The Frozen River - Caskey-Demaret Reads

No cover — Ariel Lawhon: The Frozen River (EBook, 2023, Doubleday)

eBook, 448 pages

English language

Published Jan. 23, 2023 by Doubleday.

ISBN:: 978-0-385-54688-1
OCLC Number:: 1356800579

(1 review)

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 …

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. --penguinrandomhouse.com

3 editions

Marsha Woerner reviewed The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Review of 'The Frozen River' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

What an astonishing story! I heard the book mentioned on NPR, and the description intrigued me. Neither the NPR description nor the “editors summary” really prepared me for the book. It was so full of feelings and emotions and true sentiments, as well as being a complete story about a legal situation in the the late 1700s. The legal system was so different back then that it was barely recognizable! And yet, we still struggle with prejudices and recognitions of totally undesirable folk!
The authors note at the end clarifies that it really is a fiction, but it's strongly based on reality. Several of the dates are NOT Correct or precise but instead warden made for the story. But overall, it's a great and real history and story, and it didn't take long for the reader to Relate on a fundamental level with the main character.
Excellent book!