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A review by emileereadsbooks
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's 1789 and Martha Ballard is writing herself into the page of history. Based on the real Martha Ballard is an experienced midwife. In her 30 years of helping women deliver babies, she has never lost a mother. But now her role of knowing the enter workings of Hallowell, Maine, is expanded to include investigating a murder after an attempted rapist she took testimony against shows up dead in the ice.
Told over the course of one winter, this story follows Martha as she navigates the scandal, gossip, and prejudices in her close knit town to get to the truth. Her loyalties are tested and her family is involved, so what will it look like for justice to be served?
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I have seen this book described as a book about motherhood, old married love, and justice. And it is about all those things. But my takeaway from the theme of this book is that it's a book about power. Who holds it and how do you use power for your benefit or the benefit of others.
On paper this is a book that is not necessarily in my wheelhouse. It has beautiful prose and at it's core is a book about this woman's everyday life. Yes she is involved in this rape trial, but it's not too far off her ordinary existence. But Ariel Lawhon fleshed about this story and infused it with character development and transportive atmospheric descriptions that I stayed up way past my bedtime enthralled with the people and happenings of this town.
I fully immersed myself in this story and I'm so glad I read this with my book club because there is so much to discuss in these pages. And the ending. You will definitely want to have someone to talk about that with!
Because of the elements of old married love and having a firecracker female as a medical professional, this book gives me Outlander vibes. So if you are an Outlander fan, especially the later books, I think you will enjoy this one.
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Content warning: language, murder, violence, birth stories (both positive and negative), graphic recollections of sexual assault, attempted abortion, pregnancy out of wedlock (and shaming for such).
_____
Thanks to Netgalley and Double Day Books for the gifted book. All opinions are my own)
Told over the course of one winter, this story follows Martha as she navigates the scandal, gossip, and prejudices in her close knit town to get to the truth. Her loyalties are tested and her family is involved, so what will it look like for justice to be served?
____
I have seen this book described as a book about motherhood, old married love, and justice. And it is about all those things. But my takeaway from the theme of this book is that it's a book about power. Who holds it and how do you use power for your benefit or the benefit of others.
On paper this is a book that is not necessarily in my wheelhouse. It has beautiful prose and at it's core is a book about this woman's everyday life. Yes she is involved in this rape trial, but it's not too far off her ordinary existence. But Ariel Lawhon fleshed about this story and infused it with character development and transportive atmospheric descriptions that I stayed up way past my bedtime enthralled with the people and happenings of this town.
I fully immersed myself in this story and I'm so glad I read this with my book club because there is so much to discuss in these pages. And the ending. You will definitely want to have someone to talk about that with!
Because of the elements of old married love and having a firecracker female as a medical professional, this book gives me Outlander vibes. So if you are an Outlander fan, especially the later books, I think you will enjoy this one.
_____
Content warning: language, murder, violence, birth stories (both positive and negative), graphic recollections of sexual assault, attempted abortion, pregnancy out of wedlock (and shaming for such).
_____
Thanks to Netgalley and Double Day Books for the gifted book. All opinions are my own)