heart, by Charlie Sheldon, is Book 1 of 3 in the Strong Heart Series. It’s set in Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, a place where history and legend come together.
I had read the second book in this series, Adrift, so I knew that Sheldon has his unique way of telling a story. The book started in what I considered a languid style. Then it changed when the granddaughter of Tom, one of the main characters, was stunned by his ex-wife showing up at his door with a granddaughter he didn't know he had. I researched the style of being in ordinary life with something else going on at the same time. Sarah is an orphan girl in her early teens who seems very special, gifted, and sensitive. But strange things happen around her. She walks away from her group on a mountain trek when she gets angry with them. She comes back a week later with a very long and unbelievable story about being kidnapped by ancient people and befriended by a short-nosed bear, believed to have been extinct for thousands of years.
Sarah brought back an atlatl, a throwing stick used by early North American Indians to throw a spear. This atlatl wasn’t imaginary. It was real and not from the present time. A genetic scientist confirmed this, but the sliver of fossilized bone was taken away before the university entrusted to verify the date more accurately was able to do so. Strong Heart has great themes about extended family and values. It’s an adventure story with repeating themes, including history, family values, and self-discovery, along with a broad look at Pacific Rim Native culture.
My favorite part of the book was Sarah, her characterization, attitude, bravery, wisdom, and acceptance of what happened to her that no one else was willing to believe. Except for one man whom you’ll meet if you read the book, and I hope you do. I also valued how Sheldon combined several genres in the stories, with the main one that caught my attention being Magical Realism. I was confused after reading the book. Things happened that I didn’t understand. Even with rereading, I didn’t get it. So I researched the topic a bit. Everyday people are just doing what they do. But then, unexplainable or magical things happen. Magical realism is intentionally vague; There’s no known reason for these things. They just happen. Magical realism looks at the unexplainable events in peoples’ lives, making the fantastical almost believable.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was how slow the beginning was, even into the middle of the book. But once it got going, the author made up for it, and I became lost in Sarah’s ancient life. I will reread that more than once.
I noticed no typos in the book. It was professionally edited. My delight in this newly discovered genre leads me to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Although I found much of the book’s beginning to be more telling than showing, I was so drawn in that I felt I knew the characters and joined them on their journey. It is an excellent introduction to the magical realism genre. It left me looking forward to reading Totem, the third in the series.
I would recommend Strong Heart to people who like reading about legends and can suspend disbelief when reading a story. It would suit those interested in outdoor adventures and legends, ancient history, and the geology of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. I would also recommend it to lovers of mysticism.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"Soon I'll find the right words, they'll be very simple ..."
Some of the Dharma, by Jack Kerouac
Some of the Dharma, by Jack Kerouac
Latest Review: Disturbed Tombs by Kay A. Oliver
