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| Categories | Genre Fiction |
| Author | Ariel Lawhon |
| Publisher | Vintage (November 5, 2024) |
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 448 pages |
| Item Weight | 11.5 ounces |
| Dimensions |
5.09 x 0.93 x 8 inches |
I. Book introduction
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.
“Fans of Outlander’s Claire Fraser will enjoy Lawhon’s Martha, who is brave and outspoken when it comes to protecting the innocent. . . impressive.”—The Washington Post
“Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine.” —People Magazine
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.
About the Author (Ariel Lawhon)
Ariel Lawhon is a critically acclaimed, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. She is the author of THE FROZEN RIVER, THE WIFE THE MAID AND THE MISTRESS, FLIGHT OF DREAMS, I WAS ANASTASIA and CODE NAME HELENE. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been Good Morning America, Library Reads, Indie Next, One Book One County, Amazon Spotlight, Costco, and Book of the Month Club selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. She splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.
II. Reviewer: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
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1. CANADIAN JEN reviews for The Frozen River
It’s 1789, Maine. A body has been found frozen in the river. The river that is the heart of this town. A midwife, Martha Ballard, has been summoned to determine the cause of death. This causes a series of impactful events.
An educated woman, Martha keeps a diary. She documents all that happens over the course of this bizarre winter. Both births and deaths. A colonel who has been accused of rape along with the deceased man. The rape of a minister’s wife.
In her quest for truth, she risks her own life and that of her family.
Lawhorn masterly takes us on a journey back in time when women were considered less than men. Not being able to testify in court unless a husband or father was present; Women often charged for fornication pre marriage while men had no consequences. Enraging as that was, Martha was an advocate for justice for these women and her personal journal was a hot piece of evidence.
This is a story of complexity- a layering of mystery and intrigue. The writing, character and research, extraordinaire.
My final 5⭐️for 2023.
2. KAREN reviews for The Frozen River
Oh my.. this was an amazing story for me!
This story was inspired by the real life and journals of Martha Ballard of Hallowell, Maine…who was a midwife in the late 1700’s. Martha was married to Ephraim and they had many children.
In the story there is a male body found dead right at the beginning of the story .. we find out about a rape. This causes quite a stir in this town, and hence, a mystery to be solved.
I really learned a lot about how women were treated in these times.. quite infuriating..
I absolutely loved Martha and Ephraim.
This story was a page turner!
3. LIZ reviews for The Frozen River
What a great story! It’s going onto my Best of 2024 list. Based on the real life midwife, Martha Ballard, it gives a fascinating picture of life in late 18th century New England. Lawton’s vivid writing transported me to this hardscrabble life.
The story starts when a man is found frozen in the ice of the Kennebec River. Once he’s retrieved, it’s obvious the man was murdered, even if the Harvard educated doctor tried to say otherwise. Given that the man was one of two accused of rape by the minister’s wife and the other is the town’s “judge”, this brings a lot of questions. Martha, as the town’s midwife, had been the one to see the woman’s body and hear her story.
The story has lots to say about the fate of women in this time and place. As always, I value historical fiction that can teach me something while still telling an engrossing story. This fits the bill. It’s also interesting how many of the plot points are based on actual events, even if the timing and some details have been changed.
Martha was a great main character. Strong willed, lucky to be in a loving marriage. She’s also one of the rare women who can read and write. And she makes use of that talent by keeping a detailed journal. The journal, thanks to her family, survived and is the basis of this story. Her position as a midwife also offers her rights denied to other women, like the ability to testify in court without her husband present (at least in some cases).
The recurring themes of the book center on justice and equality, or, too often in the case of women, the lack thereof. The ending was perfect. Now that was true justice!
I found it interesting that while many residents still had bitter memories of the French and Indian Wars, the American Revolution barely registers in the story.
