The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick

B0BVTXZXZJ, 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…, 4.5,

Reviewer: sue rhodus
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beautiful story ..beautiful woman
Review: 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.

Reviewer: Avonna
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The Frozen River
Review: THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon a historical fiction with murder mystery elements that invokes strong emotional responses to the treatment of women in post-revolutionary America featuring a protagonist inspired by the diary of a renowned midwife in 1789 Maine.Midwife Martha Ballard not only delivers babies in the small town of Hallowell, Maine, but is also called upon for doctoring in the community. She delivers testimony when the local court is in session regarding deaths, newborn infants’ paternity, and illegitimacy for which fines may be levied. She is faithful in documenting everything daily in her personal journal.When Martha’s friend, and wife of the local pastor is raped, she documents her injuries and her accusations against two local men. Before the court comes to session, Martha is called to the local tavern to determine the cause of death of a man cut out of the frozen river. She recognizes the man as one of the accused rapists. He was beaten and then hanged.Martha is doubtful the courts will look for the truth, when the other accused rapist is a rich and powerful man in Hallowell, but she is determined to find the truth. The answers she seeks leaves a powerful man cornered and willing to destroy anyone who attempts to bring him to justice and thwart his plans.This book thoroughly immerses the reader in post-revolutionary Maine and the life of both Martha and her family. Martha is strong, independent, and outspoken for the period, but her empathy and skills make her admired and sought after by many. This story is told in first person narrative by Martha which adds an intimacy to the character and her interactions. The murder mystery elements come together slowly but deliver a satisfying conclusion. I felt where this story shined was the integrated information regarding women’s health issues, their legal rights, and the legal stigmas and penalties of the period.I recommend this historical fiction for an intriguing look into this post-revolutionary time period featuring a strong woman’s point of view.

Reviewer: olivia m brooks
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Brave Woman
Review: A terrific book. From the first sentence to the last, I was hooked. Very well written novel about a real woman, a mid-wife, who lived during and after the Revolutionary War. Intrigue, mystery, family, love and incredible courage are only some words that can describe this piece of historical fiction. I could not put it down.

Reviewer: Jonathan Swift
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Engrossing, delightful, beautifully written
Review: 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!

Reviewer: Diane Lander-Simon
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Very Captivating Book
Review: 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.

Reviewer: Donald Mead
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Never trust 5 stars….or 1 star
Review: Ariel Lawhon is an established, best-selling novelist focusing on historical stories. THE FROZEN RIVER is my first experience with her work. The story is set in Maine in the late 1700s, and follows our hero, Martha Ballard, as she plies her trade (midwife) while navigating the political and social structures of that time. It should be noted that Martha and the many characters in this story were real—Martha herself being a famous figure for delivering over 1000 babies without loss of either baby or mother. Many of the events surrounding these characters in the novel are actual historical events. The story itself is fiction, of course, and the author lets us know in an epilogue how she wove both fact and fiction together.The story (kinda) revolves around a body (a man) found in the frozen Kennebec River, which is soon to be determined a murder. We soon discover the dead man is one of two suspects in the rape of one of Martha’s friends. I say “kinda” because the body is soon forgotten in favor of the rape accusation. The other suspect in the rape is a prominent judge (judge North) who is involved in various, nefarious business dealings around the area which connect to Martha and many of the locals. Martha is a key participant in the rape trial as she was the first to examine the victim.The writing is superb, and we can see why Lawhon is a best seller. Her characters (with the exception of North) are beautifully rendered with exceptional attention to personality and motivation. There are no stereotypes here. Lawhon’s writing is flows effortlessly, reveals intimately yet never gets in the way of the story. Lawhon’s not trying to impress us with her ability. So well done.That said, there are a couple of weaknesses to this story. As alluded above, there is not a strong driver—backbone—to propel the events. That is, the plot is weak and almost non-existent. We start with the murder (the body found in the river), but that is quickly gets forgotten in favor or the rape trial. This is all interspersed between the many births Martha attends. I you like “Call the Midwife” you’ll love this book. Even the trial isn’t that big of a compelling factor. I kept asking myself what’s on the line for the main character? What needs to the resolved? Heck, why are we here? Judge North, unlike the other characters is a one-dimensional bad guy from the start. I kept hoping the author would flip something on us, or spring some sort of surprise, but nope.Another weakness (very minor) is over-research. I expect the author to do her research to make it an authentic as possible, but I don’t want to be hit over the head by it. Multiple pages of how to make candles should’ve been rethought.The author has modernized several aspects of the main character and speech patterns of the time. Martha’s morals and attitudes would fit in well today. That’s ok, in this case. The author has to make the story and characters as palatable to readers as possible. It’s all about the sales.

Reviewer: LBA_Reads
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Perfectly well delivered! – paperback coverA solid 4.5 stars from me! And honestly, I can’t even pinpoint exactly why—it’s just that good.For starters, the book is incredibly easy to read. Although it’s historical fiction, it doesn’t get bogged down with excessive historical data or events. Instead, the author keeps the focus on the story, making it all the more engaging. That said, the historical backdrop is still well-explored, offering an insightful look into 18th-century American life without feeling like a history lesson.What I loved most was how the novel highlights the experiences of women from this era—bringing visibility to voices often overlooked in history. Ariel does this masterfully, presenting their stories in a way that feels natural and authentic, without glorifying or diminishing their struggles.And then there’s the mystery! In fact, this book could just as easily be classified as a thriller rather than strictly historical fiction. The suspense kept me hooked from start to finish, making it an even more compelling read!

Reviewer: Karen Gilroy
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Loved this book. Great writing, wonderful characters…couldn’t put it down. A great blend of history but not overwhelming, of a midwife in the 1700s..

Reviewer: Teresa Twomey
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: There was nothing to dislike. Excellent from beginning to end.

Reviewer: Christine Boos
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This was a great read! The author lent a convincing voice to Martha, inspired by her real life. Very interesting indeed to read about all Martha achieved as a midwife ( not one mother she delivered died ). In this fictional novel though, she is also investigating a murder…. Her story reveals a woman very much aware of the low consideration of women even in case of rapes…. Even though she clearly and loudly dared testify in court, her testimony was not taken seriously….The author painted a warm picture of a very lively Martha. I liked her immensely straight from the beginning of the novel! I loved her courage, resilience, her sense of duty and deep love for her family. Martha is also witty and brought a smile to my face many times! Through Martha’s story, the legal and social historical background is meticulously revealed. Highly recommended!

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: My first Ariel Lawhon book and it won’t be my last. Really well told story that sticks to its theme, is well paced, thought provoking and frustrating (at the realistic portrayal of injustice for women). Well written, without bells and whistles, but overall highly enjoyable. I wished it was longer! Fine historical fiction that had me drawing parallels to The Missionary’s Wife.

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