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    The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel
    The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel
    The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel
    Audiobook15 hours

    The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel

    Written by Ariel Lawhon

    Narrated by Ariel Lawhon and Jane Oppenheimer

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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 heroine." —People Magazine

    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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
    Release dateDec 5, 2023
    ISBN9780593748985
    The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel
    Author

    Ariel Lawhon

    Ariel Lawhon is a critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been Library Reads, One Book One County, Indie Next, Costco, Amazon Spotlight, and Book of the Month Club selections. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. Ariel splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field. Visit her online at ariellawhon.com; Instagram: @ariel.lawhon; Twitter: @ArielLawhon; and Facebook: @ArielLawhonAuthor.

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    Reviews for The Frozen River

    4.5/5

    392 ratings33 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I love historical fiction and have read many good novels in that genre, but this is by far the best. The strong protagonist Martha Ballard is such an interesting and badass character, especially for a woman in the late 1700’s.

      The mystery was so well done, and kept me guessing until the end. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know. Read it!
    • 5/5
      From a fellow birth junkie (labor & delivery nurse) I loved this book SO MUCH! Not only for the delivery aspect but the storyline. Listening to the end by the author made it even better.
    • 4/5
      From the book jacket: 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.

      My reactions:
      This novel came to my attention because it was a selection for my F2F book club. It took me a while to really get into the story but once I did, I was completely captured by it.

      The murder “mystery” is less important really than the characters in this book. I loved Martha Ballard. This is one strong, opinionated, intelligent, empathetic and courageous woman! I loved the way in which she stood up for herself and for others. I also really liked how Lawhon focused this story on a middle-aged woman in a strong and loving marriage.

      I am glad, too, that I took the time to read the author’s note at the end. AND READERS … be sure to read it AFTER you have finished the novel, as there will be spoilers in it otherwise. Lawhon based this work of fiction on a real woman – Martha Ballard, who was a midwife in 18th century Maine, and who kept meticulous journals / diaries throughout her life. What a treasure-trove of information and insight those materials were for the author!
    • 5/5
      Excellent historical fiction and mystery that kept me listening until the very end. I will be looking for more books by this author.
    • 5/5
      A fictionalized account of the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in colonial America. There is also a murder mystery with a twist.
    • 4/5
      Although The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is not my typical type of book, I wanted to see why it was the most checked-out book of the year at my library. Based on the real-life, 18th-century midwife, Martha Ballard, who kept a detailed journal of her life, Lawhon fleshes out the events of winter 1790 in a small town on the Kennebec River in Maine. For me, the book dragged with too many details — like many books these days a good edit would have done wonders — but I see the general appeal for many readers of a strong female lead, solid plot line, and interesting historical facts.
    • 3/5
      This historical fiction novel is based loosely on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in colonial Maine in the late 1700s. I know of Martha Ballard because she kept a daily diary and [[Laurel Thatcher Ulrich]] wrote a fabulous nonfiction account of her life and the life of her community by drawing out info from the terse but complete diary.

      In [The Frozen River], Lawhon takes a lot of liberties, basing the story partially around Martha's diary, partially around research of the general time and area, and then filling in the gaps. The picture she creates of Martha Ballard clashed with what I had in my head, but I was able to suspend that and enjoy the book for what it was. I think a lot of it was very good. I was a bit put off by the violence, though, as the book centers around the rape of a woman in the town by two men, one of whom is very powerful. It's very possible the real life events were even more violent than Lawhon depicts them, but nevertheless I had a hard time stomaching it and also some of the retaliatory violence. Maybe I'm overstating that and it wouldn't bother most. It's definitely part of the story and not gratuitous, but it did bother me.

