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ashleereadsbooks692's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Sexual assault, Medical content, Death, Cursing, Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Emotional abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Violence, Sexual content, and Miscarriage
maddiet425's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Blood
nataliebootlah's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Martha Ballard is the town of Hallowell’s midwife and healer. In a place full of secrets, gossip, and drama, Martha knows everyone and knows a little bit about everyone too. She keeps her diary in meticulous order, noting births, deaths, and general happenings in the town. So when a body is found on the frozen river, Martha is called to examine it and provide the cause of death in court, and her diary is at the center of it all.
I love a ‘based on true events’ story where the author takes some liberties here and there. Martha really was a renowned 1700s midwife whose diary was passed down for generations. As mentioned in the author’s note, Martha Ballard is the great-aunt of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, and great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the United States. She is an outstanding woman in America’s history, but one we rarely, if ever, learn about. Will we ever know what really happened in the town of Hallowell? Probably not. But we do get to see Lawhon’s version. And it’s a damn good rendition. What a story.
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write.”
Graphic: Rape and Pregnancy
Moderate: Grief, Child death, Miscarriage, and Death
Minor: Murder, Sexual content, Blood, and Medical content
ashylibrarian's review against another edition
- 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
Maybe a more in-depth review to come?
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 against another edition
4.25
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4 stars
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
katiejohns's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Medical content, Misogyny, Death, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Incest
dkamada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child death, Misogyny, and Rape
lizreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Murder
danielledtetreau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My only complaint about this historical fiction is the mention of a species of oak tree that doesn’t grow in Maine (nerdalert!)
Graphic: Rape and Pregnancy
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Blood, Child death, and Sexual violence
amanda_reads89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: War, Violence, Sexism, and Racism