Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

34 reviews

ashylibrarian's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad medium-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

4.25

A strong historical fiction that tells the lost story of Martha Ballard, a midwife who delivered over 1,000 babies in her small town. 

Maybe a more in-depth review to come?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, Child death, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War and Fire/Fire injury

readandfindout's review

emotional medium-paced

4.25

Style/writing: 3.5 stars
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4 stars

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Medical content, Blood, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, Rape, Child death, Murder, Colonisation, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Pregnancy, Violence, Death, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion and War

dkamada's review against another edition

hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Martha reminds me of Claire from the Outlander series

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child death, Misogyny, and Rape

20sidedbi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Grief, Ableism, Sexual violence, and Child death

silverhill's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Blood, Misogyny, and Rape

Moderate: Child death, Murder, Gore, Sexism, and Sexual violence

Minor: Chronic illness, Ableism, Abortion, Animal death, Classism, Incest, Grief, Racism, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Bullying

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

In Maine, 1789, Martha Ballard, a midwife, is called to examine a dead man who was found in the frozen river. Martha immediately recognizes him as one of the men accused of raping a local woman. She's certain the two crimes are connected.

This an incredibly intriguing and thought provoking story. The author blends fact and fiction to bring this historical fiction to life. This is a heartbreaking story, and caution should be given as there is much discussion of rape. 

Maine acts as its own character in this book, with its difficult winters and beautiful landscape as a backdrop. I loved the vivid descriptions of the landscape throughout the story. 

During a time when women had no rights or freedoms, Martha was an outspoken advocate for her patients. She's a strong, empathetic, and courageous woman who goes to extreme lengths to protect and care for the women in her community. 

This book does a really great job at exploring the role and treatment of women at this time. Martha lived in a time when women were seen as less than. You could be charged for having a baby out of wedlock, but of course there were no repercussions for the man. Martha fought for justice even when all odds are against her. Even as a midwife, she was looked down upon by the male doctors. 

The murder mystery element within the story was very compelling.

We were given some clues that pointed to Sam as the murderer earlier on. So I had an idea that it may have been him, but I couldn't figure out his motivation. That came as a surprise.

 

I'm really happy that North got what he was due.

I actually burst out laughing when Martha cut off his *appendage*. As she said, he can't hurt any women now.

I felt as though the story could have been a little shorter, there were some scenes that didn't really add to the book. Also, there are a lot of characters who I lost track of and had to go back and figure out how they fit in the story.

The Frozen River was inspired by Martha Ballard (February 9, 1735 – June 9, 1812), a midwife who delivered hundreds of babies and never once lost a mother during birth. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Abandonment, Infidelity, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Blood, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

celery's review

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Ableism, Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Medical content, Animal death, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Vomit, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Rape, War, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexual content

juanat77's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Violence, Death, Murder, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Blood, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Vomit, Cursing, Grief, Sexism, Sexual content, Bullying, Medical content, Miscarriage, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail

krheath's review

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Abandonment

kateclancy's review

challenging inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

I put it down a few times to finish other books because the early pacing was slow - I think the fact that I read it on audio helped propel me forward. Once I was in though I was IN. I found the author's note really helpful to contextualize her decisions around how she engaged with issues of race, colonialism, and the medical turn of birth.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Child death, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Murder, Animal cruelty, Rape, Vomit, Violence, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Grief