      Anyway, I'm not sure about recommending this. I recommend [[Laurel Thatcher Ulrich]]'s nonfiction to everyone - [A Midwife's Tale] (please read it, it's brilliant!), but I'm afraid real fans of that book won't like this take on Ballard's life, and people unfamiliar with her just might not really care to read historical fiction about her.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      I was worried this was going to turn out horribly since it's based on true events, and real life never turns out right. I was pleasantly surprised with this, and then learned what actually happened in the author's note and was thankful for her choices.
      This is excellent historical fiction, woman focused, exciting, heartbreaking, tender.
    • 5/5
      Another 5 star excellent historical novel. The Frozen River takes place in Massachusetts in the late 1700s and is about the life and experiences of a midwife. This story offers up the history of midwivery, primitive medicine, a murder mystery, the love and devotion of marriage and family, and the horrible prejudices and misogyny of the judicial system after the Revolutionary war. Secrets, betrayals, injustices, and romance make this story quite riveting. This would be an excellent novel for a book club choice because there are so many topics going on in this book worth discussing! Standing ovation from this lover of historical fiction!
    • 4/5
      A friend recommended The Frozen River a while back, so I suggested that my book club read it. We gravitate towards biographical fiction featuring strong female characters, and this novel by Ariel Lawhon fit the bill. Told in first person narrative, the story revolves around real life Martha Ballard and her duties as a midwife. Martha Ballard was a renowned 18th century midwife and, uncharacteristically for the time period, left behind her day book or diary filled not only with her life, but those of her neighbors. Her influence carried down throughout the decades. (Google her for fascinating history.) Lawhon fictionalizes a good bit of the story, per her Author’s Notes, but all is very plausible given the time and place in which she lived. The historical framework was well-researched and included a lot of things my group found intriguing. Characters are well-developed and believable — though there are some you are going to hate! There’s a mystery that begins at the beginning and culminates with justice that was unexpected. Again, it’s fictional, but we liked to think that what man was reluctant to mete out, a woman could and did. Please note that this is a general market offering. There’s a lot of adult stuff!

      I liked The Frozen River very much. Read it first, then explore the rest of the story later.

      Recommended.

      Good for Book Clubs.

      Audience: Adults.

      (I purchased the ebook version from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 5/5
      A body is found in the ice, and local midwife Martha Ballard is called to examine it. She knows it's murder - there's evidence the man, Joshua Burgess, was hung - but another physician immediately contradicts her findings. To complicated matters, Joshua and another man, a respected judge who has a lot of clout in the small community of Kennebec, stands accused of raping Rebecca Foster, the wife of the recently dismissed minister in town who himself is suing to get the remainder of his fee.

