The Frozen River
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Jane Oppenheimer
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Ariel Lawhon
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Written by:
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Ariel Lawhon
About this listen
"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.
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A great listen!
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As a woman, I cringed, cried, and swore numerous times when Martha came up against many of the men in her community, but especially Joseph North and Benjamin Page. This book solidified the fact that if I was around in 1789, I would have been killed for my sassy, feminist attitude and absolute distain for male arrogance, hubris, double standards and unethical authority.
I’m not usually a historical fiction reader, but I read this as a part of a (local mamas) book club that I’m in. I found it slow at times, but the murder mystery plotline kept me motivated to move forward. I also think the story would have benefitted from additional POVs from other characters, such as Martha’s husband, Ephraim, whose acceptance and adoration for his wife’s (feminist) choices seemed a little unrealistic for 1789. Grab this book if you enjoy historical fiction, dual timelines, and murder mystery, and make sure you read the author’s note at the end.
A compelling historical mystery
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I really enjoyed this book
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Not enthralled
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Do you like historical fiction? You’ll learn of the early American judicial system and the place of women in the society of the 1700s, how to make a quill pen, how to harvest a chicken, childbirth pre-modern medicine, transport by horse and foot, and so much more.
Do you like a bit of romance? You’ll enjoy reading of the 35-year love affair between Martha and Ephraim.
How about mystery? You’ll want to know who killed Joshua Burgess and why.
Do you enjoy audio books? The audio version has an incredible narrator. I really feel like it was Martha telling her own story.
I enjoyed every aspect of this novel.
My Book of the Year
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