A review by leahgustafson
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

 
I could not wait to read this one when I first heard about it at the end of 2023. I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve read a good historical fiction, and this one is fantastic! 
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This book is based on the life of Martha Ballard, an 18th century midwife living in Maine. Martha is such an inspiring person, and I love her dedication to women, mothers, and justice. I have not read much set in this time period which also added to my excitement about this one. This story highlights various ways women were treated as second class citizens and their dependence on the men in their lives. I loved Martha’s husband, Ephriam, but it’s apparent that this was not the norm. 
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This story has also a mystery/thriller woven throughout. This storyline gives insight into the justice system in early America. 
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The author’s note at the end of this book is fantastic! I appreciate the extra details about Martha’s life and how it shaped the ideas for this books. I look forward to digging into some of Ariel Lawhon‘s backlist! 
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 ⚠️There are some significant trigger warnings in this book so make sure you check those out before reading! 
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