      It's been awhile since I read such an immersive book. I found myself reluctant to put down this story and eager to pick it up again when I could. There's a claustrophobia in this small, gossipy town in the winter of 1789 when the river froze and many days that Martha wasn't birthing babies, she is at home. But she's also a respected woman in the community and knows many folks' secrets. The mystery itself takes a back seat to the historical details of midwifery and legal proceedings in the newly fledged United States, but these never overwhelm the story of a community and the double standards in the expected behavior of men and women. Ballard herself was a real midwife who really kept a day book, and Lawhon does an excellent job of bringing her to life and imagining a mystery she might have investigated. The author's note - which she warns you in the beginning not to look at 'til you've finished - breaks down fact from fiction thoroughly. I'm really looking forward now to turning to the nonfiction account in "A Midwife's Tale" by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.
    • 5/5
      Martha Ballard, a midwife and mother, is asked to view a body cut out of the frozen river. She knows the victim and is happy he is dead but his death looks suspiciously like he was hung before being thrown into the frozen river. Thus begins our mystery and a dive into the poor justice system of the time concerning rape, property rights and the general problems of a small community struggling to deal with right and wrong. As I listened to this very good audio version I did get confused with the many characters, their bias, alibi, and relationships. I enjoyed the description of life in 1789, courtship and marriage, and details of midwifery. Recommend.
    • 5/5
      The Frozen River: A Novel, Ariel Lawhon, author; Jane Oppenheimer, narrator
      The year is 1789, the place is Maine. It is a time in history before the laws were similar to ours today, and a time when women had absolutely no rights at all, a time when they were totally subservient to the will of the men in their lives and to the men in power. They could not own property or make decisions or give testimony without the approval of a male member of the family.
      When the Kennebec County community was stunned by the discovery of a body in the frozen river that bordered their homes, a body that turns out to be a man called Joshua Burgess, Martha Ballard, the wife of Ephriam Ballard, Jr., was called upon to examine the body. Martha, unlike most women of her day was literate. She was also a trained midwife who kept detailed journals recording her work. Her profession tended to those brought into the world and those who were leaving it. Martha’s experience and carefully written records were often called upon to corroborate or offer evidence in what was then considered a court of law.
      On the night of the discovery of the dead body of Joshua Burgess, Martha made her own discovery when she tended to the pastor’s wife, Rebecca Foster. Rebecca had been injured and violently raped by two men, one of whom was the man found in the frozen river. The other man that she accused was a judge, Joseph North, and a major figure of power and influence in the community.
      When Margaret was called upon by the court to offer her findings about the death of Burgess, she declared the death a of the man in the river to be murder. However, a newly arrived Harvard doctor, Benjamin Page, contradicted her finding and declared the death to be accidental. Martha had realized that the injuries to the body defied that judgment, but as a woman, not a doctor, she was ridiculed and overruled.
      When the pastor’s wife was accused of fornication, and her husband accused of the murder, Martha stepped in again, as a witness. She defended Rebecca against the charges made against her. The judge declares that both the murder and the rape will be subject to further investigation, by a higher court. The conspiracy theories develop and Martha is sucked more and more into the maelstrom of events and the investigation. Who murdered Burgess? Who raped Rebecca? Why are the women guilty when the men commit such crimes? Why are the judges and juries only men?
      As the investigation proceeds, it twists and turns as the guilty and innocent are put through the agonies of the investigation and the powerlessness of the women becomes more and more obvious. It seems highly improbable, but true, that there are two different standards of justice, one for men and one for women. The injustice is obvious. The falsehoods told by the men are accepted as truth, though there are no witnesses to support them and prove the charges are incorrect, but the truth spoken by the women is denied, for the very same reason, the lack of witnesses. There is a double standard here. The crimes committed against the women are always crimes committed without witnesses, and if witnesses exist, they are generally equally guilty of the crime. Rape and other violent acts are not crimes committed in the public arena, but rather they are hidden to avoid the consequences for such heinous behavior.
      This book, based on the life of a real midwife, was researched and also re-imagined. The novel truly highlights the need for women’s rights and codified laws to protect all citizens equally, regardless of background, gender, race or religion. It is also a story about true devotion and love.
    • 5/5
      This book was just so good. I love the strong woman character and she was just so smart and powerful in a mature way. This book also made me so frustrated with how the men treated women and that they weren't able to do so many things. If a woman was pregnant out of wedlock, it's basically her fault and there was a court thing. It was just crazy, because this was based on true events. I LOVED the author's afterward where she talks about where she got the idea and what was real and what wasn't. Really cool. And that she was in a doctor's office and happened to see something about Martha in a magazine or something. And if the doctor wasn't late, and she didn't see that, then there wouldn't have been a book. Anyway, the book was amazing. SPOILER: And at the end, where she cut off the judge's dick when he tried to rape her...soooo good. The book made you hate the judge SO MUCH and his character was such an asshole that when she did that, and got away with it...just winning. Really good book and makes me want to check out other books by this author!
    • 3/5
      Really, really not getting the rave reviews for this one. Too many characters. Too many little moments that seemed as though they might amount to something that, in the end, just fell apart. Relationships I did not believe were real.. A violent ending the author seemed to justify because the victim was a horrendous person. Not horribly written and I did finish it so I'm giving it three stars, but certainly not a remarkable novel.
    • 5/5
      There is so much going on in this book. Then, to know it's based on Martha Ballard, a midwife in Maine in the 18th century makes it amazing. I really liked it!
    • 2/5
      Outlier alert: Several friends who enthusiastically nudged me to read “The Frozen River” will frown to see that it landed on my “DNF” list. Any novel that attempts to introduce about 20 characters in the first 150 pages is doomed to lose me. That’s not necessarily the author’s fault. After all, a late mayor of Buffalo once publicly branded me as being “of average intelligence.” I felt I needed an organizational chart to remind me how the eclectic assortment of people fit into the plot. I made it through about half of the book largely because it’s well-written and sheds an intriguing light on life in the northeast during the late 1700s (hence, the 2-star rating). But the storyline simply didn’t grab me, and the effort required to keep all the characters straight simply wasn’t worth it.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyed this very much...very good writing, make sure to read the author's note at the end to get more information about her research and how she toned down some of the details of the events that took place. ( I couldn't imagine that it was worse...but it was)
    • 4/5
      The Kennebec is the frozen river in this book. It freezes up at the beginning and thaws by the end (much like the story itself). A murder mystery is at the center of this historical novel, which begins with a body discovered frozen in that river. Notwithstanding the allure of a juicy murder mystery, the most intriguing elements in this novel involve what it must have been like to live in 18th century Maine. Hollowell is a close-knit village situated along the Kennebec and its resident midwife, based on the real-life Martha Ballard, left a trove of quotidian facts about this time and place in her diaries. Lawhon expertly fictionalizes them. Not unlike today, women were treated as second class citizens. Despite obvious expertise, Martha is disrespected by the town’s credentialed doctor, ignored by a rudimentary justice system, and legally subjugated to her husband, Ephraim. Yet midwives were ideally placed in these communities to learn all the gossip and everyone’s secrets. Martha was no exception. For instance, in Martha’s time, quite a few children were conceived out of wedlock. Such births are common elements in Lawhon’s narrative.

