Book Review: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Title: The Frozen River
Author: Ariel Lawhon
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing group
Publication Date: December 15, 2023
ISBN: 9780385546874

Synopsis:
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.

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This stunner of a novel was the top pick for my book club this fall and it’s been a delight to read. This is the story of women, and though it takes place over two hundred years ago, the story itself, and the female experience is as timeless as it is difficult. Addressing issues of sexuality, female autonomy, record keeping and memory, power, and authority, this book is heart-stopping in its portrayal of the female experience in a patriarchal world.

What is so beautifully conveyed is the power of women, unbeknownst to most the men who surround them—their knowledge, their politics, their support. There is the potential for both great power, but also great betrayal. When society pressures and the law of their husbands takes precedent, the women can easily turn on one another in fear or anger. It is only through community, and working together, that the women will be able to ban together to survive some of the most challenging obstacles they may face.

Martha is a woman who wears many hats. She is a woman who is constantly in transition from the role of mother, wife, friend, midwife, physician, and historian. In a town and an era where a man’s word holds infinite weight over that of a woman, Martha’s meticulous daily record keeping will be the only record of some terrible atrocities, and will shoot Martha into the centre of an unfolding scandal that could strip her of everything.

This is a beautifully written historical fiction that transports the reader to another time. Lawhon’s writing easily sucks the reader in, taking them away to a time outside of our own modern era. It’s emotional and profoundly moving with evocative imagery that surrounds the reader in a tangible winter setting. The crimes remain unresolved through the coldest months, as frozen as the river, resolution only beginning to reveal itself in the first days of thaw and the promise of springtime. As much educational as it is entertaining, The Frozen River captures an engrossing reality while captivating the reader with a glimpse into true justice and the frustrating struggle with inequality.

As someone who enjoys historical fiction, but doesn’t often venture into the genre, I have thoroughly enjoyed Lawhon’s work. It’s lead to many interesting and in depth discussions at book club nights and I would encourage other readers to pick this one up, especially to read with friends.

Happy reading!