Doubleday The Frozen River

A beautifully written historical fiction - based on the true story of Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer living in Maine in the 18th century...a realistic depiction of the ways in which women of that time were treated....a great read, possibly a little long, but a fascinating novel...

Perfectly well delivered! - paperback cover A solid 4.5 stars from me! And honestly, I can’t even pinpoint exactly why—it’s just that good. For starters, the book is incredibly easy to read. Although it’s historical fiction, it doesn’t get bogged down with excessive historical data or events. Instead, the author keeps the focus on the story, making it all the more engaging. That said, the historical backdrop is still well-explored, offering an insightful look into 18th-century American life without feeling like a history lesson. What I loved most was how the novel highlights the experiences of women from this era—bringing visibility to voices often overlooked in history. Ariel does this masterfully, presenting their stories in a way that feels natural and authentic, without glorifying or diminishing their struggles. And then there’s the mystery! In fact, this book could just as easily be classified as a thriller rather than strictly historical fiction. The suspense kept me hooked from start to finish, making it an even more compelling read!

That was quite a read! This is my first book by Ariel Lawhon and I loved it! Martha Ballard was an extraordinary woman! The ending of the book makes me chuckle and Colonel North gets what he deserves! Well written, as well as, well researched. I would highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction. I gave it a 5 star rating.

Very good and pleasant reading

Overall this is a well-written historical novel. Lawhon's ability to create a strong sense of place and time with solid historical detail is admirable. Her characters are crafted very realistically, which is doubly important since the novel is based on actual people and events. Because of that, the story reads very easily and readers will be able to feel as if they truly know these people and can experience the story. I liked the emphasis on women's rights and their need for justice (and how often that's not the case). However, I strongly disliked two things. For one, Lawhon presents the people of the late 1700s falsely, saying at one point in the book that more first children were conceived outside of wedlock than within. Historians say something quite different: that no more than perhaps a third (and definitely less than half) of all first children in that place and time were conceived outside of marriage. Though both Lawhon and historians agree that these pre-wedlock conceptions were almost always quickly legitimized with a trip to the altar. Given the author's generally solid historical detail, this felt like a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the truth. Whether it was or not, it was annoying. Secondly, she has several comments and scenes that are unnecessarily lewd. I know that's often the norm in historical fiction—one of the main reasons I dislike the genre—but it took away from the tone of the story and felt contrived. That said though, these weren't the entirety of the novel and I'd still give it four stars overall.