      Lawhon gives us a nuanced heroine in Martha Ballad. Not only is she a competent and caring medical professional, but also a middle-aged mother of nine children with six surviving. She enjoys a stable marriage of 35 years to Ephraim, who runs a successful sawmill. Martha gets involved in the murder mystery when she is called to examine the body of Joshua Burgess and concludes that he did not die of natural causes. Her conclusion is disputed, however, by the new village physician, a vain man with little to no experience with childbirth. Martha feels compelled to investigate further because of this dispute. She quickly sees multiple links between this murder and the rape of the wife of the village parson. Complications galore ensue, including accusations against her mute son, and a scoundrel judge who holds the lease to her family’s property.

      Lawhon’s twisty plot has enough suspense, skullduggery, and sexiness to keep most readers amused. However, the most compelling scenes come at deliveries and in courtrooms (in this case it is frequently the town tavern). Lawhon successfully uses Martha’s voice in her dairies to evoke a close personal narrative. For me, Lawhon’s only shortcoming comes with a few unrealistic male characters. Ephraim, Martha’s husband was a bit too good to be true; North, the village judge had few redeeming qualities and was way too ruthless; Dr. Benjamin Page, the Harvard-educated physician who belittles Martha was too much of an ass for my tastes. Lawhon, on the other hand, seems to excel at writing nuanced women characters, including Martha’s daughters, who are on the hunt for marriageable mates; Rebecca Foster, the woman pregnant with her rapists’ child; and especially Doctor, the mysterious indigenous healer.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      Based on an historical figure, The Frozen River is a fictional account of one winter in the life of real-life midwife Martha Ballard.

      Set in 1789 Maine, Martha, whose primary medical responsibility is to deliver babies, is called upon to examine a corpse pulled from the frozen Kennebeck River. Martha declares the death a murder. The deceased has been accused of having participated in a rape that resulted in a pregnancy. The judge hearing both bases (rape and murder) was an accomplice to the rapist. (That’s going to make for a good story in any century!)

      Portrayal of 18th century life and justice is captivating, especially viz a viz the treatment of women and their lack of respect/standing in the courtroom. The story moves quickly, and Lawhon’s prose is superb.

      I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who is an aficionado of historical fiction.
    • 5/5
      Martha Ballard is a midwife in the late 18th century who's called to testify in a rape case. I couldn't put this one down. Martha might be one of my favorite characters I read in recent years and knowing she's based on a real woman makes me love her even more. She's strong, smart, and opinionated without ever sacrificing her love for her children and husband. She fights for those with no voice and doesn't let her personal beliefs get in the way of serving those in need. Just an excellent novel across the board. I couldn't wait to see what happened next and I cheered in one gruesome scene.
    • 5/5
      The Frozen River, based on a true story about midwife Martha Ballard, is an exceptional example of historical fiction at its finest! Martha a strong confident woman was a true advocate for women in a time when women were not considered equal.

