The Frozen River Ariel Lawhon

Take a trip back in time with me!

Where are we going? Maine, U.S.A.

When are we travelling back to? 1789

Whom are we visiting? Martha Ballard and the residents of Hallowell

What’s happening? It’s winter, the river is frozen, and what comes out of its depths shocks the people of the little village—a body. Was it a murder? Was it accidental? Martha begins investigating to find the truth about what happened, in addition to her roles as a midwife, a mother, a wife, a friend, and, overall, a witness to all that happens in the village. She records everything in her diary, and that might get her into trouble.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

My thoughts:

I LOVED The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. I want to give it a million stars, but I guess my rating scale only goes up to 5, so I’ll stop there. I was literally crying in the last two chapters, and that happens very rarely to me while reading!

The author's note also tells us that Martha Ballard was a REAL WOMAN, and this book is inspired by real events and people. Lawhon does take her fictional liberties, but it’s so well done. The real Martha and the fictional Martha are both BADASSES.

This book had everything: it had mystery and suspense, it had a midwife who had more knowledge than most of the men in her village - duh - it had court cases, it had history, it had a murder, there was family drama, there was the courting of young men and women. Everything! Loved, loved, loved it.

Question of the day

Do you like it when the historical fiction you’re reading has ties to real history? Or would you prefer to stay fully in the realm of fiction and not be tied to real events or people? Let me know what you think!