A side note – I was entranced by the silver fox. When we lived in the country, we had a pair of foxes that would come and frolic and sun bath in our backyard. One had somehow lost most of his tail and had only a little clump like a bunny’s tail, so I always knew which one I was seeing if they weren’t together. I developed a great fondness for watching them and felt a real kinship with Martha. Although I doubt my pair would ever have gotten close to me.
4. SUE RHODUS reviews for The Frozen River
Beautiful story ..beautiful woman
You can read a synopsis of the novel elsewhere so I will not go into that. The book is very well written . The characters are strong and well developed.
Martha is a lady I would like to meet. The novel is based on Martha’s hard but rewarding life. The tenderness, love , respect and at times playfulness of Martha and Ephriams marriage is one of the best parts of the story.
Martha , as a midwife brought life into the world but Martha, as an independent woman could take life out of the world as well. She carried her beliefs and her written account of life until only a few days before her end on this earth.
The author is a great storyteller and very descriptive of places and events. She is an easy author to follow. I will be choosing more of her books in the future.
5. JONATHAN SWIFT reviews for The Frozen River
Engrossing, delightful, beautifully written
What a lovely book! Very gentle and beautiful language, an interesting story and historical picture, and a vibrant, strong woman as the main character. I was swept into this book, experiencing the times, the legal system, the midwife’s role, and the daily life of people in Maine in the late 1700s. This is a delightful book, immersive and kind, bits of humor in the language, and perfect for a long winter read by the fire in a cozy chair. Highly recommended!
6. DIANE lANDER-SIMON reviews for The Frozen River
A Very Captivating Book
I very seldom cannot put a book down but The Frozen River was so compelling I was up till all hours. The characters are vivid and real. The plot is an intricate tapestry. The setting was mesmerizing. And the language was spare and evocative. It’s not even the type of book I usually like but I loved this book.
7. AUNTJULIE reviews for The Frozen River
Wonderful historical fiction!
I just finished “The Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon and it was fantastic! I will say that I started this book with much trepidation since I’d heard that parts of it were slow, but I must say I was immediately immersed in this story! It is historical fiction at its finest!
It’s a story about a midwife, Martha Ballard, in the late 1700’s and her recording of all the births and deaths of her town. The story centers around the discovery of a body in the frozen river and Mistress Ballard is called upon to examine the body and determine the cause of death. She determines the body was murdered but a new doctor in town takes over the examination of the body and comes to a different conclusion. She is dismissed as an old illiterate country woman which couldn’t be further from the truth.
The rich character development and the beautiful writing was so engrossing! I kept smelling that frozen river in my thoughts since the author depicted the scenery so well! I really enjoyed the time period as well! No cellphones or social media in this story. Haha
My only criticism is that there were a lot of characters to keep track of, so I definitely recommend reading this book when you can devote a lot of time and not stretch it out for a month. It was 440 pages and I think it took me 4 days to read it which made it easier to keep track of the multitude of characters.
Be sure and read the author’s notes the end. Five stars from me! Just an excellent read! Go grab this book!
8. WARBLER reviews for The Frozen River
Beautifullyi Crafted Tale
Ms Lawhon weaves together a tale of rape and murder while highlighting much of the culture of post-Revolutionary War America. I love the main characters–Martha and Ephraim–and their love for and commitment to each other. There is much in this novel about the legal and cultural plight of women in this era and Martha’s efforts to overcome them. There is much about midwifery, birthing, and sexual relations as well. The characters are beautifully drawn–Martha, Ephraim, their grown children, the rape victims Rebecca and Isaac Foster, the unfortunate Sarah White, ostracized and penalized because she has an illegitimate child, and the evil Joseph North. One minor criticism: Apparently (loosely?) based on a real historical character, I wish the author had explained something about what I assume was her research and what she learned about the real historical Martha.
9. BRENDA reviews for The Frozen River
Martha Ballard was a midwife in Hallowell, on the banks of the Kennebec River in Maine, and loved her profession. Her care, compassion and empathy saw her as the first called on when a baby was birthing, when someone was ill. She held the respect of many. But there were others who ridiculed her, and when a friend, and wife of the local pastor was raped by two men, Martha was the one who saw and documented her injuries. And when a man was cut from the recently frozen river, Martha was asked to look at him to determine cause of death. As soon as Martha saw him, she knew him to be one of the rapists, but that wasn’t all she saw.
