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stahlop 's review for:
The Frozen River
by Ariel Lawhon
fast-paced
I always love a good historical fiction book about midwives, and this one did not disappoint.
We start with a frozen river in Maine, 1789. The discovery of a frozen body in the river, and Martha Ballard, as the only medical professional in town, declares that he has been murdered. But the fresh, young doctor that has come to town declares it an accident.
This is not a midwife verses modern medicine book. The women in town learn pretty quickly that being a Harvard educated medical doctor does not equal knowing what the Hell he’s doing. It is the fact that the dead man had previously been accused of raping a woman along with the town’s judge that makes whether he was murdered or accidentally fell into the river a point of contention.
Martha Ballard was a real midwife. There is a biography written about her (which might get added to my never ending TBR), and many of the events in this book are based off of real events from Martha’s life. It was a very engaging book and moved very quickly. This is a book I would definitely recommend.
We start with a frozen river in Maine, 1789. The discovery of a frozen body in the river, and Martha Ballard, as the only medical professional in town, declares that he has been murdered. But the fresh, young doctor that has come to town declares it an accident.
This is not a midwife verses modern medicine book. The women in town learn pretty quickly that being a Harvard educated medical doctor does not equal knowing what the Hell he’s doing. It is the fact that the dead man had previously been accused of raping a woman along with the town’s judge that makes whether he was murdered or accidentally fell into the river a point of contention.
Martha Ballard was a real midwife. There is a biography written about her (which might get added to my never ending TBR), and many of the events in this book are based off of real events from Martha’s life. It was a very engaging book and moved very quickly. This is a book I would definitely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy