I loved the book, could not put it down. The character development, the plot, the information about midwifery, the murder mystery, the drive for justice - even the quotes from Shakespeare (I admit, 2 semesters of Shakespeare at Miami U, OH). This is a book club gem - soooo much to discuss!
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Loved this book. Especially Martha. Enjoyed the midwife stories. Couldnât believe that she would, in the middle of the night, jump on her horse and take off to help in a birth, not knowing what other trauma she would find. Amazing woman!! I really enjoyed all of the descriptions in the book, of family life, court systems, midwifery, the river, so much info on this era, as I said I will read it again, Iâm sure I missed things. It was like reading a history book but with a murder to hold it together and more interesting!. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
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Disclaimer: I have two degrees in history & I often have a problem with historical fiction based on real people (readers tend to accept everything in it as fact, forgetting itâs a fictional retelling). That said, I got through the book very quickly & is one I would recommend to others. But Iâm glad I didnât read the authorâs notes first (I was advised not to). It appears that the author used Martha Ballardâs diaries so that helped her keep true to the story, as much as she knew it. My complaintâand this is more on meâwas the charactersâ vernacular did not ring true to the era the book was set in. I kept forgetting it took place in 1789. I suspect it was partially done to ensure a larger readership & thatâs fine. However, I didnât let it take away from my enjoyment of the book.
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An engaging and intriguing read but one that requires concentration because of the intertwining stories of characters and how they fit into the plot development line.
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Like Carol Ann R, I didnât really feel the post-Revolutionary War period as much as I had hoped. While I was glad the author didnât attempt to be too accurate with vernacular, though, as usually that creates a lot of stumbling as one reads. She did use some vocabulary of the time which was set in context that made its meaning understandable. It was maybe a lack of current events (outside of Hallowell) in relation to the time period that made me feel like this story could have been in the back woods of Maine in the mid 1800s, for example. (except for Paul Revere mention).
I really liked her descriptions and could visualize the dances and the weather and the scene when North - you know⌠There were a lot of names to deal with in this book and I gave up on trying to remember them all. Even the horses had names. Martha is a strong character, and I would have liked her to have a worthy adversary, not only unworthy adversaries to maybe test her, or even best her once in a while. She comes off a bit Narcissistic at times. The book really flows well, the midwife information is quite interesting and quite detailed in some scenes. With the mystery aspect, I do think The Frozen River offers a wide range of interest for a book club.
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I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, but I generally read very little about the early United States. Iâm glad having this come up for discussion encouraged me to read it.
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LOL - yes on jumping on her horse and taking off.
Great descriptions.
Welcome to the community, Joan!!
I enjoyed the book. Strong character development of the main characters. Because there were so many (!!) babies being born, it was hard to keep track of the minor characters. I liked the flashbacks and thought they were appropriately placed and informative.
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Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I really liked this book and the fact that it was based on a real person. The characters were well drawn and the mystery was intriguing.
I hope I donât reveal spoilers. I found the story lines and characters so engaging. I relished the way the story unfolded. The major themes were suspensefully addressed throughout the book. I am a bit of a feminist, so I was quite taken by this book.
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I really loved the book. Being a nurse, I was amazed how well she took care of her patients. The bias toward midwives from doctors was very prevalent as it still is today. She was a woman ahead of her time. The book was written well and kept me interested until the end and then I had to look Martha Ballard up on the internet to learn more. In my opinion, that is a great book.
This book hooked me and I wanted to spend long periods of time reading it. I appreciated the number of characters with depth and how a number kept reappearing. Martha was strong while seeming real.
I was surprised by the justice system and had completely forgotten that women could not testify without a man present - unless under her government appointed tasks.
I loved the book. It was well written, had lots of historical elements to it, and peaked my interest in what it was like to live in that time period. I am always amazed how how women were treated in our past history. It is always encouraging to read about strong woman who stood up for themselves and for others who did not have the strength to do so for themselves.
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The Frozen River is at the top of my 2024 Best Books Read list! Historic Fiction is a favorite category of mine and this book does not disappoint. I dove a bit deeper for my own research and came across A Midwifeâs Tale amazon.com PBS docudrama from American Experiences. It is the film version of Martha Ballardâs journal. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich unearthed the journal and spent 6 years mapping out and deciphering her journal entries. Ariel Lawhon used the non- fiction Pulitzer Prize winning book to base her fictionally based Frozen River on many factual elements. I appreciated the research done by both women. If you get a chance to watch A MidWifeâs Tale be sure to cuddle up with a roaring fire and blanket while appreciating the 1780âs life challenges.
Enjoy
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This book was so interesting but to realIze how women were treated and disrespected was prominent. My book club all enjoyed this book, too. It was well written and the fact it was based on a real woman was most interesting. Her characters were likeable and authentic; you feel as if you were living in that time period but thankful you arenât. One of my favorite books in 2024.
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I absolutely loved The Frozen River! It was one of my favorite reads of 2023 and makes for a perfect winter book. The story is gripping, atmospheric, and rich in historical detailâideal for book clubs with plenty to discuss!
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I really enjoyed The Frozen River. The writing is definitely above many books and feel like it gave a picture of living in that time. Martha is a strong woman and it is clearly unusual for a woman to be able to read and write.
I thought The Frozen River was a great book all around! With many themes being addressed, this would definitely be ripe for discussion at any book club meeting. This author (Ariel Lawson) writing style grabbed me from page 1 with vivid descriptions and strong research. I agree with Carol R that there were SO many characters mentioned throughout the story that it was challenging to keep them all straight (particularly who was having babies, who their partners were, & the role of their families in the town). However, all of the main characters were developed really well. I felt as though I knew them all personally by the end of the book. I particularly enjoyed the way Martha & Ephraimâs special relationship was developed & shown throughout.
This book was an interesting adventure into the life of a mother and midwife in early New England. It was a bonus for me that I have been to Hallowell Maine. Martha was a wonderful characterâŚstrong, righteous and yet in some ways flawed. It was wonderful to read about a strong female character and realize she was a real person. It was a great read that I have already recommended to others.
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This book, Frozen River was wonderful. I totally enjoyed the story and most important, I was very fond of the main character Martha Ballard. The writing proved enjoyable and the novel reminded me somewhat of Cold Mountain. This book was a welcome distraction with a message of family, pride in your work and empathy for other women.
I will gladly recommend this book.
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