Ariel Lawhon's The Frozen River came to my attention shortly before its release, but it wasn't until I watched the author's event at The Poisoned Pen that I knew that I had to read it. I am so glad that I did.
The Frozen River is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in Maine who delivered over 1,000 babies without ever losing a mother. Ballard is the great-aunt of Clara Barton and the great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the U.S. She is a woman who would've vanished from history if not for her diary. In Lawhon's story, Martha's voice is so real, so sure, so compelling, that I immediately fell under her spell.
The Frozen River is incredibly rich in historical detail: the sexist laws, the aftereffects of the French and Indian War, and the ebb and flow of life during a winter in colonial Maine. I felt as though I were right beside Martha each and every day. Occasional chapters fill in her backstory. A silver fox Martha named Tempest makes several appearances, and the relationship between Martha and her husband Ephraim is a thing of beauty. Coleman's General Store is the place where Martha barters for books and the latest gossip, and I love how she would gift newlyweds with one of her quilts: "Everyone must sleep, and to do so beneath a warm quilt, tenderly made, is the first thing that helps a house become a home."
The Frozen River is wonderfully evocative of its time and place. It's a compelling mystery. It's based on the life of a remarkable woman. Read it.
The Frozen River is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in Maine who delivered over 1,000 babies without ever losing a mother. Ballard is the great-aunt of Clara Barton and the great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the U.S. She is a woman who would've vanished from history if not for her diary. In Lawhon's story, Martha's voice is so real, so sure, so compelling, that I immediately fell under her spell.
The Frozen River is incredibly rich in historical detail: the sexist laws, the aftereffects of the French and Indian War, and the ebb and flow of life during a winter in colonial Maine. I felt as though I were right beside Martha each and every day. Occasional chapters fill in her backstory. A silver fox Martha named Tempest makes several appearances, and the relationship between Martha and her husband Ephraim is a thing of beauty. Coleman's General Store is the place where Martha barters for books and the latest gossip, and I love how she would gift newlyweds with one of her quilts: "Everyone must sleep, and to do so beneath a warm quilt, tenderly made, is the first thing that helps a house become a home."
The Frozen River is wonderfully evocative of its time and place. It's a compelling mystery. It's based on the life of a remarkable woman. Read it.
Historical fiction set in late 1790's in Maine (then a part of Massachusetts). Follows the life of Martha Ballard, a real-life midwife. Based loosely on Martha's life. Very interesting read especially in telling the life and times of women of that era. Most were illiterate, held in low esteem especially in the eyes of the law. Would recommend if you're interested in HF.
I've read several books this year based on women that history has failed to remember, midwife Martha Ballard has been added to that list. This is a must read!
