A review by lsmith725
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

challenging dark informative 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? No

3.5

This is a historical fiction that takes place in Maine in the 1700s.  Our main character, Martha, is a midwife (the story is based on a real midwife's diary) who get tangled up in a murder case.  There is plenty of midwife and baby delivery content, but that is not the main focus.  Because she's a midwife, there is information that only she is privy to, and she has to make everyone believe her.  Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like that is likely.

I mostly enjoyed this, although there were parts where I felt lost.  There were a lot of characters, some of which weren't mentioned frequently enough for me to keep them straight (probably would've been avoided if I'd read a physical copy).  However, the way the author tied history and mystery together was brilliant and it truly felt like this book belonged fully in each genre.  

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