Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

22 reviews

soobooksalot's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Frozen River has gone straight to my list of most memorable reads.
 I don't read a ton of historical fiction, but the ones I do inevitably leave an impression.
 Author Ariel Lawhon describes her novel as "biographical fiction" - midwife and healer Martha Ballard and other residents of Halowell, Maine in the late 1700s are based on actual people and events.
 Despite the time difference from then to present, so many of society's harshest issues are unchanged.
 The Frozen River isn't always an easy read, but I absolutely recommend it.
 ⚠️ TW: rape, pregnancy and childbirth, infant and child death, murder, capital punishment.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Death, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, and Child death

staceymadams's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautifully written. My second Lawhon book; I’ll definitely be checking out her backlist. Very strong Outlander vibes, especially once they’ve set up the homestead in America. Fantastic strong female character and voice. Very informative and infuriating subject matter. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Murder, Sexism, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Child death

melarie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I really didn’t enjoy it. In many ways, the main character and her husband reminded me of Claire and Jamie Fraser from Outlander. The main difference is that Martha is nowhere near as lovable or as developed a character as Claire, so the modern pronouncements about women’s rights etc came off forced rather than natural and charming. Additionally, for me, the rape storylines were too prominent and detailed for comfort. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Child death

mdelawter's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Child death, Colonisation, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Medical content, Murder, and Sexual assault

emmehooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

I wish this book had a trigger warning for readers. It is historical and beautifully written but it is does not mince words about the experiences and effects of sexual assault.

Overall, wonderful. I loved the feminist lens and disability neutrality (as opposed to inspiration porn or tragedy). 

SPOILER <the Justice was a little too poetic, if you know what I mean.>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Xenophobia and Grief

Minor: War, Slavery, Vomit, and Blood

librarianeno's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a fun book for me as it's set in an area I'm very familiar with. Before this book was published, I hadn't heard of Martha Ballard, but now I want to learn more about her and her life. She seemed like a strong, brave, independent woman during a time when all three of those traits were looked down on by society.

The story follows a year of Martha Ballard's life as both a midwife and as a witness to a rape victim. Large parts of the story take place in court. Either in the tavern court which seemed like the equivalent to a district court, or in the county court. Parts of this story were very heavy. But it's very easy to get attached to the characters and want things to go well for them. And it's also very easy to hate the "bad guy" in this story as well. He is not a likable person.

I would classify this book as historical fiction/mystery/suspense. I got this book from the library at first because when I saw it on Book of the Month, it had a warning for graphic rape and discussion of death. I would say that both of those things are prevalent within the story, so if they are triggers, you might want to reconsider. I was able to get through it without having to fast-forward (listened to it on audio). I'm planning on purchasing to add to my collection

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Alcohol, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Grief, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Death, Rape, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Murder

amandafitz's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Violence, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Genocide, Misogyny, Abortion, Blood, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Child death, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and War

readingonthefly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The Frozen River is everywhere right now, and rightfully so. I will admit I’m not generally one to read books with murder. I’m more of a romance girlie but the second I saw the main character being compared to Claire Fraser of Outlander, I knew I needed to read it.

Martha Ballard is a healer and midwife in 1700s Maine. She is strong willed, fierce, independent, outspoken, and confident. She has delivered hundreds of babies and knows what she’s doing. She keeps track of it in her journal, along with the weather and where she’s been each day. While helping the women of her town, she unfortunately has to deal with some “know it all” men and the unjust court system. You will find yourself rooting for the good people of Hallowell and hoping for justice.

This book doesn’t only focus on Martha Ballard and delivering babies, but also on her family, the town of Hallowell, and the frozen Kennebec River. 

There are MANY trigger warnings to this book, feel free to message if you have any questions or concerns. 

I absolutely LOVED this book. The writing is what stood out to me the most. I also loved the medical aspect of the book and following along with Martha and her patients. I was able to fly through this book, which was a problem because it ended too quickly. I could have read double what was written because it was so so good. This is the type of historical fiction I wish there was more of!

5 GLOWING ⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Sexual harassment, Child death, Murder, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Death, Rape, and Medical trauma

sophiab27's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death and Child death

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Martha Ballard is a badass midwife from the late 1700’s living in the newly settled USA. I am obsessed with her and how strong and opinionated she was for that time period, she was a smart and talented woman and when she spoke people listened. She also has such a loving husband and amazing kids. I didn’t know until I got to the end that she was a real person and this book was based loosely on the actual journals that she kept. I love a book about a strong matriarch.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Sexism, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Medical content, Blood, Sexual violence, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death

Minor: War