Review by J Gordon -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
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J Gordon
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Review by J Gordon -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
4 out of 4 stars
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I slowly warmed up to this good novel, and found my meager resistance to its charms failing much as its main character William slowly warms to teenage granddaughter Sarah's creativity. They resist forming a family bond because they are thrown together suddenly as his own close-knit family embarks on a backpacking trip and she arrives on his doorstep in need of shelter. This begins a stage of generational conflict, harrowing experiences, and tales buried within tales. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars because it does many things well.
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon features the conflict between an unwanted child and a grumpy old man, and it is ultimately about how family redefines us and transcends our individual differences without erasing our uniqueness.
After an extended exposition, a quarter into this book the stakes suddenly ratchet up: from that moment I was drawn deeply into the lives of its characters. Sarah, an artist, describes her own mysterious sighting of a bear thought long-extinct. To this contest between her incredible account and the others' more rational explanations is added doubt about her reasons for leaving home and coming to stay with William, her grandfather; additionally, forces compete over land use. Should the wilderness be preserved intact, offered up to archaeological exploration, or protected from land developers as a sacred site of indigenous peoples? The last set of conflicts are generated by the settings: raw isolated natural wilderness, both on land and by water - nature teeming with history, wildlife, and dry tinder.
If there is any flaw in the novel it is that Sheldon has not decided whether to let it be a pure adventure tale, a ripping yarn, a YA novel, or a science-fiction story. Its family focus and teen antagonist make it suitable for YA, especially the numerous chapters she narrates in the first person. But the long speeches of historic and scientific detail argue that this is a book about science and data in uneasy partnership with ancient mysteries. Eventually, I feel that adventure wins out, since the physical journeys are narrated to carry readers to a beautiful yet dangerous present and past wilderness with many obstacles.
At one dangerous point there is a question of using assistance to remove the campers from the wilderness. But Sarah, strong of heart, insists: "I walked in here. I'll walk out." As the Strong Heart of the title, she is an interesting character, and we are glad when the others learn to trust her, each in their own way. A culminating moment occurs when they must rely on her and their faith is put to the test.
Trust has been a key from the inciting incident of the novel; in this important moment William, whose limited third person POV we are most aligned with, is called upon to rely entirely on Sarah's report:
"The bear I saw, it went up that hill. It went right the way Myra pointed, exactly.” Then Sarah stood, oatmeal forgotten, excited. “Yes. It stopped three times, and peered back at me. It was as if it was trying to show me something, or get me to follow.” If he has faith in her, the travelers will follow her -- to safety or peril -- during a raging wildfire.
I enjoy the way the stakes keep changing. At a significant point in the journey, during an encounter with opponents whose quest is entangled with theirs, the group suffers a major setback when an ancient artifact is the cause of disastrous dispute. Everyone involved must reevaluate their positions and control their hostility if they hope to make it back to civilization. And here is where the book's themes are brought home to us today in our own homes, cities, and country. Are we willing to agree that what we have in common as human beings is valuable? If so, how may we work together to cultivate and preserve it, so that we may leave a legacy of community rather than disunity?
Strong Heart asks how best to honor others …. Is it by respecting their stories? It also asks what the best ways are of acknowledging past and its hold on us. It suggests that our lasting legacies include relationships with family, land, art, nature, and story.
******
Strong Heart
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4 out of 4 stars
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I slowly warmed up to this good novel, and found my meager resistance to its charms failing much as its main character William slowly warms to teenage granddaughter Sarah's creativity. They resist forming a family bond because they are thrown together suddenly as his own close-knit family embarks on a backpacking trip and she arrives on his doorstep in need of shelter. This begins a stage of generational conflict, harrowing experiences, and tales buried within tales. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars because it does many things well.
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon features the conflict between an unwanted child and a grumpy old man, and it is ultimately about how family redefines us and transcends our individual differences without erasing our uniqueness.
After an extended exposition, a quarter into this book the stakes suddenly ratchet up: from that moment I was drawn deeply into the lives of its characters. Sarah, an artist, describes her own mysterious sighting of a bear thought long-extinct. To this contest between her incredible account and the others' more rational explanations is added doubt about her reasons for leaving home and coming to stay with William, her grandfather; additionally, forces compete over land use. Should the wilderness be preserved intact, offered up to archaeological exploration, or protected from land developers as a sacred site of indigenous peoples? The last set of conflicts are generated by the settings: raw isolated natural wilderness, both on land and by water - nature teeming with history, wildlife, and dry tinder.
If there is any flaw in the novel it is that Sheldon has not decided whether to let it be a pure adventure tale, a ripping yarn, a YA novel, or a science-fiction story. Its family focus and teen antagonist make it suitable for YA, especially the numerous chapters she narrates in the first person. But the long speeches of historic and scientific detail argue that this is a book about science and data in uneasy partnership with ancient mysteries. Eventually, I feel that adventure wins out, since the physical journeys are narrated to carry readers to a beautiful yet dangerous present and past wilderness with many obstacles.
At one dangerous point there is a question of using assistance to remove the campers from the wilderness. But Sarah, strong of heart, insists: "I walked in here. I'll walk out." As the Strong Heart of the title, she is an interesting character, and we are glad when the others learn to trust her, each in their own way. A culminating moment occurs when they must rely on her and their faith is put to the test.
Trust has been a key from the inciting incident of the novel; in this important moment William, whose limited third person POV we are most aligned with, is called upon to rely entirely on Sarah's report:
"The bear I saw, it went up that hill. It went right the way Myra pointed, exactly.” Then Sarah stood, oatmeal forgotten, excited. “Yes. It stopped three times, and peered back at me. It was as if it was trying to show me something, or get me to follow.” If he has faith in her, the travelers will follow her -- to safety or peril -- during a raging wildfire.
I enjoy the way the stakes keep changing. At a significant point in the journey, during an encounter with opponents whose quest is entangled with theirs, the group suffers a major setback when an ancient artifact is the cause of disastrous dispute. Everyone involved must reevaluate their positions and control their hostility if they hope to make it back to civilization. And here is where the book's themes are brought home to us today in our own homes, cities, and country. Are we willing to agree that what we have in common as human beings is valuable? If so, how may we work together to cultivate and preserve it, so that we may leave a legacy of community rather than disunity?
Strong Heart asks how best to honor others …. Is it by respecting their stories? It also asks what the best ways are of acknowledging past and its hold on us. It suggests that our lasting legacies include relationships with family, land, art, nature, and story.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like J Gordon's review? Post a comment saying so!
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Latest Review: Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole
