Strong Heart
By Charlie Sheldon
It’s easy to immerse yourself in one or two genres, but that could lead to burnout. I find myself losing my reading mojo when I get into too much of a rut. Readers have a variety of options available to dabble with and figure out what’s best for them. Sometimes I’ll make a subtle change, like reading cozy mysteries instead of thrillers. Other times, drastic measures are in order, and I’ll follow a recommendation from another person which I would never pick for myself. In this case, I decided to feed my love of fantasy while transporting myself out of the city to the wilderness.
Strong Heart starts in a straightforward manner. A company wants to exercise its mining rights on property in the Pacific Northwest wilderness, and the locals are concerned about the mining’s impact on local residents and the fishing industry. A rebellious girl is shuffled around between family members before being dumped on her grandfather’s doorstep. A man wants to visit his father’s gravesite and return a relic to the wilderness. But if this relic turns out to be a significant archaeological finding, then the mining could not take place. Sounds like a fairly straightforward nature vs. business struggle until the girl gets lost in the wilderness and comes back with an extraordinary story to share.
I was quickly drawn into the basic plot points with the vivid descriptions of the characters and settings. The Native American mythology and culture are carefully brought into the story so that the girl’s unbelievable story fits. The character development is profound but makes sense given how her experience impacts the others in her hiking group.
I haven’t read much Native American folklore, but I quickly appreciated the beautiful canvas Charlie Sheldon created. I’m not familiar with Native American mythology but Sheldon’s carefully crafted tale drew me in anyway.
Strong Heart is the first book in the series. I’ve grabbed a copy of the second book, Adrift, and am looking forward to reading it. I want to spend more time in the setting Charlie Sheldon built in Strong Heart. I’m going to grab a blanket and hot tea, then curl up and get swept back to the Pacific Northwest wilderness.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book.
