Review by cozark38 -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
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cozark38
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Review by cozark38 -- 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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There is a growing mania for ancestral knowledge that fascinates people. The difficulty in coming of age at 13, especially for a girl, is something we all remember. When you throw in being orphaned and abused, the ramifications are overwhelming.
Mixing the ancestral knowledge seekers and skeptics with an adolescent, mouthy young girl is a great blend of power, determination, and the ability to accept the impossible. If you believe in a young person and give them a task to achieve, they will strive hard to do so. Sarah believed in herself but she no longer believed in anyone else. She was about to take a journey within a journey that would change everything in her life. It would be up to her whether those changes were good or bad.
Three adults and one young girl begin the trek into the wilderness. The adults have made explored this area many times, but a young, adolescent girl is a new twist. Sarah becomes part of this journey against Tom's better judgment. Sarah does not want any part of it but ultimately has no choice. She is dumped by her grandmother at Tom's doorstep. She is angry, sullen, and lost but refuses to show it. It may save her life. This was the first trip.
Tom has an agenda of his own and was not prepared for the emotional drain that a surly new granddaughter would be on him and those around him. William is going for moral support of his friend Tom. Myra, William's daughter, is along to keep an eye on both of the elderly men. Tom, his friend William, commonly called 'Eye short for Walleye, and William's daughter Myra are going on this journey to help Tom honor his grandfather. Each person will have their physical and mental abilities tested and their spiritual foundations are shaken.
Sarah has a connection to the people she is with and to the people that lived thousands of years ago more than anyone realizes. She makes an attempt at sharing things she sees but she is not believed, which only validates her distrust of anyone. She uses art to journal her thoughts and things she sees. Sarah had created a world in which she relied only on herself and trusted no one. She has knowledge that she is not aware of, but her journey to utilize this knowledge will come at great cost. Being known as a liar and a troublesome teen, and acting like one, may hinder what she learns and what she may be able to teach to the adults around her.
Her life and the lives of those around her are put in danger when Sarah goes missing. Her newly found grandfather works for the company that his ex-wife's husband is deeply involved in, and Fletcher is not a nice man. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Tom did not know what torment Fletcher had already caused in his life or what was to come.
On the second trip, she finds a strength and knowledge that few possess. On this trip, Sergei joins them. He is the son of William's friend that recently passed away. He is a scientist, and his belief system is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Myra, who is native to this land and relies on legends and anthropology and archeology to validate her beliefs, which she feels shows the truth in the legends of her ancestors. Tom, William, Myra, and Sergei will learn more about themselves than they thought possible as they travel through sacred grounds battling the elements of nature and physical limitations.
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon gets a 4 out of 4 rating on this book. It may be fiction, but his ability to take an unwanted situation for an orphaned 13-year-old girl getting to know her grandfather for the first time and weaving in ancient legends and ancestral connections was superb. Jean M. Auel was such a storyteller and I would encourage anyone who seeks knowledge and believes they have a connection to a land, or a people, to read this book.
While reading this, I almost wished I was 13 again, almost. Even to be able to say that aloud amazes me. It was amazing to read and feel the dramatic changes that happened to this young girl and those around her. It was intense, loving, and unexpectedly believable. It left me feeling content and connected.
******
Strong Heart
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4 out of 4 stars
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There is a growing mania for ancestral knowledge that fascinates people. The difficulty in coming of age at 13, especially for a girl, is something we all remember. When you throw in being orphaned and abused, the ramifications are overwhelming.
Mixing the ancestral knowledge seekers and skeptics with an adolescent, mouthy young girl is a great blend of power, determination, and the ability to accept the impossible. If you believe in a young person and give them a task to achieve, they will strive hard to do so. Sarah believed in herself but she no longer believed in anyone else. She was about to take a journey within a journey that would change everything in her life. It would be up to her whether those changes were good or bad.
Three adults and one young girl begin the trek into the wilderness. The adults have made explored this area many times, but a young, adolescent girl is a new twist. Sarah becomes part of this journey against Tom's better judgment. Sarah does not want any part of it but ultimately has no choice. She is dumped by her grandmother at Tom's doorstep. She is angry, sullen, and lost but refuses to show it. It may save her life. This was the first trip.
Tom has an agenda of his own and was not prepared for the emotional drain that a surly new granddaughter would be on him and those around him. William is going for moral support of his friend Tom. Myra, William's daughter, is along to keep an eye on both of the elderly men. Tom, his friend William, commonly called 'Eye short for Walleye, and William's daughter Myra are going on this journey to help Tom honor his grandfather. Each person will have their physical and mental abilities tested and their spiritual foundations are shaken.
Sarah has a connection to the people she is with and to the people that lived thousands of years ago more than anyone realizes. She makes an attempt at sharing things she sees but she is not believed, which only validates her distrust of anyone. She uses art to journal her thoughts and things she sees. Sarah had created a world in which she relied only on herself and trusted no one. She has knowledge that she is not aware of, but her journey to utilize this knowledge will come at great cost. Being known as a liar and a troublesome teen, and acting like one, may hinder what she learns and what she may be able to teach to the adults around her.
Her life and the lives of those around her are put in danger when Sarah goes missing. Her newly found grandfather works for the company that his ex-wife's husband is deeply involved in, and Fletcher is not a nice man. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Tom did not know what torment Fletcher had already caused in his life or what was to come.
On the second trip, she finds a strength and knowledge that few possess. On this trip, Sergei joins them. He is the son of William's friend that recently passed away. He is a scientist, and his belief system is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Myra, who is native to this land and relies on legends and anthropology and archeology to validate her beliefs, which she feels shows the truth in the legends of her ancestors. Tom, William, Myra, and Sergei will learn more about themselves than they thought possible as they travel through sacred grounds battling the elements of nature and physical limitations.
Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon gets a 4 out of 4 rating on this book. It may be fiction, but his ability to take an unwanted situation for an orphaned 13-year-old girl getting to know her grandfather for the first time and weaving in ancient legends and ancestral connections was superb. Jean M. Auel was such a storyteller and I would encourage anyone who seeks knowledge and believes they have a connection to a land, or a people, to read this book.
While reading this, I almost wished I was 13 again, almost. Even to be able to say that aloud amazes me. It was amazing to read and feel the dramatic changes that happened to this young girl and those around her. It was intense, loving, and unexpectedly believable. It left me feeling content and connected.
******
Strong Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like cozark38's review? Post a comment saying so!
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kdstrack
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Thanks for your review. I really enjoyed your description of Sarah and how she developed throughout the story. Your comparison of this author to Jean M. Auel was also an excellent point. Nice job.
Latest Review: Kennedy's Revenge by Stephen L Rodenbeck
