Maine, 1789. Men trying unsuccessfully to get down the Kennebec River before it freezes find a dead man in the ice. Local midwife Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine the cause of death. Through her work, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in town, and her daily diary is a record of every birth, death, crime, and disaster in the area.
The dead man is one of two accused of rape-- both men being prominent and well-respected citizens. When a local physician declares the man's death to be an accident, contrary to Martha's findings, she is forced to investigate the murder on her own.
Over the course of the winter, the trial nears, and the whispers and gossip grow louder. As Martha searches for the truth, her diary is at the center of the scandal as it implicates those she loves and makes her question her own loyalties.
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Ariel Lawhon's The Frozen River came to my attention shortly before its release, but it wasn't until I watched the author's event at The Poisoned Pen that I knew that I had to read it. I am so glad that I did.
The Frozen River is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in Maine who delivered over 1,000 babies without ever losing a mother. Ballard is the great-aunt of Clara Barton and the great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the U.S. She is a woman who would've vanished from history if not for her diary. In Lawhon's story, Martha's voice is so real, so sure, so compelling, that I immediately fell under her spell.
The Frozen River is incredibly rich in historical detail: the sexist laws, the aftereffects of the French and Indian War, and the ebb and flow of life during a winter in colonial Maine. I felt as though I were right beside Martha each and every day. Occasional chapters fill in her backstory. A silver fox Martha named Tempest makes several appearances, and the relationship between Martha and her husband Ephraim is a thing of beauty. Coleman's General Store is the place where Martha barters for books and the latest gossip, and I love how she would gift newlyweds with one of her quilts: "Everyone must sleep, and to do so beneath a warm quilt, tenderly made, is the first thing that helps a house become a home."
The Frozen River is wonderfully evocative of its time and place. It's a compelling mystery. It's based on the life of a remarkable woman. Read it.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
eISBN: 9780385546881
Doubleday © 2023
eBook, 448 pages
Historical Mystery, Standalone
Rating: A+
Source: Purchased from Amazon.
This sounds excellent, Cathy! I like the history part, and she sounds like a fascinating character. I had no idea of her relationship to Clara Barton, either. I'm glad her diary was preserved, so we knew who she was and what she did.
ReplyDeleteSo am I.
DeleteI was struck by that quote about the quilt. My mother and aunts were quilters. I have several that they made and I treasure them. Martha sounds like someone I would like to know.
ReplyDeleteI have the same feeling about her, Dorothy.
DeleteI didn't know this one was based on a real person. That makes me want to read it even more!
ReplyDeleteThat was one of the deciding factors in my deciding to read the book, Lark.
DeleteI put it on library hold and emailed this review to a friend who was a nurse-midwife for 25 years. She also reserved it at the library today.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Thanks for letting me know, Kathy.
DeleteI'm glad that the book exceeds the promise of its beautiful cover. It's already on my list, never fear.
ReplyDeleteSomehow that doesn't surprise me, FR. :-)
DeleteWell, I finally got this book from the library and am enjoying it. This book is very well-written and the characters are interesting, especially Martha Ballard. I'm in for a long reading spell, but I think it's worth it. I saw Ariel Lawton at the PP and her explanations of that period of time, the treatment of women and much more interested me in this book. And one of your links to an article about budget cuts to the library budget is so true. Takes a dog's age to actually get a book and some authors,like Deborah Ledford, aren't even included in the inventory.
ReplyDeleteLawhon's appearance at The Poisoned Pen is what made me want to read the book. I'm glad you're enjoying it.
DeleteI am learning. But a woman can't testify in court without her husband present? Yikes. Well, not that long ago a married woman couldn't get her own credit card in her name. Well, we're all struggling against the "Handmaids' Tale" right now. But anyway Martha Ballard is certainly a strong woman, opinionated, smart, experienced, etc.
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Yes, she is.
DeleteI just finished "The Frozen River," and feel post-good-book slump coming on. I miss Martha Ballard and her family and the land and townspeople. Just passed along the title to a nurse practitioner and will do so more. Midwives were so important in those days, should still be respected. But the misogyny in the society, in the courts. Yikes. I'm not so sure that is completely gone. I hope readers don't shy away from this book because it's historical fiction. It is well worth the read, especially in a cool room with iced tea and snacks and a way to spend a few summer days.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked it so much, Kathy.
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