BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Frozen River’ weaves a tale of Maine injustice
“The grand finale is jaw-dropping”
By Michelle Beckwith
We have seen it, we have crossed it more times than we can count, and in Ariel Lawhon’s stunning historical mystery “The Frozen River,” the Kennebec River encases secrets and lies during the brutal winter of 1789-1790. The story is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a Hallowell midwife and healer who had her hand on the pulse of her community’s births, deaths and daily events in post-Revolutionary War New England. In the darkness of night this midwife set pen to paper documenting it all, but the tale told between the lines is a crystal clear narrative of 18th century Maine. Lawhon masterfully weaves a fictional story of injustice in a tight knit community, into the framework of recorded events.
The plot grabs your attention, opening with a dead body in the river, then takes a pause detailing maybe too many mundane aspects of everyday life. But hold onto your hats readers, the grand finale is jaw dropping. Heavy themes of body autonomy, judicial persecution and human rights are balanced by details of warm personal relationships and the wonder and beauty of the natural world in our small corner of the country.
I consumed this novel in a single sitting while reading the actual diary entries so eloquently highlighted in Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s book “A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard Based On Her Diary, 1785-1812” (available at The Blue Hill Library). And while the conclusion of Lawhon’s novel leans toward the sensational, even outrageous end of the scale, Martha’s own words confirmed the very real events.
Worth the hype, this one is an ideal choice for a thought provoking winter read—but maybe have an extra blanket on hand!
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality.”
—Michelle Beckwith reviews books of various genres and especially enjoys titles set in Maine. Her reviews from the past five years are posted on her Instagram page @bookshelfbybeckwith. She and her husband Jeff live in Blue Hill.
