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A review by eyreibreathe
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
5.0
Oh, readers, do you know that feeling of falling so hard for a book that you're saddened by the thought of it ever ending, and yet you can't pace yourself because you're so completely captivated? And then when said book does end, there is a period of mourning because you can never experience it again for the first time. That was me with The Frozen River. January isn't even over, and yet I can't imagine any other book topping this one for me in 2024.
The Frozen River Takes us to Maine, the year 1789. When a dead man is found lying in the ice of the frozen Kennebec River, Martha Ballard is called upon to examine him and determine the cause of death. Martha, a midwife and healer, has kept a diary for decades... noting each birth, death, and crime as they are relayed to her. Months earlier, she had recorded a rape in which two of the most respected men in the community were incriminated. Now one of those men is dead. When a new doctor in town undermines her conclusion, however, it's up to Martha to look into the murder on her own.
I loved the blend of fact and fiction in this book. This is a novel with layers and depth, so richly written that it's almost impossible not to completely lose yourself in it. I can't count how many times I was forced to look up from my book and was disoriented to find I wasn't sitting in a tavern in Maine in 1789 or sitting bedside with Martha as she attended a patient. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of life during this time period. I also found a new favorite heroine in Martha Ballard. Strong, intelligent, and fearless, she was refreshingly ahead of her time...and completely bada$$. The way she advocated for women and stood up in truth against injustice had me cheering her on. I won't soon forget this gem of a book.
The Frozen River Takes us to Maine, the year 1789. When a dead man is found lying in the ice of the frozen Kennebec River, Martha Ballard is called upon to examine him and determine the cause of death. Martha, a midwife and healer, has kept a diary for decades... noting each birth, death, and crime as they are relayed to her. Months earlier, she had recorded a rape in which two of the most respected men in the community were incriminated. Now one of those men is dead. When a new doctor in town undermines her conclusion, however, it's up to Martha to look into the murder on her own.
I loved the blend of fact and fiction in this book. This is a novel with layers and depth, so richly written that it's almost impossible not to completely lose yourself in it. I can't count how many times I was forced to look up from my book and was disoriented to find I wasn't sitting in a tavern in Maine in 1789 or sitting bedside with Martha as she attended a patient. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of life during this time period. I also found a new favorite heroine in Martha Ballard. Strong, intelligent, and fearless, she was refreshingly ahead of her time...and completely bada$$. The way she advocated for women and stood up in truth against injustice had me cheering her on. I won't soon forget this gem of a book.