With the rape allegation as well as the death, there were questions to be answered. The court – such as it was in 1789 – would oversee and discuss both cases, but would they find the answers? Martha was doubtful they’d look for truth, and she was determined to find out what happened. With her husband and mostly adult children by her side, the depth of the scandal rocked the small community. Martha’s courage and tenacity were second to none – even Brutus understood that…
The Frozen River is an outstanding historical novel by Ariel Lawhon which is based on fact. Martha Ballard was indeed a midwife and healer, born in 1735 and died in 1812 and her diary, which she wrote in daily, recording births, deaths and the weather, took her into history. The long, brutal winter of 1789 lasted six months, much longer than usual, marking a horrific time for the community of Hallowell. The Author’s Notes at the end of the book are fascinating and I thank the author for including them. Martha’s courage and calm strength was admirable; the people she served, women especially, had much to thank her for. I loved this book, and recommend it unreservedly to all fans of historical fiction. I will be reading more by Ariel Lawhon.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
10. JONAS reviews for The Frozen River
What an amazing book. The Frozen River is an incredible work of historical fiction. I had the pleasure of hearing the author share her research and back story to the novel at my local independent bookstore. It is a fascinating and shocking story. Martha Ballard and the Doctor are both strong, independent women who have left their mark in history. Paul Revere and the Boston Militia also play a part in the narrative.
The Frozen river will also appeal to readers of mysteries and family dramas. Where Three Pines (Louise Penny’s series) is a cozy, quaint community, Hallowell is just the opposite-harsh and bracing. Both endure frigid winters and have a “watering holes” where the community gathers-and both have housed a body! The reader experiences the aftermath of the French and Indian War, the toughness of making a life in the newly acquired/taken land, and the harshness of judgement/gossip rivals the harshness of winter in Maine.
Ariel Lawhon is an extremely talent author. VERY well developed characters and narrative. Fantastic pacing and parsing out information. The dialogue and banter were extremely well written. I LOATHED certain characters and LOVED others. My feelings about a few characters shifter throughout the story. I loved learning about mill life and midwifery. The dances and courting added a lighter side to the story. Loved Moses and Barnabas. I greatly enjoyed Sarah White’s storyline. The Silver Fox. The Wedding Quilt! Mrs. Hendricks! I loved so many aspects of this story.
Gossip is prominent and at times serves as another citizen of Hallowell. This line expresses this well: “The Pierce daughters have long served the pastor in the parsonage and provided their mother with the town’s gossip.” Mr. Coleman was such a memorable character (six fingers across two hands and one eye). Coleman and Martha trade books, gossip, and candles. The written word is equally important/prominent to the story. I greatly enjoyed this quote: “Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. A paper and ink received the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write. God only knows what they would do with the power of pen at their disposal.”
I highly recommend The Frozen River. It has it all. Strong women. Strong men. Vile villains. A cast of interesting characters. Compelling storyline. Worth the praise and hype. A great winter read and first read of 2025!
III. The Frozen River Quotes by Ariel Lawhon
The best book quotes from The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write. God only knows what they would do with the power of pen and ink at their disposal.”
“This is what it means to age, I think. The days are long, but the years are short.”
“We are in the twilight years of a long love affair, and it has recently occurred to me that a day will come when one of us buries the other. But, I remind myself, that is the happy ending to a story like ours. It is a vow made and kept. Till death do us part. It is the only acceptable outcome to a long and happy marriage, and I am determined not to fear that day, whenever it arrives. I am equally determined to soak up all the days between.”
“Like all mothers, I have long since mastered the art of nursing joy at one breast and grief at the other.”
“Listening is a skill acquired by the doing.”
