Review by angelahouston08 -- Strong Heart
-
angelahouston08
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 20:34
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-angelahouston08.html
- Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
Review by angelahouston08 -- Strong Heart
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Charlie Sheldon brings to life an ancient world before your very eyes—a world bridged by an intercontinental gap and spanned over thousands of years. What begins as a journey to honor Bob-Bob, the grandfather of Tom Olsen—a grandfather, himself—transcends time and explores the depths of the family bond.
Forty-five years before, Tom Olsen buried Bob-Bob in the forests of the Olympic Peninsula. He had entered into the forest with his grandfather, but left with a grieving heart and an ancient artifact found in Bob-Bob’s possession that Tom couldn’t stand to leave behind in the forests to which it belonged.
Now Tom is ready to re-enter the forest, accompanied by his lifelong friend, William “Walleye,” and William’s daughter, Myra, to return the artifact to its home. What he doesn’t expect is to open the front door and see his ex-wife, Ruth, dragging a thirteen-year-old Sarah alongside—the granddaughter he didn’t know existed.
Sarah is defiant, troubled, and fiercely ready to dispute Tom’s every decision, the biggest of which will change their lives forever. Put off the trip to honor his grandfather or take Bob-Bob’s great-great-granddaughter on an extended camping trip?
The feisty Sarah is forced to tag along, a climbing pack affixed to her back and retort ready at every turn of the trail. The group enters Olympic National Park, traversing the Whiskey Bend Trailhead into Bear Valley, unknowing and unprepared for the events that would change everything they thought they knew about their corner of the world, their ancestors, and even one another.
Strong Heart takes the reader on a quest to discover just how deep the roots of family reach. Sheldon illuminates the perspective of the Sol Duc tribe, modernizing the age-old arguments of the 30s’ mining desecration of sacred lands, and the still widely-disputed origins of the Native American people. As the reader traverses the trailhead alongside Sheldon, across and alongside the mighty Elwha River, the reader is internally taken into the heart of Northwest Washington where one can simply close one’s eyes to envision the world as Sheldon has painted it.
A land of magic, history, and legend.
As a reader with basic previous knowledge of Native American culture, I expected to be lost amidst the text; nothing could have been farther from the truth. Sheldon is a gifted narrator, with a proficient ability to simplify unfamiliar cultural dynamics and to depict the surprising complexity of small-town life. I was immediately pulled into the story; I found myself guessing throughout the novel what was to happen next and was pleasantly surprised to the end. The author’s voice is accessible and his tone enjoyable, his characters complex and charismatic. I experienced a culture different from my own through a beautiful, respectful, admiring perspective that made me thirst for more.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I found it gripping and at times suspenseful, educational in an inspiring way, and written beautifully. Sheldon’s strengths lie in his vast knowledge of his content and the way he is able to depict the scene for the reader, almost as if the reader could close their eyes and picture the setting. He has the ability to make the reader smile as the characters converse. Sheldon has captured the grandfatherly spirit in both William and Tom, Sarah’s banter made me audibly chuckle, and I very much related to the character of Myra.
The 261 pages are broken up into 44 chapters, which seemed strange at first as the chapters are short and pithy, but I believe the author has found a pleasant rhythm in his writing style. The chapter breaks worked for me.
The conclusion of Strong Heart leaves you feeling morally satisfied, but the story feels far from finished. As I’ve rated the book 4 out of 4, this isn’t to say that the ending is in any way disappointing, but I feel Sheldon has more of the Olsen story to tell. While he points the way for their future, you are left to wonder if you will ever learn of it. I for one am hoping that Sheldon has a sequel!
I highly recommend that you read this book. I simply couldn’t put it down.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like angelahouston08's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Charlie Sheldon brings to life an ancient world before your very eyes—a world bridged by an intercontinental gap and spanned over thousands of years. What begins as a journey to honor Bob-Bob, the grandfather of Tom Olsen—a grandfather, himself—transcends time and explores the depths of the family bond.
Forty-five years before, Tom Olsen buried Bob-Bob in the forests of the Olympic Peninsula. He had entered into the forest with his grandfather, but left with a grieving heart and an ancient artifact found in Bob-Bob’s possession that Tom couldn’t stand to leave behind in the forests to which it belonged.
Now Tom is ready to re-enter the forest, accompanied by his lifelong friend, William “Walleye,” and William’s daughter, Myra, to return the artifact to its home. What he doesn’t expect is to open the front door and see his ex-wife, Ruth, dragging a thirteen-year-old Sarah alongside—the granddaughter he didn’t know existed.
Sarah is defiant, troubled, and fiercely ready to dispute Tom’s every decision, the biggest of which will change their lives forever. Put off the trip to honor his grandfather or take Bob-Bob’s great-great-granddaughter on an extended camping trip?
The feisty Sarah is forced to tag along, a climbing pack affixed to her back and retort ready at every turn of the trail. The group enters Olympic National Park, traversing the Whiskey Bend Trailhead into Bear Valley, unknowing and unprepared for the events that would change everything they thought they knew about their corner of the world, their ancestors, and even one another.
Strong Heart takes the reader on a quest to discover just how deep the roots of family reach. Sheldon illuminates the perspective of the Sol Duc tribe, modernizing the age-old arguments of the 30s’ mining desecration of sacred lands, and the still widely-disputed origins of the Native American people. As the reader traverses the trailhead alongside Sheldon, across and alongside the mighty Elwha River, the reader is internally taken into the heart of Northwest Washington where one can simply close one’s eyes to envision the world as Sheldon has painted it.
A land of magic, history, and legend.
As a reader with basic previous knowledge of Native American culture, I expected to be lost amidst the text; nothing could have been farther from the truth. Sheldon is a gifted narrator, with a proficient ability to simplify unfamiliar cultural dynamics and to depict the surprising complexity of small-town life. I was immediately pulled into the story; I found myself guessing throughout the novel what was to happen next and was pleasantly surprised to the end. The author’s voice is accessible and his tone enjoyable, his characters complex and charismatic. I experienced a culture different from my own through a beautiful, respectful, admiring perspective that made me thirst for more.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I found it gripping and at times suspenseful, educational in an inspiring way, and written beautifully. Sheldon’s strengths lie in his vast knowledge of his content and the way he is able to depict the scene for the reader, almost as if the reader could close their eyes and picture the setting. He has the ability to make the reader smile as the characters converse. Sheldon has captured the grandfatherly spirit in both William and Tom, Sarah’s banter made me audibly chuckle, and I very much related to the character of Myra.
The 261 pages are broken up into 44 chapters, which seemed strange at first as the chapters are short and pithy, but I believe the author has found a pleasant rhythm in his writing style. The chapter breaks worked for me.
The conclusion of Strong Heart leaves you feeling morally satisfied, but the story feels far from finished. As I’ve rated the book 4 out of 4, this isn’t to say that the ending is in any way disappointing, but I feel Sheldon has more of the Olsen story to tell. While he points the way for their future, you are left to wonder if you will ever learn of it. I for one am hoping that Sheldon has a sequel!
I highly recommend that you read this book. I simply couldn’t put it down.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like angelahouston08's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