      Ariel Lawhon with her brilliant prose and vivid descriptions kept me engrossed from the very first page, and had me sitting on the edge of my seat in this wonderful complex historical thriller mystery. This intriguing sensational story is educational, thought provoking and arouses emotion throughout.

      Highly recommended this book about Martha Ballad, an exceptional woman, fighting for justice.

      I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Doubleday through NetGalley. I was not obligated to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
    • 5/5
      5 star plus a couple more if I could add them! My first book of the year and it will be a popular one. Really hard to find in hardcover and holds at the library are crazy long. GMA picked it as their December read and where I really liked it, I hope it holds up to the hype. Oprahs club used to send books to the top of the best sellers list just because so many people bought it for that reason. Anyway, the story was great historical fiction but based on the real life of a true pioneer woman and midwife in Maine in the late 1700's. Mix in a murder mystery and it is a great read.
    • 5/5
      This is a historical fiction novel based on real-life midwife, Martha Ballard, set in Maine 1789. When a body is found frozen in the river, Martha believes he was murdered. However, the new doctor in town disagrees. Preceding this death, the dead man, along with another, were accused of raping a local woman. However, in the patriarchal society, the women weren't believed, and the men usually got off scot-free. Martha is frustrated by this, and although her husband supports her, she is endangered by the men who want her silenced.
      I loved this story. I found it fascinating that Martha never lost a mother while delivering babies, and how her life was affected by rape. The author changed some events, but the spotlight on this amazing woman is interesting.
    • 4/5
      First sentence: The body floats downstream. But it is late November, and the Kennebec River is starting to freeze, large chunks of ice swirling and tumbling through the water, collecting in mounds while clear, cold fingers of ice stretch out from either bank, reaching into the current, grabbing hold of all that passes by.

      Premise/plot: Martha Ballard, a midwife, witnesses much in her community. She often ends up testifying in court sharing her observations and notes. IN The Frozen River, she is struggling with the injustice of it all. A local woman has been gang-assaulted while her husband was away; she's identified the men involved. Martha visited her days later and can testify to her physical and emotional state. But despite both being willing to testify in court--despite the horrendous nature of the crimes--justice seems unlikely within the system at least. One of the perpetrators is the dead man found in the frozen river. The second, well, he holds a position of power.

      The novel chronicles about a year of time, I believe. Much happens within the community.

      My thoughts: The novel is loosely based on a historical figure. This is not the first book about Martha Ballard, a real midwife in early America. The author details how much she changed, rearranged, condensed, and reimagined for her novel.

      This one was LONG. It is definitely more of a journey than a destination, in my opinion. In other words, IF you start the novel and are drawn into the story by the characters, keep reading you'll likely enjoy the book as a whole. I personally would have preferred fewer flashbacks. Flashing back to Martha's past did nothing for me. None of the flashbacks seemed to move the present story forward.
    • 5/5
      Marvelous book. and marvelous intel from the author afterwards as to her thoughts and interpretations of a historic figure.
    • 4/5
      This novel blends history and mystery in a small New England town during a long winter. Martha Ballard is a midwife, whose duties make her privy to many of the town's secrets. When a man accused of rape turns up dead in the river, Martha is asked to examine the body, a task which leads her to dig even deeper into the secrets which permeate the place she calls home. This novel makes for a gripping read, perfect for a winter weekend.
    • 4/5
      Based on the true story of a midwife in Maine in the 18th century, this is once again excellent historical fiction by Ariel Lawhon. The large Ballard family, headed by the father, Ephraim, and his wife, Martha has joys and sorrows that they celebrate and mourn together. Martha gave birth to nine children, of whom six remained after a devastating bout of smallpox.

      Martha is a midwife by training and much respected in her small community. In the aftermath of the rape, she stands solidly behind the victim, despite one of the judges being accused of the crime. This was a time when women were publicly shamed, fined and/or incarcerated for acts of moral turpitude while men were held to a different standard. There is a death that figures prominently from the beginning of the novel.

      This is an engrossing read, especially after reading the author's notes at the end.