Review of Strong Heart
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khofmann
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- Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
Review of Strong Heart
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the story centers around Tom Olsen and his friends preparing to journey to his grandfather,Bob Bob's grave in the Olympic Peninsula. Before they can leave, a young teenage girl, Sarah Cooley, arrives on his doorstep accompanied by Tom's sister who tells Tom that Sarah is his granddaughter and she is now his responsibility. Sarah is the perfectly disgruntled teenager who complains about being at the end of the earth with nothing to do. Tom's friends encourage him to bring Sarah on their journey to see Bob Bob's grave. Of course, Sarah has absolutely no interest in a backpacking trip and voices her opinions on a regular basis. During the trip, Sarah encounters wildlife that no one else believes exist. A rather skillful young artist, Sarah draws what she sees and keeps a sketchbook of their journey. The journey is also centered on finding an ancient artifact which can prove this area is a significant archeological site which would damped plans for commercial enterprises into the area. After locating the artifact, Sarah runs off alone with it and is gone for 8 days during which time search and rescue scour the area looking for her to no avail. Upon her return, she tells a story of olden times and of people and customs long ago. Her story is at times a reminder of books such as Clan of the Cave Bear with the great details about the people's modes of travel, first aid, hunting, skills with survival and navigation. Tom and his friends are unsure what to believe of her story. The group returns home and Sarah is returned to live with Tom's sister and her husband where she hates it. In her boredom she crafts a thrower for spears/darts like in her story and similar to the artifact. Her tale of travels is so detailed you can imagine being there. Later that summer, Sarah, Tom and his friends make another trek into the wilderness to once again try to find the artifact to leave on Bob Bob's grave. Sarah is instrumental in finding it and relates the rest of her story from the previous trip. They encounter dangers with surveyors who don't want the artifact to make it back as it would thwart the commercial plans for the land. Tom's small group must fight for survival from wildfires in order to make it back home. Do they have enough data to prove the area as an important archeological site? Can't wait for the next book to reveal more of their story.
Strong Heart is a very well written and detailed account of friends and family backpacking in Washington State's Olympic Peninsula wilderness. You can also imagine yourself there with them, seeing the animals, the land, and all that they encounter on their travels.
Initially Sarah's story from her time being lost feels like it's not part of the book but rather a side ramble or dream. As the book progresses, it does weave back to put them both together and provide a very well written account of both Sarah's time with the people and the backpacking group and how they came to be.
I give Strong Heart a 4 out of 4 rating. I enjoyed traveling along with Tom, Sarah and their friends and being able to almost see what they endured.
This book has zero offensive material, may be appropriate for teenage and up but most likely will appeal more to an adult audience.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the story centers around Tom Olsen and his friends preparing to journey to his grandfather,Bob Bob's grave in the Olympic Peninsula. Before they can leave, a young teenage girl, Sarah Cooley, arrives on his doorstep accompanied by Tom's sister who tells Tom that Sarah is his granddaughter and she is now his responsibility. Sarah is the perfectly disgruntled teenager who complains about being at the end of the earth with nothing to do. Tom's friends encourage him to bring Sarah on their journey to see Bob Bob's grave. Of course, Sarah has absolutely no interest in a backpacking trip and voices her opinions on a regular basis. During the trip, Sarah encounters wildlife that no one else believes exist. A rather skillful young artist, Sarah draws what she sees and keeps a sketchbook of their journey. The journey is also centered on finding an ancient artifact which can prove this area is a significant archeological site which would damped plans for commercial enterprises into the area. After locating the artifact, Sarah runs off alone with it and is gone for 8 days during which time search and rescue scour the area looking for her to no avail. Upon her return, she tells a story of olden times and of people and customs long ago. Her story is at times a reminder of books such as Clan of the Cave Bear with the great details about the people's modes of travel, first aid, hunting, skills with survival and navigation. Tom and his friends are unsure what to believe of her story. The group returns home and Sarah is returned to live with Tom's sister and her husband where she hates it. In her boredom she crafts a thrower for spears/darts like in her story and similar to the artifact. Her tale of travels is so detailed you can imagine being there. Later that summer, Sarah, Tom and his friends make another trek into the wilderness to once again try to find the artifact to leave on Bob Bob's grave. Sarah is instrumental in finding it and relates the rest of her story from the previous trip. They encounter dangers with surveyors who don't want the artifact to make it back as it would thwart the commercial plans for the land. Tom's small group must fight for survival from wildfires in order to make it back home. Do they have enough data to prove the area as an important archeological site? Can't wait for the next book to reveal more of their story.
Strong Heart is a very well written and detailed account of friends and family backpacking in Washington State's Olympic Peninsula wilderness. You can also imagine yourself there with them, seeing the animals, the land, and all that they encounter on their travels.
Initially Sarah's story from her time being lost feels like it's not part of the book but rather a side ramble or dream. As the book progresses, it does weave back to put them both together and provide a very well written account of both Sarah's time with the people and the backpacking group and how they came to be.
I give Strong Heart a 4 out of 4 rating. I enjoyed traveling along with Tom, Sarah and their friends and being able to almost see what they endured.
This book has zero offensive material, may be appropriate for teenage and up but most likely will appeal more to an adult audience.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
