Book Review: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - 5 Stars
I have already filmed my Winter Book Recommendations video, but if I hadn't, this would be the NUMBER 1 REC I HAVE! WOW. This book is a great blend of historical fiction and gripping mystery, shining a light on the remarkable life of Martha Ballard, an 18-century midwife whose diary remains one of the most detailed records of early American life. This story plunges you into the icy, Maine winter of 1789 and explores themes of justice, resilience and the power of a woman's voice in a time when society preferred it silent.
The story kicks off with a chilling discovery: a man's body encased in the frozen Kennebec River. Martha, whose skills as a midwife and healer extend to forensic observation, is called there to determine the cause of death in her own opinion and skill. From this point, we move into the personal and political narrative as there is a trial to determine what happened to the man in the ice. The man in the ice turns out to be a terrible person who has sexually assaulted a woman locally so things turn into more of a mystery as the story progresses.....
Honestly, the strength of this book is the portrayal of Martha herself. Knowing she is was a real person and how the author wrote her as a strong woman, who is both deeply human and heroic in her role as a midwife. This book makes me want to do a deep dive in to the real Martha Ballard. The story’s tension is heightened as she seeks to prove the man's cause of death and investigating the assaults' made.
The author does not shy away from the brutal realities of this time, particularly the vulnerabilities of women in a male-dominated legal and social system. I found this to honestly be very real to the time from what I have seen depicted.
I love that the author showed us a beautiful marriage between Martha and her husband. He was such a great character and seeing everything they went through personally was heartbreaking but also inspiring to how they handled things together.
Martha's diary entries woven into the story add authenticity and depth, making Martha’s voice feel very compelling. I really enjoyed the details about Martha as a midwife - it was very interesting to learn about during that time what it would have been like and all the women and children she saved in her time. Also, as an Autism Mama I loved seeing the portrayal of her mute son - how she loved him and supported him no matter what - beautiful.
The Frozen River is more than just a historical mystery, I think this is truly a tribute to such an extraordinary woman whose contributions to history have often been overlooked.
Highly recommend. ** Please see content / trigger warnings below. **
Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault is a major focus in the story. A woman goes on trial and explains what happened to her, there are multiple birth scenes (with difficult births presented too), murder, physical altercations, miscarriage, etc. However, I feel like the author handled these topics with grace and did not go to far. Sexual content was not explicit - the married couple of Martha and her husbands had some romantic bits, but it wasn't detailed to bother me. Language was minimal.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6251729098
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CU2KuO
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