REVIEW: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've read an Ariel Lawhon novel and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed her writing. I was immediately interested in the character of Martha Ballard and the story she had to tell. Maybe it's because I'd recently read The Crucible with my students, but I honestly think if I didn't have that frame of reference I'd still enjoy this novel. Martha's story is one that seems so familiar, despite its setting of 1789. Unfortunately, as much as things have changed, many things remain the same. Women not being believed? Check. Women being preyed upon by men who think they're untouchable? Check. People automatically thought of as less than or suspicious because they're different? Check. People behaving badly? Check. Even with all of that, though, there were bright spots. There was so much love and hope and goodness. The characters are rich and the setting and historical details fascinated me, while reminding me of how good I have it. 

This novel is one I've been recommending to those who want a rich and interesting story. It's well researched and imagines the lives and stories surrounding real people in a way that captivated me. 

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SYNOPSIS:

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon's newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Inspired by the life of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into history.