Scan barcode
A review by mackenzierm
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
4.5
4.5 stars.
In Maine, 1789, a man is entombed in ice in the Kennebec River. Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer, is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. She keeps a diary that records every birth and death, as well as every crime or debacle that occurs in her close-knit community. Several months earlier, she had recorded details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen, one of whom is now dead in the ice. A local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death an accident, leaving Martha to investigate this murder on her own.
THE FROZEN RIVER is an utterly gripping read set in 1789 in Maine. It’s told in the POV of Martha, a midwife and healer, along with snippets from her diary.
Martha is a reputable midwife and healer in her small town along the Kennebec River, Maine. She’s frequently sought out at all hours of day or night to aid her fellow community members with any ailment, death, or delivery. I loved following alongside her throughout this novel, getting a fictional account of her day to day.
Martha’s candor, intelligence, strength, and kindness are ever present through these pages. Each of the central characters to this story are well written, dynamic, and interesting people. Ephraim is Martha’s husband and his love and support of her is incredibly inspiring and beautiful to see, always, but especially during the 1700s when women’s rights weren’t as evolved. Their relationship is one for the books — I simply couldn’t get enough of them.
Martha’s investigation into the murder that occurs early on in the book is a bit of a winding path, and not entirely what I’m used to. However, she is so clever and creative, often getting herself into sticky situations in her quest for the truth. I ended up loving the pacing of this story, mystery mixed into a woman’s day to day. There are parts of the story that can be tense, but it’s also sweet and tender.
I loved discovering in the author’s note that Martha was a real person with this book based on her journals. It’s a unique and well-written novel, and while it is my first novel by this author, I will be seeking out more of her work in the near future!
In Maine, 1789, a man is entombed in ice in the Kennebec River. Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer, is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. She keeps a diary that records every birth and death, as well as every crime or debacle that occurs in her close-knit community. Several months earlier, she had recorded details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen, one of whom is now dead in the ice. A local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death an accident, leaving Martha to investigate this murder on her own.
THE FROZEN RIVER is an utterly gripping read set in 1789 in Maine. It’s told in the POV of Martha, a midwife and healer, along with snippets from her diary.
Martha is a reputable midwife and healer in her small town along the Kennebec River, Maine. She’s frequently sought out at all hours of day or night to aid her fellow community members with any ailment, death, or delivery. I loved following alongside her throughout this novel, getting a fictional account of her day to day.
Martha’s candor, intelligence, strength, and kindness are ever present through these pages. Each of the central characters to this story are well written, dynamic, and interesting people. Ephraim is Martha’s husband and his love and support of her is incredibly inspiring and beautiful to see, always, but especially during the 1700s when women’s rights weren’t as evolved. Their relationship is one for the books — I simply couldn’t get enough of them.
Martha’s investigation into the murder that occurs early on in the book is a bit of a winding path, and not entirely what I’m used to. However, she is so clever and creative, often getting herself into sticky situations in her quest for the truth. I ended up loving the pacing of this story, mystery mixed into a woman’s day to day. There are parts of the story that can be tense, but it’s also sweet and tender.
I loved discovering in the author’s note that Martha was a real person with this book based on her journals. It’s a unique and well-written novel, and while it is my first novel by this author, I will be seeking out more of her work in the near future!