“This is the part no one talks about anymore. Not in civilized company at least. When a war is over, you stop discussing the cost. The reality. The blood-soaked soil or the grave markers or the collateral damage. The ways we kill our enemies in order to claim victory. History is written by the men who live. Not the ones who die. But I’ve heard these stories myself.”
“And then I cry. Mostly for Rebecca and the tiny, unwanted beating heart deep within her womb. But also for myself. And our daughters. And for every other woman who lives, suffers, and dies by the mercurial whims of men.”
“It’s an unimaginative accusation and one that I am frankly tired of hearing. Witchcraft. As though there is no other explanation for a woman who excels at her work.”
“The joy of having sons is that they worship their mothers. Until one day, suddenly, they don’t. I am not like you, he realizes. We are different. Then, that boy—once small and sweet—begins the long, hard process of separation, until at last he rips the seam. But the holes where mother and son were once knit together remain.”
“and move a section of hair above my right ear to inspect a thick streak of silver hidden beneath the part. I lift it, coiling the hair around my finger, marveling at this single patch of silver. Ephraim shifts on the bed, and I hear the soft pad of feet on the floorboards. “I like it,” he says lifting the streak from my hand. He slides it through his fingers. “It is one thing to be old,” I tell him, “and another to feel old. That makes me feel old.” “Well, it makes me feel like a king.” He smiles at my curious look. “Only a fool would be upset to find a vein of silver running through his beloved territory.”
“Martha Ballard is the great-aunt of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. She is also the great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the United States.”
“And then I laugh. If anyone had told me two decades ago, when I was buried in small children and endless chores, that one day I would sit at my desk in a warm, quiet house while the snow fell outside and complain of loneliness, I would have slapped them.”
“you cannot make a child be anything he is not.”
“The act of mothering is not limited to the bearing of children.”
“It does not matter that I had two more daughters after burying those three. The loss is still as fresh and painful as though it happened yesterday. When they died, generations died with them.”
“Though you never think it possible, you can celebrate and grieve in the same breath. It is a holy abomination.”
“I peer at him, skeptical. “You’ve been reading Shakespeare again.” He shrugs, then yanks the blade free. “I like the way he delivers an insult.”
“Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, the Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and professor, studied the diary and wrote the definitive biography of a woman who should have vanished from history. If not for one diary and the power of words.”
“This, a simple piece of bedding, is the answer. Everyone must sleep, and to do so beneath a warm quilt, tenderly made, is the first thing that helps a house become a home.”
“I am not God—nor do I desire to be—but, being privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in this town, I have a rather good idea what secrets might be recorded, then later revealed, if more women took up the pen.”
“But there is something very important I must know before I can do that.” “What?” “Your name.” “Mrs. Page.” “No,” I tell her. “Page is your husband’s name. And missus is the thing you became on your wedding day. What is the one you were given at birth?”
“Labor renders every woman a novice. Every time is the first time, and the only expertise comes from those assembled to help.”
“Only a fool would be upset to find a vein of silver running through his beloved territory.”
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write.”
“I am not a woman given easily to tears. They’re useless things that serve only to make your voice waver and your cheeks wet.”
“She left a medical legacy in this country that is unmatched. And it is all thanks to the diary she kept. Just words on paper, right? Seemingly meaningless”
“I want the world to remember that small acts, done in love, matter every bit as much as the ones that make the newspaper and the history books.”
“I did not take you for the kind of woman who would punish the innocent for the sins of the guilty.”
“This is the trouble faced by any woman who sets pen to paper in a busy household. I am never guaranteed the certainty of quiet, much less a solid length of time to chase my thoughts and bind them together. That is the luxury of men with libraries, butlers, and wives. Mothers find a different way to get their work done. Ha! There it is! A glimmer. I grab hold of the tail end of the thought as it skitters by, then chase it so that it won’t evaporate.”
“read by candlelight instead. It is the only time I allow myself this indulgence. The joy of falling into another life, another world, is the one thing that mitigates the frustration of a sleepless night.”
Excerpted from The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
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